Blogs from Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan, Asia - page 3

The journey from Rama Lake back to Gilgit can best be described as stinking hot. We suffered badly for the lack of A/C. The scenery was stunning, again following a rough road that used to be an ancient trading route, next to the Indus River. It travels through a big gorge until eventually opening up as we rejoined the Karakoram Highway. Kabluie’s slow driving for the 4th day in what we discovered was 40C heat was akin to torture. The mountains were radiating heat so it bounced in through the windows adding to the temperature. It was like being in a furnace blast. We got back to the homestay in the mid-afternoon very hot and dusty. With no fan in our room nor the hang out room we contemplated moving accommodation the next day as there ... read more

Gilgit was so lively compared to Passu, and was our first town since Kashgar, with the streets around the guest house packed with lock-up shops selling pretty much everything a body might need - veg, clothes (some second hand), trekking gear, meat, spices, many mosques; a real bustling atmosphere that is a good rehearsal for India! On our first day, we were taken on a mini tour of Gilgit. First to a 7th cent. Buddha carved into a rock face some 50 ft high in a very implausible location! (Why up there?) The carving is aproximately 15ft high, and fairly uremarkable save for the setting. Down the valley below the Buddha was a fast-flowing mountain stream, which where it's scored enough depth, the water sparkles a brilliant turquoise, and nipping betwen the stones we saw a ... read more

apologies for the mutedness 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 dial-up so thats that when it comes to getting wired. pakistan....is truly beautiful. nothing like how the media would hardsell and pitch ardently. no semblence of ethnic and religious unrest, terror networks , no shit like that. now that im in india i really really miss it. first, the china debacle. the last wk has been nth short of tumultuous. it all started with our chimerical claim that a transit visa was available at Sust (pak border town) on arrival. of cos, such conjectures were founded on very thorough and exacting ... read more

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 was dazzling. We were about to turn back when, from the Chinese side, a car rocketed up with a load of Chinese tourists. Of course pictures had to be taken and a few pleasantries exchanged, and then we started the short distance back to the security base, situated at the Chinese side of the Khunjerab ... read more

The Dream Every year, Everest draws attention from the entire world. Climbers scale the worlds tallest mountain virtually before an audience of millions, those following the quests on their home computers. As Everest close down, some time around the end of May, another drama unfolds. This is the Karakorum season opening in Pakistan and China. Usually far from the eyes of the international media, the worlds foremost climbers assemble here in June and July, to climb the worlds toughest alpine peaks. The crown of those is named K2. Dubbed the "Savage Mountain," K2 in the Himalayas is Earth’s second-highest peak and arguably the hardest climb in the world. With a 8,611-meter (28,250-foot) summit, routes that are steeper and more difficult than those to the top of Everest, and surrounding weather that is significantly colder and less ... read more