Introspections along the Indus,......

Our intrepid travellers have made it to the upper Hunza OK. The C130 plane flight was cancelled from Islamabad twice due to dodgy mountain weather. So after a bout of the squirts due to mild food poisoning and the second flight cancellation, we all decided to get a bus,.... Ha. Asian buses, gotta love em! So twenty six hrs later, after 1000's of hairpin corners, one midnight road block protest by villagers angry at no electricity for four days, a minor bus breakdown at 3am, plus a kick-ass hair raising ride on the roof of the bus as the sun rose over the Indus valley gorge, we finally arrived at Gilgit. Little frontier town on the edge of Pakistan, China, India and Afganistan. The bus journey was tough on all of us, but we were all stoked to leave the heat and deadly smog of the big lowland cities.

Anna has been resting up for a few days at a beautiful guesthouse with lovely gardens in Gilgit, recovering from a smog induced cough. Mark, Joe and i just completed a four day trek in the upper Naltar valley. Absolutely stunning alpine scenery. Hanging glaciers, massive rock spires, succulent pine forests (very rare for here) and the odd ice blue glacial lake. A good few days on the trail, toning up the legs and working out the lungs in preperation for higher altitudes! Can't show you any photos unfortunately - lucky enough to access a computer here, let alone post pictures via it.

The general terrain here is very dry, exceedingly barren and rocky save for the few green oasis of areas irrigated by cleverly channeled glacial meltwaters. These green areas are all located on alluvial fans of epic proportions or the tiny bits of narrow floodplain that cling to the side of mountains. The Karakoram are wild, very raw a different to the other areas of the Himalayas i have visited. They are very young and growing fast. Everywhere is the look of simultaneous creation and destruction as bohemouth forces collide. The sharp, jagged-toothy peaks look like the spine of a giant saw-backed creature of earth and stone in progress of raising itself into the heavens. A rugged and elemental place. The mountains here are so steep and as there is mostly no vegetation to hold the rock in place, as soon as it starts raining or blowing hard, massive landslides start happening, roads block and nobody goes anywhere till it stops. Truly, parts of the 'road' up the gorge to Naltar valley looked so precarious and unstable that if you stopped the jeep and farted (a Hunza dried-apricot style fart!) you could bring a whole hillslope down on top of you. Seriously,......

Am encouraging Anna, Joe and Mark to contribute something to the blogsite, so you have something to read other than just my ramblings. Got something from Anna below. Will keep hassling the fellas!! Ciao for now with hugs,......

Anna: "Hey beautiful people! I've decided to post on the blogsite rather than write individual emails whilst on the journey. You're more likely to get an update this way.

Wow, where to start? I'm actually lucky to have been able to leave India. I threw my India disembarkation card some time ago thinking it wasn't important. The immigration crew at the border weren't happy with me kept saying "big problem madam, big problem,...." and wouldn't give me a new form to fill out. After many such statements, then asking me what my occupation was and me asking the right question "what to do?" they finally handed over the new form for me to fill out - halleluah. Next came the bag search which was a bit strange as we were leaving the country and upon entry didn't have to declare anything or have any luggage checked.

So far I've experiencd less hassle here and more friendliness in Pakistan than in India. The NZ embassy advised not to come to Pakistan at all due to extreme risk - hello, risk of what??? And at the same time for me as a woman, there is a more subtle, pervasive and supressive energy here.

I'm currently in Gilget in the Northern area of the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan. The lads have gone off into the hills trekking. I decided to stay put and rest for a few days at the Mountain Refuge with a paradise garden with a strong woman / Shakti energy. The last 10 days seem like a dream / whirlwind of dirty, hot, sleepless nights in cities. I am actually really exhausted and a bit sick after our most recent 24 hour+ bus journey and am enjoying not moving around. I must say I seem to be the "softie" traveller amongst the group, affirmed by my recent famous quote to Scott, "My kind of travelling is not travelling" - duh!

It's interesting being a woman here and I think most of my observations in this posting will be around this theme. There are hardly any woman out compared to men (I've had an urge to hide out when I'm here) and there are many variations of covering up from the full berka, to head scarf to no head scarf (more in the cities). The only thing that men can really check out is your ankles! Saying all this I haven't had any hassles from men and I am travelling with three males. I met a Canadian woman travelling on her own here and she said it has been a really difficult experience for her as many men perceive her as a prostitute.

I'm trying to get a balance between respecting the differences in culture and not feeling like a repressed woman (many of the men will speak to Scott and not to me when we are out). I don't think I was a very good advocate to let woman out of the house the other day at a local restaurant. I had a bit of a hissy-fit trying to order nan breads and gave the impression that I definately wasn't under the control of any man. And saying all that, where I am currently staying the woman are definately in their power.

Since September 11 the tourist numbers have gone down a lot in Pakistan. Especially here. To make ends meet the family running the Mountain Refuge have local woman from the hills stay for 9 months a year, to study at the local University. Sheshzadi, the mama, is 28 years old and is pregnant with her fifth child, after which will be her last. When she delivers her baby, it will be at an all woman's hospital (no men allowed, staff or family). Marriages are arranged here and most woman won't get to see their husband until the wedding. Sheshzadi's husband is really nice and I thought he was her father, woops! With their four little girls and the young woman students there are more woman about in a small space than I've see so far in Parkistan. The family are Ishmali Muslims, and are much less strict than many Shia's and Sunni's and pretty open in their world view. They have a job balancing Western men staying in a small space with young unmarried Muslim woman. They have to be careful to not risk a scandle (as simple as the family of one of the woman not being happy with her interacting with a western man) which could ruin the reputation of their business and a woman's marriage-ability.

So as a Western woman I am incredibly fortunate and have so many opportunities it's not funny. Thank goodness you couldn't arrange a marriage for me Mum and Dad, it would have been disasterous with my Taurian streeeek!!

Much love and hugs to you all,
Anna, Ana, Anahart