Despite having went to bed at 2 am I managed to get up around 8 or so.   Got ready and went down for breakfast – some toast, fried eggs, potatoes, grilled fish and a donut.   While I was eating I think I spotted a few potential people from the group.

Lounged around the breakfast room and then confirmed the group briefing time and went to the pool for a quick swim.   The pool was nice and definitely made the heat very pleasant. 
As I was leaving the pool I met Julia from the UK, who was also in the group.   After a brief introduction I went up to change and told her I’d be down in a bit.  Got changed and went down to the bar for a beer.   Met Julia in the restaurant and chatted and then met Cheryl, who is sharing her room.   We then met some of the others in the group for the briefing.   The 3 that were on the organized flight had had their briefing earlier and there was apparently one more coming in later.   The other 2 were Kevin (from Scotland) and Danny (from London).  The guide Ranjeev mentioned that a couple had canceled last minute. 

After the briefing the 5 of us went to have lunch and chat in the restaurant.   Then Julia and I went to the pool and the other 3 went sightseeing.   The pool was nice and we ran into Steve, who was on the group flight and who’d been posting on the group Internet board before the trip.   After the swim had a quick shower and then met Julia in the bar.   Danny joined us after they returned and then we met the other members of the group – Chris (from Australia), William (from the UK), and Jouni (Finnish from the UK).  Chris was apparently the one who was to arrive later but she had actually arrived the previous day. 

We went for dinner to the same place I had gone last year.   I had some lamb kebabs and paneer parantha.  

After dinner we went back to the hotel and Julia,  Danny and I went for a nightcap (water for Julia and I as we already had a few beer).  Since our flight over the Himilayas to Leh leaves at 5:15 am and we are leaving the hotel at 2:30, we called it a night at 9.  Typing this up now and heading to bed for a brief sleep before the 2am wake up call. Hoping that the wifi will be working in Leh so I will aim to post more tomorrow, including more photos.