Himalayan Crossroads

We’ve been here at Himalayan Crossroads on Shanti Stupa Road for a while now. If you’ve walked up toward the stupa in Changspa, you probably passed our door. It’s a busy spot, especially in the summer when the sun is out and everyone is heading up the hill for the view. Our office isn't anything fancy. It’s mostly just a desk, some chairs, and a lot of maps pinned to the walls. We spend most of our mornings drinking butter tea and talking to people who wander in looking for directions or just wanting to know how the roads are looking toward the passes. Leh is a small town, really, so we know most of our neighbors. The air gets thin up here, but you get used to it after a few days. We like being in Changspa because it feels a bit more relaxed than the main market area, though it still gets quite loud with the motorbikes zooming past. Sometimes the electricity goes out for a bit, but that’s just how things go in Ladakh. We keep the place open pretty much all day. If the door is unlocked, someone is usually inside. We don’t really do big speeches or fancy posters. We just show up, open the shutters, and see who comes by. It’s a simple life, mostly waiting for the winter to end so things can get busy again. It is just how we do things here.