Gael warning on the Karakoram Highway

[simondippenhall]

Photos rarely do justice to the look and feel and sound and smell of the places we pass through but I will nonetheless put a few in here and apologise for their inadequacy:

The road to K1 and K2

Here the valleys diverge (with the compulsory cricket ground)

Traditional agriculture

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

Local basket making

Jess the motorcycling medic is of great interest to local school children

I am delighted to meet this 80

year old guy working at a local lumber mill in Yugo, just beyond Khaplu


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

A few days back we visited the local palace in Khaplu. I was interested to see this marking on the front door

Apparently it notes who there had had their polio vaccine and when!

The palace

Firewood is at a premium (hence we haven’t had any)

Some vestiges of the Raj: red post boxes

And a punk goat…like the local elders he uses red hair dye

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

Our lodgings in Khaplu are perched over the road

Unfortunately it’s another day without hit water …I must be getting soft in my old age!

From Yugo we ride to Upper Kachura, via Mantoka waterfall

Tom spots from a sudden increase in flow that it’s actually fuelled by a pipe running around the back…so more a tourist waterfall, then. No matter, it’s a superb ride up there and these guys from Islamabad confirm Baltistan is definitely the place to visit!

As we head for Upper Kachura, it feels like we are saying goodbye to the highest mountains

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[richardbd]

Simply awesome...

 

[jasp]

Incredible pics and love the goat!

 

[G&T]

Super scaled mountains - what an experience

 

[simondippenhall]

From here we head to a remote lodging by a lake with 3-4 kms of rocky trail to get there followed by a river crossing…just what you want to end the day.

The autumn colours make it all worthwhile…although hot water in our room would also have been appreciated

Friendly locals

I go to bed with 2 layers of merino top and bottom, (supplemented during the night by a buff and warm socks!)and after a cool night, wake and get up at 7…to spot a large fox running past the bottom of the enclosure. Fortunately a quick check shows the poultry are still safe in their coop and the rabbit is back working his way through Mr McGregor’s best vegetables

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

A few more bike related snaps as this expedition draws to a close/

Goodbye Skardu

Tranquility on two wheels amidst the poplars.

Post breakfast water crossing led by Tabish

Many say autumn is the best time to travel in the Karakoram region (if you wrap up warmly!)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[de crowe]

Great stuff Simon, safe journey home

 

[simondippenhall]

The plan initially was that after I returned to Gilgit with my 3 fellow bikers, I would carry on riding west into Khyber province via Phander and Shandur Pass to Chitral, with a guide on another 150 Suzuki. However in recent weeks it is clear the security situation there has worsened due to increased Taliban presence (this area adjoins Afghanistan) and so I would need to have an army escort. This combined with the worsening weather (which might close Shandur Pass) has convinced me the better course is to fly to Islamabad and from there visit Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar- a very different (and hopefully warmer) experience before I leave Pakistan on 31st October.

Evidently winter approaches….this was snow free two weeks ago

So from our base in Gilgit we were to fly to Islamabad, about an hour’s hop in a turbo prop.

Back to base last night after a strenuous last day of riding

Chatted to a farmer up the lane and his grandson whilst we admired the waste collection efforts of the local sheep

Local waste collectors

However the curse of PIA struck again (as, apparently , it frequently does!):

So instead of flying we have a two day, bumpy and dusty drive through the mountains to Islamabad. A typical scene

As there are some rather sandy and muddy sections I am actually glad to be in a 4WD rather than on the Suzuki (‘oooh the shame of admitting that ).

We are currently overnighting at Narah about 2400 metres so still . Tomorrow Islamabad, hopefully


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

Typicall Barah shopfront

Butchery is done on the premises

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

So from Gilgit we head to Peshawar, a busy city with strong Pashtun influence and only 20 miles or so from Afghan border

It has a beautiful mosque dating back to 16th C whose paintwork (supposedly original) is gorgeous!

The street life is fascinating also

Who needs panniers?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AndyB_11]

I visited Peshawar a couple of times when I as working there and it always seemed somewhat wilder than Islamabad. By wilder I mean a lot more people visibly carrying weapons even as far back as 25 years ago when everyone was more concerned by the ongoing conflict in Kashmir than Afghanistan.

Rawalpindi I hope I never have to visit again. Even in the city centre, such as it was, it stunk of raw sewage and the only plus point was it had a decent golf course where you could escape from the squalor.

 

[simondippenhall]

Peshawar certainly has a Wild West feel and this registration plate brought back stories of the North West Frontier, which evoke the Khyber Pass and Pathan tribal warriors

Today to Rawalpindi and walked through the bustling but friendly bazaars

But more of that later …first a visit to historic Rawalpindi railway station

Being a passionate train traveller, I asked the official if I could walk on the platform to see the departing express.

He indicated I should buy a platform ticket but our guide JoJo said we should seek a permission as tourists (always one to buck the system!).

So we went over to HQ and worked our way step by step up the management ladder by about 7 levels until we met the woman in charge…the remarkably young Mrs Mumtaz whose palatial office we finally attended - her new baby and nanny were stood by her desk). Not a scene I expected in Pakistan and JoJo was delighted to meet another woman bucking the trend. The controller explained she had recently been appointed by competitive examination and was the fourth woman in the role, as the scoreboard attests.

She explained that once the express had fine a security detail would escort us around the station (!).

The corridors of power

Meanwhile the Australian trio had been happily wandering around the station, vaguely wondering where we had gone…and themselves causing some suspicion which led to them being escorted to the Station Master’s office where he interrogated them.

However once JoJo and I were escorted back to the station by the colourfully dressed Mrs Mumtaz, officials kowtowing in her path, harmony was restored and we were offered chai and a tour. It was clear from the deference given her that she did indeed wield power.

Mrs Mumtaz in yellow, JoJo to her left. Baby was left with nanny in the office. Station master in dark suit and head of security to his right.

We finally got to stand on a train. Sadly the train line to Kabul is ‘no longer operational’, we were told.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

The markets in the city were great…I will just shove up some photos but see if you can spot the badly parked car being forklifted out of the way by the police

JoJo had a bit of a discussion with this young stall holder’s father about why he wasn’t at school

This was particularly sweet and delicious…contains carrots but you wouldn’t know it!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mzokk]

Fantastic report. Many thanks.

 

[simondippenhall]

Whilst not strictly motorcycles, the latter part of the day had a strong automotive content as we tracked down a Truck Art location where they do these fantastic paint jobs on trucks, taking 2 months to do it all!

Before:

After:

I was so impressed that I have now given my old Schuberth helmet to a Lahore truck artist to paint it in his take on the theme. My only request was ‘no fighter jets or missiles please’ as they seem to be a favourite element in truck painting.

I will get it back tomorrow night and have no idea what it will end up like.

Before:

After: Who knows? Tomorrow will tell!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

We had a long hot non-AC drive to the madhouse of Lahore, which I have been enjoying for the past 4 days. I won’t go to town on this as it’s not really part of the ride but will just give a few photos of highlights:

First order of business was a visit to the magnificent Lahore Station to buy a ticket for the express to Rawalpindi for Monday:

A well loaded porter

Then as a gift to my dear wife, the pre return debearding results in a streamlined GSer!

A bit of Imperial history in St Saviour’s Cathedral

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[simondippenhall]

GSers being a cultured bunch will appreciate the finer parts of Moghul architecture. Here is a small sample.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk