The Viewing Room

Claro Intelecto - Peace Of Mind

Astronautica - Cruise

Pakistan’s boarders encompass an area controlled only by nature. We cannot imagine how to tame it. It is something you must accept or face it in every step along the way. 

On our second day of hiking the landscape began to change. The water grew in prominence and the ground became more rocky.   It was another longish, 20km day.  After lunch, one of the main attractions came into view, Baltoro glacier,  and we moved to mount it.  It doesn’t look like much (last 2 photos) but later posts will show its immensity. Covered in rocks, it’s not always beautiful in photos like arctic glaciers. In person, it is hard to comprehend. 63 kilometers of ice. What else could create such a landscape? 

Just heard this for the first time today.  It’s a club joint, IMHO..but like, a chill lounge kind of place with a D.J. where breakers might show up and throw down, you know, breaker style :-) 

The drive from Skardu to Askole, the final village before the trek begins, is equal parts amazing and terrifying. At times, the views open up to show large shapes going into and out of the earth.  Which is amazing. Then, you drive right next to those big shapes. Which is terrifying.  

I’ll put up a video of one of the several bridge crossings in the next post...those got easier...

Sometime after lunch the road got so tight that everyone had to get out except the driver.  I’ll say a larger vehicle had never passed that tiny piece of cut out mountain.  There were 6 inches outside the tires at good times and maybe 1 1/2 inches at other times with a good drop below, like maybe 50 meters.  

We passed a few small villages along the way..you can see a typical village in the bottom picture on the right.  I may have mentioned that Pakastani people are survivors.  “Hard as nails,” one of my hiking-mates said.  And he was right.  

I talked a lot with the guy on the far left, the cook from my hotel.  He was from a village nearby and had spent some time in Islamabad learning to cook at a hotel there...now he’s the Chef here. There were several Russian dishes on the menu and a few veggie curries, along with plenty of meat. 

It’s expected, but still a bit of a surprise how different the food here is from India.  

A few shots from around Skardu.  This was the base before we headed out for the hike..known as the ‘Dream Hike’ by Pakistanis.  I was able to rest and get a few final items, try some local dishes and chit chat a bit with a few people.  Everyone was really friendly and accommodating, offering advice on this or that, depending on my momentary needs :-)