http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Pakistan , Northern Areas en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:02:05 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:02:05 BST Back in India for the last time for a while anyway. You know it's an Indian train your on when someone pathetically bangs a drum waves a model cobra at you and wants money someone else goes up and down the train selling only combs all day polyester slacks are the height of fashion there aren't nearly enough seats for all the men are intimatley embracing each other.On to Calcutta or Kolkott http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-300935.html So after trekking over the Pakora Pass we spent about 4 days living with a family from Pakora recovering from the rigours of walking.Unfortunately that meant that only 7 days were left until the polo tournament started. The idea of walking all the way to Shandur therefore went out of the window and was instead replaced with well let's just see how far we get and then get on a bus when we run http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-298715.html So sitting in Karimabad it's easy to start dreaming about the world of adventures that awaits in Pakistan. Getting off your arse to actually do them is however a different story. K'bad is just such a nice place and the people are so great that you just never want to leave.Nonetheless over an evening of Hunza Water the local alcohol of choice made from Mulberries and locally picked medicinal http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-298674.html pakistan was not a country that we planned to visit on this trip. it was merely a path we decided to take enroute to india. all in all this trip was to take in the spectacular karakoram highway. however the very postive introduction we had from Naz our pakistani saviour we decided to stay abit longer and check out the sights of pakistan. soon enough we realised that most pakistanis had a hea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-288325.html apologies for the muted silence the last few wks. for the uninformed ive long left china hmm abt a mth ago or smth. since then ive traversed pakistani sovereign territory and now am in india. in pakistan theres a nationwide power shortage and internet there is dialup so thats abt as potent a concoction you'd need to really get wired. pakistan....is truly beautiful. nothing like how the media w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-288323.html So luckily I managed to secure a 3 month visa extension which means I can now stay here until early September.Pakistan continues to be a fantastic place to visit. Not just the mountains and scenery but more the people and the culture.An exampleLast week I made the 4 hour round trip to Gilgit to get my visa extension. In most countries I have been to such a day would be a complete waste of time http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-286024.html Hello againDespite what they might have you believe internet access in Pakistan aint that difficult to arrange. So expect blogs aplentyAnyway god what a few days I've had. From Minapin backpacker central to Passu probably the first place that most people rest in Pakistan after entering the country from China and heading down the Karakoram Highway. Billed in the guidebook as the place to go http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-283616.html So the film crew that was in town organised a night of traditional Hunza dancing in order that they could film it for their documentary. All the westerners in town were invited as guests. The sword dancing was particularly cool. All sounds fine. Until that part of the evening when they ask the tourists to dance. Now I know that only a few of you have actually seen me dance but I'm sure the rest http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Minapin/blog-278855.html So today I went for my first proper trek in Pakistan an 8 hour trip up to 3200 metres to be surrounded by some of the most majestic and magnificent mountain scenery I have ever seen. The guidebook calls it easy. Whether it was the heat the lack of water the lack of acclimatisation or the fact that I'm still fat and unfit who knows. But anyway I didn't find it easy. over 750 metres of vertical http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Karimabad/blog-278345.html Gilgit. Northern Areas. Pakistan.Liberation Day Celebrations.As proof of the army's training professionalism and combatreadiness we the crowd are treated to a mock operation with soldiers repelling down ropes from an airborne helicopter to secure the area. I saw the same yesterday total and complete amateurs. One was too scared and had to be pulled back in. It took maybe 20 minutes for 8 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-222044.html 11 October 2007 Today I reached the Chinese border at the Khunjerab pass. The last couple of km I was accompanied by a member of the park security force. From about 4000m we climbed rather fast to 4750m over a distance of 18 km. Getting out of the car was OK but once on my feet I felt rather dizzy. It was not as cold as I expected but that was partly because of the sun. The reflection on the ice http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-221527.html On 15th July we woke up very early and at 7am Taimoor came to pick us it was cold in the morning. We loaded our bags in his jeep purchased some drinks and snacks from a bakery and started our journey. It was cold and Taimoor asked me to wear Jacket and I told him that I forgot to bring it Taimoor said without it we cannot proceed as it will be very cold in Fairy Meadows so we stopped at Jaglot http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Fairy-Meadows/blog-221440.html I found myself thinking I'd be writing this email in various forms to a number of people so it's best to just type it once and have people read it as they're boredHelloDid you know there's martial law in Pakistan i'm in this town called abbottabad to the north of islamabad. a guy yesterday said it was a political emergency situation... no tanks in the streets no soldiers performing ID c http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-217048.html Stop what your doing ignore everything youve heard about pakistan buy trekking in the hindukush and karakorum and book your ticket to pakistanLahore may have been polluted but after 29 hours of travelling covering 980km weve arrived in karimabad on the karakorum highway and its absolutely mind blowing.from our 2pound anight room we can sit on our doorstep looking at a valley full of autu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Karimabad/blog-214268.html Welcome Back TeaGilgitNext day I leave town on the earliest minivan to Gilgit keeping in mind a list of places still to explore before the China tourist visa expires. I meet so many tourists on return visits to Pakistan and no wonder I could've easily spent another day in Skardu to explore the back roads putter about the market or climb up Karpochu for the splendid views of the valley and to i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-210034.html A Gilgit si sta bene non fa troppo freddo i numerosi negozi mi consentono l'acquisto di buone scarpe e caldi indumenti per il freddo che verra' si trova tutto il cibo necessario ed una buona guesthouse offre un sicuro riparo per la notte.La citta' si raggiunge da Mastuj superando lo Shandur pass che a 3810 metri d'altezza ospita il campo da polo piu' alto al mondo e che vede una volta all'an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-209025.html As we leave the Hunza Valley and head into Gilgit the scenery and atmosphere changes drastically. There is a big military presence as Gilgit is the military and administrative headquarters for the Northern Area most notably there are guns all over and there are no women on the streets.As we get off of our bus the place is a little overwhelming. We walk around looking for our hotel. Our first http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-208453.html After our Rakaposhi Base Camp trek we got excited and ready to do a little more extensive trekking. We found that our tent was more comfortable than in the villages and way cheaper too and eating our campfood was easier on our stomachs. So we boarded another bus for Skardu which is the base for climbing and trekking expeditions in the Baltistan area. We know of several American and Canadian p http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-208448.html Hello Everyone It feels like a lifetime since our last update. The quick version of our last month is that we've been in Pakistan since September 4th... we traveled in over the Kunjerab Pass and wersquove been making our way south and east. We spent time in 1 the Hunza Valley with Ismali Muslims 2 the Gilgit area with military personnel and a bunch of bearded men 3 in Baltistan home of b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Karimabad/blog-208446.html The Natco ExpressShandur PassThe Daewoo bus pulls up nearly an hour late following a restless night in which the wind and rain lash the apple orchard releasing the fruit to drum on the tin roof. Leaving Mastuj I am the fourth passenger in a coaster that seats more than twenty. My rucksack is hoisted onto the roof rack and I take a seat up front to enjoy the vistas out the windshield. On the town' http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-205035.html After a long night and even longer following day on the notsoluxury VIP bus we finally arrive in Skardu. We would have preffered to cycle here from Kargil but the road west of Kargil is out of bounds and it is only possible to travel about 10km along the road east from Skardu. However we are back in Ladakh sort of. Skardu is the capital of Baltistan and the former winter capital of Ladakh al http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-197691.html Just returned from Pakistan and want to say it was one of my better trips due to a slight change in travel plan. Normally I would fly direct to Islamabad but unexpectedly airliner cancelled their weekly flights so I decided to explore Lahore and revisit some of the places from earlier trips in Pakistanrsquos southern parts and work my way north through Karachi Multan Bahawalpur Sukkur H http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-196549.html I booked tickets on 4th or 5th July for 14th July so we reached Islamabad from Lahore at 530 on 14th via Daewoo we were at airport at 6am and heard a bad news that weather is not good our flight delayed but finally we reached gilgit at 1215 pm and it rained for an hour after we reached there We stayed at Taj Hotel and I went to meet Rehmat Nabi for some guidence.I spent 3 hours in his offic http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-189407.html That's right we're in Pakistan or rather were having just left after the thick end of three weeks travelling down the spine of the country. And before you start to panic Mum and Dad don't worry this was not the land of mujaheddin and fundamentalist madrassas that the English media makes it out to be not the bits we were in at any rate. I'd go as far as to say that northern Pakistan is ri http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-177141.html November 2004 As beautiful as the north of Pakistan is which is extremely by the way there is not so much to do. Most of the day can be spent outside exploring the glaciers or walking down the river bed but as soon as the sun dips behind a mountain the temperature plummets past uncomfortable towards unbearable. Being outside ceases to be an option. Unfortunately for us in November the sun sets http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gulmit/blog-138107.html Most of our dreams of Pakistan had involved finally getting up north to the giants of the Karakorum Range. Here the mighty Indus rushes out of the Himalaya and Pakistan has 3 different huge mountain ranges meeting the Karakorum Hindu Kush and Himalaya. It really is one of the highest places on earth and many of the worldrsquos largest glaciers adorn the peaks. Jolt crash shudderhellipthis http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Karimabad/blog-99479.html