एका फेसबुक ग्रूपवर मी Ladakh trip for mom and child अशी जाहिरत पाहिली. inquiry करणार्‍या बर्‍याच मॉम्सची मुलं दहापेक्षा कमी वयाची होती. काही काही तर ४-५ ची सुद्धाहोती. शिवाय अनेक मॉम्सनी फॅमिली ट्रीपसाठी विचारणा केली होती त्यातल्या काहींची मुलं तर अगदीच २-३ होती. त्या ग्रूपवर लिहिलेल्या ह्या टिप्स जशाच्या तशा इथे लिहिते आहे.

Moms

It's been a craze to visit ladakh since we have seen the beauty of the land in 3 idiots. But I must update you on few fact s

1. Ladakh is above 13000 feet in height n oxygen levels are too too toooooo low there.

2. when you go to Ladakh, You must not fly in Ladakh. You must travel by road preferably shrinagar stay at kargil n then ladakh. This helps you get acclamatise with low oxygen levels. There have been cases of hospitalization n death because the visitor could not understand he was suffering from low oxygen almost within 5 to 12 hours of landing in leh by flight. (Even While one is sleeping since giddiness is misunderstood as feeling tired or feeling sleey)

3. before you plan your travel Meet your doctors and ask them to prescribe you medicines which will help you to acclamatise. There is one tablet commonly taken by many but it is a sulpha drug (so wont tell you name coz m not supposed to tell) which dilates blood vessels n lung vessels. You must take allergy test of the drug in your home town. If you are found non allergic to the medicine then take the medicine one day before you start the travel. take it every day till you are there in ladakh.

Camphor recommended by many does not help at all. No medical proof.

4. Carry oxymeter. Total must. Keep checking ur oxygen level. If you see those dropping below 75 start descending on altitude immediately. Money invested is not more important than your life. If you don't have one pls go to local dr n prathamik chikitsa kendra. Or military camps. But better have one of ur own.

5. This place is big no no for kids. Kids don't enjoy such long boring travels 6 to many hours in car. More importantly if they start feeling uneasy due to low oxygen levels they may not be able to communicate. You cannot give them that medicine also on your own.

6. Drink lot of water. Urinate as much as you can wherever u can, it means even in open in mountains in ghats wherever car stops. You may not get the food that you like. So be prepared. Eat n drink whenever you can n what you get. Have soups thupaka n drink kahawa. It will help you stay hydrated.

7. Don't travel during ur chums. Have seen pathetic condition of public toilets because of used pads. Pls don't add to it. (I will elaborate this point later. till then please lets not argue on this point)

8. Ladakh is not a place of timepass tourism. You must respect that place. It demands lot of discipline from you. Do a research on internet. Read reviews of people who have visited there. Go there as if you are going for a very serious trekking on mt. everest. M not joking, it's that serious. It's not a luxurious tourist place at all.

9. Be mentally prepared to miss sight seeing because of land slides because someone from your group getting hospitalized or because army not allowing you to travel

10. Strictly no alcohol there on high altitude unless you want to die. (penning down words used by doctor in Ladakh hospital)

11. Don't plan short trips. After you reach there spend two days resting, in your room, doing nothing,not even taking walk in your hotel. it's must for acclamatisation.

12. in spite of taking so much care if you feel tired, dizzy, sleepy, breathless, get headache feel like vomiting or if you find your oxygen saturation is below 80 immediately start descending on altitude. If you are travelling anywhere then return back to leh and visit city hospital. All these are signs of Acute mountain sickness.

In spite of knowing all this my husband suffered (Sept 2014) because of low oxygen levels. He thought he is more fit than me since does regular work out runs for long, good hemoglobin. when he started showing these signs he took the tablet after talking to doctors here in mumbai. but he is allergic to sulpha drug which he was not awqre of. then he did not take the tablet and He had breathlessness, severe headache, vomiting n finally he was admitted in civil hospital leh. Thanks to military doctors at pangong tso , prathamik chikitsa kendra near pangong tso (some 1.5 hours away from pangong tso) N civil hospital at leh that I m seeing my husband alive.

Many people may tell you are kuchh nahi hota hain. Main Jake aya na. Or your operators will say we conduct so many tours there. Kisiko kuchh nahi hota hain. They will say we carry oxygen cylinder also.... One person if on oxygen needs full 4 feet big oxygen cylinder which is available only in hospital and that too or patients admitted there. oxygen cylinder tht tour operators have is of size little bigger than HIT insect killer

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE UNNECESSARY RISK. there are many other beautiful places in india which are yet to be visited by us. Leh ladakh is not a regular tourist spot. Go there with sensibility n sensitivity.

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