Pakistan > A sheep crossing the road...

I slept very well last night. I hardly felt cold. The extra layers of clothing helped. I roll up my air mattress again and pack my luggage. The crew has breakfast ready. After breakfast, we say goodbye to the six-person team. We thank them with a group tip, taking the hierarchy into account. The cook receives a bit more than the helper. At nine o’clock, we leave the Bara Pani campsite. We drive back the same road we took two days ago. The first three quarters of an hour go over the Deosai plateau. The sun is shining, and marmots are again sitting along the road. At the camp at the start of the descent, we take a short break. I order tea at one of the stalls. While the tea is being prepared, the man asks where I am from, where we have already been in Pakistan, and how I experience the country. I expected a single cup to be warmed, but the entire pot is heated. This makes it uncertain whether I’ll get my tea before we leave. Luckily, I just manage to finish the milk tea quickly. Where on the way there the weather was cloudy and even rainy, we now have a beautiful view of the narrow mountain road and the deep ravines

Pakistan - The road through the mountains from the Deosai plateau

. We pass the entrance gate of Deosai National Park again and continue to the Satpara reservoir. In the outskirts of Skardu stands the Manthal Buddha Rock, a Buddhist relief carving from the ninth century on a rock. The carving dates from the period when this region was Buddhist. Today, we still drive a considerable distance north. We follow the Indus River toward Gilgit. The two-lane road is the main traffic artery in this region. The asphalt is good, which means traffic moves faster. Slower vehicles have to be overtaken, sometimes barely safely. Oncoming vehicles flash their lights. Even in the villages, drivers speed along. How nothing ever goes wrong here is a mystery. Lunch is along the route between Skardu and Gilgit. It is already past half past two when we arrive at the Midway Hotel Astak. A late lunch. Tables are set beside a fast-flowing river. Our arrival was announced, so the food arrives quickly. It is a popular spot, with many locals stopping here too. It’s still a three-hour drive to the overnight stop.

Pakistan - The trucks are true showpieces

We continue quickly. At the end of the M45, we come to the junction with the Karakoram Highway. This road runs from Islamabad to the Chinese border. We drive a short distance toward Islamabad and stop at the Three Mountains Junction viewpoint. Here the Indus and Gilgit rivers meet. It is also the crossroads of the three great mountain ranges: the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush. From here, we drive toward Gilgit, the largest city in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Just past Gilgit, disaster strikes. A sheep suddenly crosses the road. The driver can no longer avoid the animal. There is a crash, and the sheep rolls under the car. People immediately come running. The sheep did not survive the collision. With a knife, the unfortunate animal is put out of its misery.

Pakistan - The main road through the valley from Skardu to Gilgit

It is unclear how this is handled. As we drive on, Cherry explains that the owner apologized because the animal was not on a leash and therefore wandered onto the road. Due to the delay, it has become dusk. Mopeds still drive without lights. Around seven o’clock, we leave the main road and drive on unpaved roads to the hotel in Minapin. When we arrive at the hotel, it is completely dark. I order dinner at reception for eight o’clock. In the room, I quickly take a shower. After two days of camping, I am ready for this. Willem explains the trekking for the coming days. The main luggage stays at the hotel. The luggage for the overnight stays is carried by donkeys, and personal belongings can be carried in a backpack. Meanwhile, food is being served, room by room. At ten o’clock, we still have not received our food. I don’t really feel like eating so close to bedtime. We cancel the food order and go to bed.