Trekking finally

Will the gray days end?

What porter shortage?

20 June - jeep to Askole

Leaving Skardu we zoomed along but after Shigar the road deteriorates to a track and further in becomes and engineering feat of insanity.

The end of the road is sometimes unkindly known as "Arsehole", that word was probably muttered by Roland (another Broad Peak expedition leader) who watched as a third of their porters deserted to a higher paying expedition (and not us: they are a day ahead).

With that smile of competence Jalal said "don't worry" and sure enough the next day we left with all our loads.

21 June - trek to Jhulu

Finally, we are on the trail, a great feeling.

22 June - to Paiyu

Our second days trekking is just as long as the first, greasy gray.

23 June - rest day Paiyu

Flat gray again. Our porters take a rest day here to make stacks of chapatis for the next three cooler camps. The Pakistani trekking company (ATP) provide the porters with stoves, kerosene and supplies as part of Pakistan's environmentally friendly rules.

Both lunch and dinner were as Mike put it' "guess the organ".

© Jamie McGuinness - Project-Himalaya.com -  2004