Blogs from Pakistan, Asia - page 9

Stayed in Gilgit, biggest city in Northern areas, 'Grand Continental Hotel' As we left Gilgit we crossed & recrossed the'Danyore Bridge' to get right photo, on old bridge & tunnel, just for pedestrians and bikes now, suspension bridge with one end straight into a tunnel. A run up to Skardu then seamed a good idea, 'not far' as usual, but turned into a epic 180km of gravel road at times cut back into vertical cliff wall. You might think Pakistan would ease back into open valley and better road after 100k or so, not a chance here it runs hard all way, they are tough here - perhaps why cricket team does so well. Or another view 'no benefit culture here' - if U work then can have some life, but generally people are happy. Indus ... read more

After crossing border stayed in a Puso hotel, just below the Pasu glacier, which was just 500m behind hotel, but impenetrable thicket stopped getting close. This would be real high mountains, black & very steep, if anything trasformation from bare mountain to scrub then cultivation that changes as U drop dow valley. Initially a sharp V, with no flat ground to a more gentle V where sides are cultivated, finally big U shape. As always water makes the ground flourish, the Pakistani people have to work hard on irrigation canals. Karakuram highway is near perfect road, but little traffic, not sure lack of wealth or fuel, with the Attabad lake blocking road, all goods must either travel from China or be lifted on/off boats, so bulk fuel would be tough. Do see 150cc bikes nearly always ... read more

The Tiny Trekker on the Way Dunga Gali-Mukshpuri Trek KPK-Pakistan Text & Photographs by: Muhammad Kashif Ali aka Kashifthegipsy Feeman Ali, the tiny trekker (of four and half years only), selected the Dunga Gali-Mukshpuri Track with the help of his Baba Jani, in September, 2009 for his debut trek in any mountain range. It was the month of Ramadan (1430 AH), when he set off for Galliyat Tract of NWFP, now Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa. He stayed with me (his Baba Jani, Muhammad Kashif Ali), and one of my friends, Saim Mughal in Snow Land Hotel, Dunga Gali. Dunga Gali is almost four kilometers away from Nathia Gali, and around 30 kilometers from Murree on Murree-Abbotabad road. Dunga Gali is around 8000 feet above sea-level and is engulfed by some of the finest pine forests. It is a ... read more

Vor einiger Zeit wurde ich von einem Bekannten, der zur pakistanischen Oberschicht gehört und dementsprechend reich ist, zu einem "kleinen Abendessen" auf der Yacht eines seiner Freunde eingeladen. Ich war damals noch neu im Lande und deshalb froh über jede Möglichkeit neue Leute kennen zu lernen. Mittlerweile sind einige dieser Bekanntschaften wieder erloschen oder wurden von mir erstickt, sobald klar wurde, dass die Personen mehr an meinem Beruf als an mir als Person interessiert waren. Erwähnter Bekannter ist übrigens immer noch in meiner Kontaktliste. Aber zurück zu jenem Abend. Eigentlich war eine Mitfahrgelegenheit mit einem Kollegen geplant, aus der dann jedoch wegen Kommunikationsproblemen nichts wurde. Also schickte mein Bekannter kurzerhand seinen Wagen samt zwei Bodyguards vor meine Haustür. Ich wusste lediglich, dass da jemand kommen würde, jedoch kannte ich weder Modell noch... read more

As I get excited for this memorable trip, I'm collecting gifts for the family. Amongst them, a few are particular for my doctor sister and her work. I had difficulty selecting the type of Vacuum she wanted for her collegue. Eventually we decided on a metal, in place of the plastic that she already had. I'm using this "trial run" as a prodromal exercise, for a lot more to come. My only concern is that trying to keep up with entries will take away alot of time, that otherwise could be spent enjoying late evening-nights exploring other aspects of travel and sight-seeing. I guess this could be similar to when we take pictures for viewing them later, but miss "memorizing" the scenes for that time. Though this texting is from a keyboard and a good exercise, ... read more