The BMW Lover @Ladakh

During our trip to Ladakh, I found all varieties of cars running perfectly well even at the high altitudes of the Himalayan passes (17-18 thousand feet). The internal combustion engine works even with the lesser oxygen, I mused. The moment I thought that, I realized that the difference in oxygen level couldn’t be all that much, otherwise tourists like ourselves would be struggling for breath.

 

But I wasn’t totally wrong on the point either. Our driver told us most new vehicles are tested in Ladakh. If they can run with the slightly lower level of oxygen there, they can run anywhere.

 

Like all kids, my 12 yo daughter is a lover of high-end cars. Mercedes and BMW top the list, of course. Thankfully, she doesn’t see Ferraris in Bangalore but I guess things will change if we visit Dubai. Needling her, I pointed out that most of the cars in rugged Ladakh seemed to be Hyundai’s and good old Maruti’s. Don’t see any of the fancy, delicate BMW’s or Merc’s, I added for good measure, I am sure they wouldn’t survive such a place. If looks could kill…

 

I told her of my visit to the BMW museum during my Munich trip ages ago. How the BMW HQ is such a unique 4-cylindrical structure. Back then, I told her, even I thought BMW was the best car. Her eyes lit up – maybe you do have some taste, she seemed to say. But I was young and stupid then, I said pricking her bubble, now I know better. She gave me a crushing look and said, “Not wise, you became a kanjoos (miser)”.

 

Even in Singapore, her favourite country (she’d take Singapore citizenship over any other country’s, she says), we pointed out that most people can’t afford to own a car – parking, high taxes for car ownership, and waiting lists to get a permit to buy a car. She wasn’t convinced – she’d seen cars on the roads of Singapore, after all.

 

At the Siachen memorial in Ladakh, we got into an army truck. It was so tall, you had to climb into it. The view from the driver’s seat, the massive steering wheel, the muscular metallic exterior, everything about this vehicle exuded power and strength. My daughter declared that the army truck trumps a BMW or Merc any day. She was so impressed by it that she even wondered if there was a Junior Army where she could drive one all day.

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