The Karakoram Highway - the KKH

We have a long but scenic drive to Skardu.

Communications

Jamie's Pakistan Telenor mobile, +92 34493 51271, which works until 22 June.

The expedition email account: expedition (at) project-himalaya.com, please put which member it is for in the subject.

We will probably be out of contact and not posting any dispatches until approx 1 July, unless we find power on the way; our solar system is still en route.

18 June - Islamabad paperwork

Jamie's job was helping with the last of the paper work, and there is a lot of it - in my opinion too much, and some double-standards. Thanks must go to ATP though, who were thorough. The rest of the team went sightseeing, except Clive and Catherine who only arrived this night.

Making decorations for trucks - Pik Chun

19 June - to Chillas on the KKH

Tia received a marriage proposal from a policeman, and it was a long drive, but scenic near the end. By long, they started driving at 5:30am and arrived at 9pm with only and hour's lunch and a couple of tea breaks.

Jamie had more paperwork to finish and so set off around 1:30pm, arriving at Chillas at 3am.

20 June - KKH to Skardu

We were up at 5am; Jamie got a lot of sleep! At least the drive was spectacular, and our two buses comfortable with decent drivers. Much of the public transport in Pakistan is driven at insane speeds. Personally, I have got off some several public buses previously, and a friend was involved in a head-on collision in which seven people died. He was told those sort of accidents are not unusual, and I can quite believe it.

Bonus, we had a great view of Nanga Parbat, the "Killer mountain", one of the more dangerous
and difficult 8000m mountains, and the end of the Himalaya chain - Jamie

Pete, the truck driver, and the proud real driver; check the flowers on the dash etc - Jamie

One of our two bus drivers - Jamie

We are now in Skardu and plan to leave on 22 June. British Airways temporarily lost Pete's luggage, but that will now catch up us, we hope.

In the next dispatch, team photos, perhaps.