Pakistan > Farewell to the drivers

At 3,100 meters altitude, it’s quite chilly at night, but inside my sleeping bag it’s nice and warm. It just doesn’t feel comfortable to get out of the sleeping bag in the morning. There turns out to be no electricity and no hot water. I wash my face at the sink. The water is very cold. I get dressed and put on a warm sweater. After breakfast, we leave Shimshal again. Today is the last day we travel with the drivers. In Karimabad, we will say our goodbyes and continue by bus. That will take some getting used to. But before that, we drive out of the valley via the same route we arrived on yesterday. Yesterday I rode in the front car, today I’m in the last one. The difference is that the cars in front kick up a lot of dust on the unpaved roads. Where I had the window open the entire route yesterday, today that’s impossible. I only open the window briefly for a photo. The view is just as beautiful, and the road is spectacular. I get the impression that today they are driving a bit faster on the narrow road. Fewer photo stops are made anyway.

Pakistan - The road seems glued to the mountains

Because of this, we are back at the end of the valley in about three hours—about an hour and a half faster than on the way in. On the way to Karimabad, we pass Passu, the hotel of the past days, and Attabad Lake. Around half past twelve, we arrive at the lunch restaurant in Karimabad. A hearty lunch is ready: well-seasoned chicken, spicy minced meat rolls, vegetables, and fries. This is one of the better lunches of this trip. After lunch, Willem thanks the drivers and Cherry on behalf of the group. He also gives them a tip on our behalf. The drivers definitely deserve it. Meanwhile, our luggage is transferred to the bus. All bags go on the roof. Before we set off to Gilgit, we need to refuel. The first gas station has no diesel left. The second station is also sold out. Fortunately, the third station still has fuel. It’s about a hundred kilometers to Gilgit. We stop at the Rakaposhi viewpoint.

Pakistan - Parts of the route are regularly blocked by falling stones

This is our last glimpse of this gigantic, snow-capped mountain. We also stop at a point where the old Silk Road passed. I see a path in the mountains. It doesn’t say much to me. A third stop is at the tectonic plates of Eurasia and India. Because of the force of these plates, the mountains are pushed up by four centimeters each year. Still, relatively few large earthquakes occur in this area. At half past four, we arrive at the Mandarin Hotel in Gilgit. From the outside it looks a bit dull, but the courtyard is nicely decorated. Our room faces the courtyard. I take a shower to wash off the dust of the past days. In the evening, I go into Gilgit with some fellow travelers. We follow the main road. In the dark, it’s important to watch carefully so you don’t step into holes or bump into obstacles. Many shops are still open, and fruit is sold on flat carts. Many people greet us or wave as we pass. A few dare to ask where we are from today. We pass some local restaurants. They don’t look very appealing. We also skip the street stalls. At a steakhouse, even the simplest hamburger takes an hour and a half to prepare. That’s very long. We enter a hotel that also has a restaurant. Yes, we can eat here! The lights are quickly turned on and the air conditioning switched on. Since we ate a lot this afternoon, we choose a simple soup and fries. This turns out to be a good choice. In the end, the four of us pay 2250 rupees—just under eight euros.