october 7

As Big Jim and I were planning our vacation, my one request to him was that I see mountains, big mountains. There is something about their strength and beauty that always has been a tremendous draw to me. Pakistan is home to five 20,000+ foot mountains, so there is no shortage of tall peaks. Last weekend, we were originally to visit Lahore, which is a city to the south of Islamabad. However, when we lunched with the Colonel and his family and spoke with the travel agents as we booked our trip to Besham and Gilgit, from where we could travel to Hunza and the Chinese border, they all encouraged us to skip Lahore and instead see Naran. I left the decision to Big Jim because it was he who more strongly wanted to visit Lahore; the trip up the KKH during our second week was the part of our travels I had planned. So, the first of a couple last-minute changes altered our fate. We set out early Thursday for Naran, which is a seven-hour drive from Islamabad. It was an amazingly picturesque drive through countryside and small towns, including places that everyone now has heard of, like Balakot, where 95% of its people perished in the earthquake, and Mansehra, which also suffered heavy losses.

Fresh trout---from river to plate on the same day.


Wait for me!!!!!
Arriving in Naran. We were given a riverfront cabin, and that night we dined on grilled trout that the local fisherman had caught from the river that morning. The camp was incredibly peaceful and quiet---we were the only guests that night. Big Jim and I went to bed early because we had booked a jeep to head up into the mountains Friday. The destination was Lake Saif-ul Muluk, from where we would ride horses to the base camp above. Local legend says that the lake is inhabited by fairies. I cannot say for sure, but I would like to think so. It was one of the most spectacular days of my life.




And Nasir enjoyed himself, too!


Stopping for a horse snack.

Cityslickers, Pakistani style. :-) That evening, before we headed off for bed and heavy sleep, Big Jim and I discussed our morning departure time with Nasir. Big Jim said he wanted to set off early, so that we would be back in Islamabad before dark. I said, "Big Jim, we are on holiday for bloody sake. Let's have breakfast at 9 and leave by 10." He relented. My vacation laziness most likely saved us. Had we left the camp early, we would have been in Balakot when the earthquake struck. More on the earthquake itself next time. Hasta luego, mylifeinspain P.S. We continue to urge people to make donations. Big Jim and I have given all the refunded money we received from our cancelled travel plans to the President's relief fund here in Islamabad. For other suggested organizations, see my previous entry. Thank you!