Discovery

During my last days in Pakistan I went for a trip to Northern Areas of the country, with Shermi, Andrius, Zhen and Sheeraz. It was a very special vacation, different from what it would have been, had we taken a travel guide or used one of the common routes. Our initial plan didn’t work out well, so we started to plan on the way: in odd 10+ hours buses, hostels without electricity and gas, and near the endless mountains, forests and rivers, breathing the air we could only dream about living in Karachi. All in all we visited Naraan, Kagan and Hunza Valley.

I would like to share with you some special moments from my trip.

Sheeraz and the family.

Andrius and Sheraaz went to buy train tickets for a journey from Karachi to Islamabad. There are two types of “groups” in Pakistan transport (and other outdoor places): male and families (mixed males and females). So the tickets were issued not for individuals, but for “Sheeraz and the family”. Although it might sound funny, but it turned out to be the truth. Throughout the trip Sheeraz (the only Pakistani in our group) took care about us during days and nights: organizing breakfast and lunches-dinners at local places, buying bus tickets, making contacts with the right people so we could visit most interesting places for the lowest price, keeping an eye on us during sleepless nights in a bus from Naraan to Gilgit and so on. Yet the international “family” contributed in their own way: attracted an interest of local people who barely saw foreigners in their entire lives, and we got special attention in everywhere we went.

Breakfast in Rawalpindi.

Rawalpindi is a twin city to Islamabad, and the place where we were about to take our first bus to north, Naraan village. It was an early morning when we arrived to the bus station, so we went to a daba (local food place) to have breakfast.

I: I am taking an egg, paratha, and Pakistani chai.

The rest of the guys took chai only: food in such places must cause stomach ache.

Zh.: Do they have a mango shake?

Those who know how Daba looks like, must be smiling :-)

Later one, while traveling in the northern areas, we were eating the same “egg-paratha-chai” for breakfast every day and chicken karahi (meat) every lunch and dinner, with locally made bread, accompanied with noisy flies. We ate in places that have old beds instead of chairs, newspapers instead of tissues, and bathrooms where you can’t enter with open eyes and nose.

There were no much variety in food, let alone mango shakes and ice-cream that our funny Zhen was looking for everywhere :-)

Breathtaking views.

Buses took us from Rawalpindi to Mansera, and then from Mansera to Naraan. There was nothing special for the first 2-3 hours, except a free improvised Urdu songs concert in a bus by its Pakistani passengers, which I really enjoyed:) however after some time we saw something that caught our attention for the next hours and then days – mountains. Strong, cold, peaceful, scratching the sky, - these huge stones are fantastically beautiful.

Later on, we climbed them on a jeep on the road lying many kilometers up from the ground, as well on foot to lakes, glaciers and valleys. We drank water coming from their tops and looked at them endlessly for many hours every day and night.

No light, no gas, no hot water – but we are in the mountains!

In Naraan we stayed at a very interesting place – Youth Hostel located a bit far from the other hostels, on a hill facing – guess what – mountains. We decided to stay in this particular hostel because we stayed in the same one in Islamabad, and already had membership cards. Our loyalty to the Youth Hostel was so strong, that we didn’t back out even after realizing that the hostel didn’t have neither electricity nor gas, nor hot water which meant we’d sleep under 3 blankets, warm up chai and food on the fire, and boil water for 3 hours in a pot to take a shower. In the evening of the first day in the hostel local police inspectors from Naraan came to visit us. They were very much concerned about “foreigners staying in such place”, and suggested to place us in any hostel around for free of charge. We thanked them and.. stayed in the Youth Hostel:) during the first night I could barely sleep because of the cold, so woke up around 5am and went outside to do morning exercises, then climbed the hill and sat for about an hour listening to a water fall.

At nights we were watching the million of stars. It seemed like all stars were taken from Karachi and Lahore busy cities’ sky and placed to the sky of the Northern Areas.

Sunrise in Hunza.

In Karimabad (main city within Hunza valley) we spent one night in The Eagles’ Nest hostel located on top of a high hill from which we could see the whole Hunza valley. For many years people have been coming here to see sunset and sunrise.

Shermi and I woke up at 5am and climbed up on a hill. It was still too early for a sunrise, but we were so worried to miss it that came earlier than needed. Soon the first light touched Rakaposhi mountain (the highest in Hunza), then more and more till the hole valley was full of light. It took the sun more than hour to do it, and during this time I had the most meaningful thoughts. Sunlight… There is a pose in yoga called “the mountain”. It is one of the basic poses; it teaches to stay and look straight pretending to touch the sky with your head. Top of the mountain touch the sky first; those who woke up early and strive to heights get blessings of the sun. Sitting on this stone on a hill in a valley, watching sunrise, I am getting sun blessings too. Who are the people I am thinking about when I am looking at the sunrise? These should be the people who are the closest and dearest to me. I should be wise with my thoughts and think of meaningful people and meaningful actions. My time on this earth is limited, and I should spend it wisely. Sounds of the nature are very peaceful. Soon they will be replaced with sounds of cars and people walking around the city. I will take present moment to listen and take deep breaths.

Other trip highlights

Lake in the mountains. This lake lies up in the mountains, and we had to climb them till we finally saw it. Climbing was the most tiring yet exciting part of the route! On its end we took lots of pictures and tried locally made green tea – kawa. It is quite cold over there and the lake is half-frozen. Absolutely amazing!

The bus from Naraan to Gilgit was hilarious. Crappy chairs, bags everywhere, loads of people sitting even in the middle between chair rows, a road so bumpy that you are about to fall down from your seat, I am not even talking about reading in a bus. Our bus stopped in the middle of the night to repair the tire. Unable to sleep, Shermi and I went to take pictures of this occasion.

On our way back from Hunza to Islamabad we found out that Karakoram highway is blocked: villagers went on strike against local administration and police because of the death of one of their neighbors. Our bus was the government one, and Karakoram highway is the only way between Northern Areas and Islamabad, so we had to go back and wait till the strike finishes. While waiting, we visited a local village in Aliabad.

We went to upper Hunza to watch tops of the mountains. Suddenly we saw a glacier down the hill. Our guide said he takes only climbers and trackers to the glacier. But we were so determined to get there that forgot about the fear.

We were supposed to get back to Karachi on Monday, however trip plan got messed up and on Sunday night (in fact – 2am on Monday) we were sitting in Youth Hostel in Islamabad thinking how we’d go home as we had no tickets back. Flights seemed very expensive, especially in travel agencies (compared to Internet) and Sammi Daewoo bus – too tiring with its 24-hours journey. Soon we realized that bus station is not working at night, let alone air travel agencies. Not having any other option, I tried to log in my mobile Internet (that was not working properly before and didn’t open websites of Air Carriers). And – suddenly – we saw the lowest fair offered by Air Blue and the option to pay through internet. At 2am in the morning we were booking tickets through mobile phone paying with the credit card we had to activate through a bank (due to robbery cases in Pakistan all cards are blocked for Internet payment usage by default and should be activated for 1-2 hours when needed), and at 9am of the same day we were sitting at the airport having breakfast and waiting for a flight that would take us home – to Karachi.

This trip was one of the most memorable moments of my year in Pakistan. Who knew that “the country of emergency” where most of the people are afraid of going, would have such authentic, beautiful places with pure nature which can make you a different person after you experience them. Surprisingly, many Pakistanis have never been to the Northern Areas.

Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to visit Skardu, a city in the North that has beautiful forts and lakes; and the book I am reading is about life in Skardu. The flight from Islamabad to this city is very famous: you get to see K2, second largest mountain in the world. InshAllah I am going to Skardu next year for my vacation :-) who is in?