Sonam Wangchuk and the wider Nexus
Ladakh is home to at least 7 major glaciers, including the Siachin Glacier, famous for being the world's highest battlefield. Climatically, it is classified as a cold desert, home to some of the most unique animal species, including the elusive Snow Leopard, the cute-looking Himalayan Marmot, the Blue Sheep, the Eurasian Lynx, and the recently spotted beauty - the Pallas Cat. With an average altitude of 11,500 feet and 35% fewer oxygen molecules to breathe in as compared to the mean sea level, life in Ladakh is not everyone's cup of gur-gur tea. On my first visit to this unique region, the one thing that struck me and has remained with me ever since then is the warm hospitality and kindness of the locals. It wasn't put up as a show for tourists like us; it was an innate part of their nature. They care for each other, for their environment, for the mountains and even for the outsiders who visit them and bring them a piec...