In January 2010 a massive landslide in the Hunza region blocked the flow of the Hunza river forming a lake which flooded the Karakorum Highway and neighboring villages. Since then thousands of people had to be displaced, but due to the mountain structure the highway could not be restored yet. Hence als transport to and from China has to be loaded on boats and unloaded on the other side of the lake on other trucks. This newly formed lake is called Attabad lake after the village that used to be there.
Now, we wanted to see Attabad lake and go beyond to visit more mountain range and glaciers, knowing, that the whole issue of transportation might be an adventurous one.
We booked our driver from the previous day to take us the 14k up the road to the beginning of the lake. We started early morning as we couldn't be sure when and how often the boats would go. But I did totally not expect such a hustle and bustle of people, trucks, cargo and boats there! It was my personal nightmare situation: me (and Maryam) alone amongst dozens of male construction workers and truck drivers who probably hadn't seen a woman in weeks let alone a blond one! We decided to wait in the car until a boat would be ready. Of course there was no passenger ferry or anything like that, you jump on the boat that seems to depart soonest and await your turn until whatever business the men where doing is finished. Of course there was lots of gaping, but this time there was a bit gaping back from my side. Amongst the many Pakistani men there were a few Chinese, mainly with radios giving orders to the Pakistani, where to load or unload the goods. All the road works and construction works along the highway were led by Chinese companies. From the distance we could also see how a new highway was in the making above the lake with lots of dynamite exploding to create tunnels. The small boats on the shore were heavily loaded, one kilo more and they would sink. They even loaded whole cars on the boats or sometimes on two boats strapped together. The trucks had to be maneuvered very close to the lake's edge in order to load the goods on the boats. There was no such think as a jetty or a ramp, everything was more than makeshift... but it worked. Many times I closed my eyes because I expected someone would be overrun be a reverting truck, fall from the rim of the boat, break down under a too heavy box or tip over their long shawl which they had wrapped around themselves to protect from the cold, but no, due to a secret code of shouting and gestures it all seemed to work. Also the Chinese overseers who didn't know the local language managed to get their messages across. Really impressive.
...a truck is coming across the lake...
typical decorated truck
gaping and gaping back
re-loading in the foreground, trucks lining up in the background
After waiting about half an hour on our designated boat, together with some other passengers who had to cross the lake to go to their workplace, it turned out that this was NOT the next boat to leave, but another boat loaded with bales of cloths was about to leave. More shouting and discussing made them turn around to collect us waiting passengers, so all we had to do is crawl back on land and board the cargo boat, where we could comfortably sit on soft cushions. But still we had to wait more time because suddenly one official from the whole chaos on land needed to see my passport (I got used to it by now, registering foreigners is just for my protection). After that more people decided to join us on the cargo boat, so at the end we left at the same time as our first boat (which was going empty now because all passengers had swapped), but nevermind, this one was much more comfortable.
The actual ride along the lake took about 1 hour. Of course we were not the fastest with all the luggage on board, but that didn't matter anymore. We admired the scenery, warmed up in the sun and were very aware of the drama that this lake had created. When it came to pay the boat driver everybody had to pay 100 Rupees, except me of course, who was charged 200 Rupees. Maryam's argumentation that I'm also just a human was answered with "No, she is an alien"...
At the other end of the lake is the village Gulmit (at 2600m). From here we had to find another car with driver to take us to the Passu Glacier. Luckily the passengers from the boat helped us with the negotiation and in no time we sat in an old, fragile car flying through potholes and speedbumps. Also here the Karakorum highway was still under construction, everywhere one could see heavy machinery and people digging holes or closing holes. No fun with a full bladder, I can tell you.
But we made it up to Borith Lake, a glacier lake which is a stopover for migrating ducks and geese, where I could use the toilet of an deserted cafe. The old car struggled with the steep and narrow road and soon after we left the cafe and any inhabited area the driver stopped and said the engine is overheated. Looking at the display myself I saw nothing to worry about but who knows with these old cars. So Maryam and me got off and walked along the road to its end where we had a nice little picnic overlooking the impressive Passu glacier.
Gulmit from the distance
hmmmm, yummy apricots, almonds, apples and inevitable chocolate cookies
flying over the glacier
Eventually the driver came up with the car and joined us to walk us higher up into the mountains to come closer to the glacier. Even though I was nervous to be so far away from any civilization with a guy I don't know and no mobile signal, Maryam was very relaxed chatting away with him, in Urdu of course, so I had no clue what it was about. Later on she told me that he was an ex army guy which luckily I hadn't known back then because that would have made me even more nervous. But for Pakistanis army guys are always the good ones as they are there to protect the people. For me, everybody who fiddles around with a gun makes me nervous. Anyway, we took our glacier pictures and made our way down and only when we passed the assumed deserted cafe which was suddenly open as the owner came back from a trip I could finally relax over chai.
It was early afternoon now and we needed to go back in order to get a boat before sunset. But suddenly the highway under construction was totally blocked by some work and they would not open it for some tourists who needed to reach their boat. So we left the driver and his car and made us on the 25 minutes walk that he assured us we would be away from the lake. We climbed along construction work, through sand, dust, rocks, trying not to be hit by a falling rock and after 25 minutes we realized that this was a lie to make us pay full price. According to some other people scrambling along it would take 2 hours (for them only 90 minutes, they said) and we started to panic as the sun turned into a bright orange. Of course no car was going in our direction as the highway was blocked. We went fast paced until the next village where we could persuade some taxi drivers (yes, taxi drivers had to be persuaded to do their job!) to help us and with a lot of luck we got a lift to the lake.
At the lake the whole scenery was far away from the hustle and bustle at the other end. People were sitting on the boats waiting for trucks to arrive in order to load the cargo (trucks were stuck at the blocked highway of course) and only a handful of passengers needed to cross the lake, much too less for a boat to get started. But we were a little in a hurry, not very keen on being on the road or lake in the dark, so we agreed to share the cost with 2 other passengers and had a freezing cold, windy and almost endless crossing which cost us 5 times the price of the morning ride! How glad were we to jump in the car at the other end where our driver had waited the whole day for us, the poor guy.
All in all, a lot of hustle for seeing a glacier, but it was definitely an adventure that you couldn't have in any other country!
freezing cold...
...but so beautiful
Now, we wanted to see Attabad lake and go beyond to visit more mountain range and glaciers, knowing, that the whole issue of transportation might be an adventurous one.
We booked our driver from the previous day to take us the 14k up the road to the beginning of the lake. We started early morning as we couldn't be sure when and how often the boats would go. But I did totally not expect such a hustle and bustle of people, trucks, cargo and boats there! It was my personal nightmare situation: me (and Maryam) alone amongst dozens of male construction workers and truck drivers who probably hadn't seen a woman in weeks let alone a blond one! We decided to wait in the car until a boat would be ready. Of course there was no passenger ferry or anything like that, you jump on the boat that seems to depart soonest and await your turn until whatever business the men where doing is finished. Of course there was lots of gaping, but this time there was a bit gaping back from my side. Amongst the many Pakistani men there were a few Chinese, mainly with radios giving orders to the Pakistani, where to load or unload the goods. All the road works and construction works along the highway were led by Chinese companies. From the distance we could also see how a new highway was in the making above the lake with lots of dynamite exploding to create tunnels. The small boats on the shore were heavily loaded, one kilo more and they would sink. They even loaded whole cars on the boats or sometimes on two boats strapped together. The trucks had to be maneuvered very close to the lake's edge in order to load the goods on the boats. There was no such think as a jetty or a ramp, everything was more than makeshift... but it worked. Many times I closed my eyes because I expected someone would be overrun be a reverting truck, fall from the rim of the boat, break down under a too heavy box or tip over their long shawl which they had wrapped around themselves to protect from the cold, but no, due to a secret code of shouting and gestures it all seemed to work. Also the Chinese overseers who didn't know the local language managed to get their messages across. Really impressive.
...a truck is coming across the lake...
After waiting about half an hour on our designated boat, together with some other passengers who had to cross the lake to go to their workplace, it turned out that this was NOT the next boat to leave, but another boat loaded with bales of cloths was about to leave. More shouting and discussing made them turn around to collect us waiting passengers, so all we had to do is crawl back on land and board the cargo boat, where we could comfortably sit on soft cushions. But still we had to wait more time because suddenly one official from the whole chaos on land needed to see my passport (I got used to it by now, registering foreigners is just for my protection). After that more people decided to join us on the cargo boat, so at the end we left at the same time as our first boat (which was going empty now because all passengers had swapped), but nevermind, this one was much more comfortable.
The actual ride along the lake took about 1 hour. Of course we were not the fastest with all the luggage on board, but that didn't matter anymore. We admired the scenery, warmed up in the sun and were very aware of the drama that this lake had created. When it came to pay the boat driver everybody had to pay 100 Rupees, except me of course, who was charged 200 Rupees. Maryam's argumentation that I'm also just a human was answered with "No, she is an alien"...
At the other end of the lake is the village Gulmit (at 2600m). From here we had to find another car with driver to take us to the Passu Glacier. Luckily the passengers from the boat helped us with the negotiation and in no time we sat in an old, fragile car flying through potholes and speedbumps. Also here the Karakorum highway was still under construction, everywhere one could see heavy machinery and people digging holes or closing holes. No fun with a full bladder, I can tell you.
But we made it up to Borith Lake, a glacier lake which is a stopover for migrating ducks and geese, where I could use the toilet of an deserted cafe. The old car struggled with the steep and narrow road and soon after we left the cafe and any inhabited area the driver stopped and said the engine is overheated. Looking at the display myself I saw nothing to worry about but who knows with these old cars. So Maryam and me got off and walked along the road to its end where we had a nice little picnic overlooking the impressive Passu glacier.
Gulmit from the distance
Eventually the driver came up with the car and joined us to walk us higher up into the mountains to come closer to the glacier. Even though I was nervous to be so far away from any civilization with a guy I don't know and no mobile signal, Maryam was very relaxed chatting away with him, in Urdu of course, so I had no clue what it was about. Later on she told me that he was an ex army guy which luckily I hadn't known back then because that would have made me even more nervous. But for Pakistanis army guys are always the good ones as they are there to protect the people. For me, everybody who fiddles around with a gun makes me nervous. Anyway, we took our glacier pictures and made our way down and only when we passed the assumed deserted cafe which was suddenly open as the owner came back from a trip I could finally relax over chai.
It was early afternoon now and we needed to go back in order to get a boat before sunset. But suddenly the highway under construction was totally blocked by some work and they would not open it for some tourists who needed to reach their boat. So we left the driver and his car and made us on the 25 minutes walk that he assured us we would be away from the lake. We climbed along construction work, through sand, dust, rocks, trying not to be hit by a falling rock and after 25 minutes we realized that this was a lie to make us pay full price. According to some other people scrambling along it would take 2 hours (for them only 90 minutes, they said) and we started to panic as the sun turned into a bright orange. Of course no car was going in our direction as the highway was blocked. We went fast paced until the next village where we could persuade some taxi drivers (yes, taxi drivers had to be persuaded to do their job!) to help us and with a lot of luck we got a lift to the lake.
At the lake the whole scenery was far away from the hustle and bustle at the other end. People were sitting on the boats waiting for trucks to arrive in order to load the cargo (trucks were stuck at the blocked highway of course) and only a handful of passengers needed to cross the lake, much too less for a boat to get started. But we were a little in a hurry, not very keen on being on the road or lake in the dark, so we agreed to share the cost with 2 other passengers and had a freezing cold, windy and almost endless crossing which cost us 5 times the price of the morning ride! How glad were we to jump in the car at the other end where our driver had waited the whole day for us, the poor guy.
All in all, a lot of hustle for seeing a glacier, but it was definitely an adventure that you couldn't have in any other country!
freezing cold...
No comments:
Post a Comment