Amazing road

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Geo: 36.4743, 75.3552

We had a lot of fun with the Germans but sadly the day our paths diverged arrived and we bid them a sad farewell. They were going to hike across Glaciers, no doubt the scenery would be fantastic but Darren's theory ...that if it cant be seen through the windscreen then it is just not worth the effort... and hiking clash. point of clarification on why this theory came about... a multi day trek strikes fear into my buggered knees.
Anyway Lisa was keen to go Bear spotting in Densaoi National Park so we headed Southeast to Skardu. Pakistan is a complicated country. The Northern region around the Hunza valley is safe and peaceful, theoretically the East is okay as well. The Taliban come across into Pakistan in a place south west of here and so provided we are on the other side of the highway we should be fine, Mothers need not read this but Osama Bin Laden's compound where they finally found him is not too far from here and we might check it out as we drive south. Lisa donned her headscarf again as it is a fairly strict Islamic area. We did not see a single woman in many of the villages. We chatted about what the hell they could possibly do all day in those small mud huts. We assumed there we some women in them... surely.
okay.... well so here we are in what appears to be a fine old British Hotel.. PTDC K2 Motel.. not too fancy.. well it would have been back in the 40's. we awoke to the smell of burning wood under the water heating donkey.. and I recon it is fantastic... Lisa recons... everything is dirty... I recon everything is quaint...there is old trekking stuff everywhere showing expeditions back from 1986... kind of cool. We sit now in the breakfast hall and it would seem we are surrounded by 8 very big mountains.
The road to Skardu was very slow going lots of landslides damage the road surface and we probably averaged 30Km/hr. We did get car wash in one spot where we had to drive through a water fall... it did a very good job and was fun.

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Photos

Oopps main road with some gravel on it.
This would need a state emergency response if this happened on the Torrens George Road. Clearly no problem here at all.

Rock overhang
Just love this stuff... in Oz this would not be tolerated.... too dangerous.. here it normal

Silk Road track
you can see a faint line and that is the actual path legends were made of.

Typical road view
Look very closely you will see the cruiser going around the bend

Comments

[mariel]

i've gone and booked an airfare to adelaide in january but just realised you wont be home yet...bummer. Enjoying your adventures from the safety of south melb...take care. Mariel

[Chris]

wow... Now they're some big rocks.