CHINA TO PAKISTAN -- Journal by Stacey Irvin
On Monday I met my new guide, Jeff (with Intrepid Tours), and my new traveling companion, Beverly. They are both Australian and quite nice. We left Kashgar on Tuesday and headed towards the Pamir Mountains and Karakul Lake. The drive was very bumpy and there were huge chunks completely missing due to the river from below and landslides from above. I gradually developed an altitude headache but was still able to jump out of the car for some photos. As we neared the lake, the mountains got more impressive and there were even some boggy greenish valleys with grazing Yak. at one point there is a large open plain surrounded by high mountains and the wind comes through with such force that huge sand dunes have formed across the face of one of the mountains. The sand just races across the river plain and disappears in a cloud of dust. And in the foreground there was a green boggy area with some lazy Yaks resting by the road! What a sight!
When we got to the lake it seemed much smaller than I had imagined from photos I’d seen, but it sure was gorgeous. Kyrgyz people live in this valley and raise yaks, sheep, horses, and camels. We stayed in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt for two nights and spent a full day riding horses up toward Mt. Mutzagh Ata and back around the green valley visiting Krygyz villages. The people look similar to Uighurs and were very freindly. I photographed quite a few old people and lots of younger kids. This area seems so far removed from China.
The first morning I woke up and stumbled out of the yurt and once I got my bearings, I could not believe the magical view before me. The sky was crystal clear blue and the white yellow of the bright sun cast the most beautiful light across the snowy peaks and onto the clear blue water of the lake! My God!! I was like a moth to the flame in a split second and ran with my camera down to the cool rocky shore. Once again, it seemed like I’d been transported to another world, a realm of pure perfection. The stones leading under water were scattered amongst perfect ripples of untouched sand and the light just glowed from the water and set off the immense snow covered mountain looming over the short green surface of the valley. I was dancing.
On the drive to Tashkurgan we stopped and I photographed an old Kyrqz or Tajik man riding a mule with his granddaughter while leading two camels with huge loads of hay packed on their backs. Gosh, it was an incredible sight that really summed up the visions I’ve had of ancient Silk Road traders! Later we stopped to photograph a good view of a green area with the mountains behind. Jeff and I wandered across a field to a Tajik village and a beautiful girl in red with a wonderful smile and gorgeous eyes greeted us and two young boys were with her. One of the boys was so good looking with strong dark eyes and the longest eye lashes! He was all dressed up with a little vest and a cap. An old woman came over too and they all really enjoyed seeing photos of me and my family.
We arrived in Tashkurgan in time for lunch and then Beverly and I walked up to the Stone Fort on a bluff above town and climbed around. The fort commands incredible views of the valley, Tajik village, and surrounding mountains. I saw some little boys starting up a soccer game amongst the flocks of grazing sheep and I decided to go down and explore. When I made it down to the field I sat down just to watch the boys play. Slowly a couple of them came and sat near me until they summoned up the nerve to really get close. Soon the whole group was surrounding me and babbling and smiling and showing great interest in my camera bag. I pulled out my photos and they loved that and then I gave them all football and baseball stickers. They all must have been around 7 to 10 years old with the exception of one younger girl who was just a sight! Here she was hanging out with the boys in little khaki dungarees and a red sweater vest, wearing little earrings, red painted nails, a penciled on uni-brow, and of course, extremely short hair. Her eyes were as big as her smile and they lit up her dirty round face! I pulled out my camera and they all went absolutely biserk over it. Everyone had to look through the viewfinder and of course there was alot of pushing and grabbing and funny face making. I put on the 24mm and let em go! I can’t wait to see all of those precious faces crowding all over and making faces for the camera. In the end I was able to get a few good shots in of my own. I put the camera away and taught them how to play paper, rock, scissors and the full bodied version with karate, bear, gun. The also loved giving me high fives and saying “alright!” afterwards. We also kicked around the soccer ball and they really enjoyed tossing me headers. Gosh, it was a great experience and it makes me want to volunteer to teach or work with little kids in far off villages like this. I wish there was a job that required playing with foreign kids. I could be like a camp counselor to them!
5- -00The road up to the Kunjerab Pass from Tashkurgan weaves through a long valley as it gradually climbs. The drive is interesting not only because of the scenery, but also due to the fact that you go through customs and technically leave China in Tashkurgan. All of the small herding families in this no man’s land are Tajik and every once in a while you can spy their yurts. As we got close to the pass our driver adamantly refused to stop for photos because of “police.” Although we never really saw any police except at the final check post before making the steep climb up to the pass.
There were golden marmots scampering around on the mountain sides and in patches of snow as the peaks just got bigger and bigger. I have never felt so consumed by mountains in my whole life! At the pass we stopped for some photos at the border marker and then drove past a group of Pakistanis walking up to the border for photos too. Gosh, it was wild to see REAL Pakistani people and NO Chinese. I was now in a entirely new land. It is amazing what some mountains can do! There is just no way to describe the beauty and power of the Karakoram Range. I have never seen such an incredible sight. It really puts humanity in perspective.... or actually, it blows all perspective out the window.
The river from the top of the pass is the beginning of the Indus. It was covered in patches of ice and seemed much more like a rushing crystal blue stream then a river. The water snaked past huge walls of rock with beautiful smooth shades of gray and red stripes rising from the blue water level. Our driver wouldn’t let us stop (again because of “Police”). We actually figured out later that he was just in a hurry and also wanted to avoid rock slides. Pakistani Customs was a breeze and I immediately saw the ornately decorated buses I’d seen in pictures of Pakistan. Lunch in Sost was way too big, but delicious and chopstick free. Oh what a difference from China! Really cold soft-drinks and incredible service! Everyone is also so polite! (almost too polite, they call me “madam”). A van from our hotel in Gulmet picked us up at Sost and on the drive down, we stopped for many photos. It was soooo overwhelming! I still can’t believe the peaks! God, this is a spectacular place!
The village of Gulmet is such a serene place! We stayed our first two nights there and Jeff and I went on a full days hike up and around to Batura Glacier, then we crossed it and found a giant ice cave with water gushing down its walls into oblivion. After the glacier, we stopped for lunch at Borit Lake and relaxed while waiting for some Dahl. Gosh it was good! We also saw an avalanche on a snowy peak high above. The lake is very small and the edges are marshy, but the water is an amazing deep emerald green! We walked to Passu Glacier after lunch and got a good view of its white jagged crevasses.
The people here are gorgeous and look so interesting with their mix of European and Eastern features.
On the hike, Jeff and I had a young guide (20) named Karim who kept taking us on “short cuts” that were quite tricky, took longer, and almost had us crossing a violently rushing rocky glacial river! Luckily we opted to wander along the side and soon found the bridge on the non “short cut” route.
This morning Raja, the owner of the Marco Polo Inn, showed us his museum, took us to meet the school administrator, and had us over for tea at his family home. The school director was very nice and really made me think about coming to stay for a while and teach English. This place is so idealic. And even thought the people are relatively poor, their living environment is wonderful and the Aga Khan Foundation has give so much to help with education and healthcare throughout the Hunza Valley.
It was a treat to see Raja’s home. Traditional styled, but very modern in every other way. His father and mother are so sweet and I look forward to going back there someday!
Now we are in the much more touristed town of Karimabad and it is a wonderful place too! God, the drive from Gulmet was a little scary with long areas at high risk of rockslides and huge drops down to the rushing river! The valley is so green and beautiful and I continually wonder how it is that I am so incredibly fortunate to be here! This evening we walked up to the polo/cricket field in town and watched the older boys play a game of cricket as the sun set on Mt. Rakaposhi in the background. Unbelievably beautiful scenery and people!
I went on a pretty tough hike this morning up to Ultar Meadows with Jeff and our local guide, Ilyas. We would’ve gone all the way up, but when we stopped for tea and noodles just an hour away from reaching base camp, a huge thundering storm descended upon us and we decided to head back down. Unfortunately, the sun came back out when we were halfway back down the steep sandy and rocky gorge. I really enjoyed photographing the sparkling glacial silt in the streams though. We also visited the historic Baltit Fort and I met the curator of it’s museum on the steep walk up to it in the morning. His name is Ejaz and he is very sweet. He even gave me a beautiful smelling bright pink rose.
This morning we were up at the Eagle’s Nest Hotel in Duikar, a town next to Karimabad, for sunrise. The sun gave it an effort, but the clouds weren’t cooperating. It was still nice, mainly because I was feeling much better than I had been the night before. I had become very nauseous and tired after the hike to Ultar Measows and couldn’t shake it the whole rest of the day and through the night.
Today we made it down to Gilgit at the very bottom of the Hunza region and now I really feel that I am entering Pakistan. There are hardly any women out and about and the men stare intensely. Beverly and I went and got some cheap shalwar kameez in the market and that helps, but I still feel awkward. Hmmm... I get to feeling frustrated, but I have to remember this is not my culture. Tonight, as I get ready for bed, I hear the call to prayer on loud speakers throughout town. I’m really feeling worn out and I hope I can make it through this next 5 day stretch!
I’m sooo tired! It really is an effort to write. Today we practically drove across Pakistan! All the way from Gilgit to Mingora in 13 hours! Half of the drive bordered the Indus River and the other half went up the Besham river valley and up and over into the Swat Valley. I sat in the front seat of the van most of the time and men would stare at me intensely as we passed. I put on my shawl and it made a BIG difference. God! It is a very frustrating experience. I have gone through periods of intense hate for Islam today and then tried to calm myself down because this is just a very alien experience from my personal cultural perspective.
When we entered the Besham River valley, it was very tropical and green with terraced fields reminding me of China. The river was clear and beautiful with large boulders to hop around on. Children were swimming in small side pools and lounging together on giant boulders. Cows wandered up the road nibbling on the green vegetation. Men and women were at work in the fields.
5-28-00Now I’ve been in the city of Peshawar for almost 3 days and boy, has alot happened! Things to do with my adjusting and challenging myself to the Islamic social culture, risky travel through gun infested tribal areas near the Afghan border, and deciding to stay here for the next few days on my own!!
The first afternoon, Beverly and I went to see the old city and a nice Afghan man showed us around. I lied and told him I was from Canada because I wasn’t sure if it would be safe to say I was from the US.... Geez! I just cannot lie!! I hated every minute of it and I also realized that I don’t have to hide the fact that I’m American. People here have been very friendly and always say good things about the US when I tell them that I am from the US “Good People, Good Country, Big Country, Rich Country, Nice Country!” Now that I’m going to be here for the next few days, I’ll have to own up to Javed , the Afghan guide, and explain why I felt the need to lie! A need based on unfounded fears!
The Pakistani people are actually more interested in clearing themselves of all the negative messages they’ve seen from western media involving their government and relations with India. Both Akeel, the guide who took us to the Khyber Pass, and the Peshawar Museum Curator vented their frustrations with their government and expressed their deep desires for peace and prosperity. It’s amazing how many western folks are terrified of the idea of traveling here. I am coming to new realizations every day.
5-29-00Yesterday in the late afternoon I went for a walk around the old town. I’ve found that if I can divert the attention to my camera, I don’t have to worry as much about men starring at me. Everyone wants their photo taken and even some women!
When I was wandering through the old city, a man in the vegetable market invited me for tea. People are always inviting you for tea! Its just like in China!
Despite the fact that I haven’t had any problems, wandering through the old town streets takes alot of effort. A) It is extremely hot here even in the late afternoon B) I don’t really know where I’m going, but have to look and act like I do. C) I have to always be on guard and make sure no one is following me or going to pick my pocket or get upset because I’m a woman out alone. D) I have to be friendly but not make eye contact with men or shake their hands, and finally, E) I have to keep the damn scarf around my head while keeping track of all my dangling camera gear!
The old city of Peshawar is full of color and character and every time I hear the call to prayer, I wish there was a way to capture sound in a still photograph! The big old mosque is a very peaceful place with cool marble floors, a fountain, beautifully decorated ceilings and old and young barefoot men laying all over the place napping between prayer times. We also visited the old caravan serhai just next to the mosque. Traders would come with their animals and stay in the caravan serhai and melt down their gold and silver from the mountains in order to trade. There are also beautiful old houses and a clock tower plus a billion shops selling a billion different kinds of things!
5- -00Today my guide, Akeel, took me out to the country-side to visit a family. A man named Wasil came with us and I got to meet tons of his neighbors and family members! He has 6 brothers and a whole host of nieces and nephews and 4 kids of his own. They mainly grow corn and sugarcane and there are huge water buffalo everywhere. They are significantly larger than the ones in China and they look like gigantic naked black cows! All of the kids were wonderful as always, and for the first time I was able to interact with women. Although, unfortunately they didn’t speak English and I didn’t know Pashto or Urdu. There was an engagement party going on down the road and I got to briefly visit. All of the men were gathered in one courtyard sitting on cots with fans scattered about. And then, inside a separate courtyard, the women were gathered around long tables with lots of sweets and cups of milk tea everywhere. Of course they insisted I help myself and also wanted me to photograph them and a couple of their children. It was so cool to see that the women had painted the palms of their hands with henna just like I had done once at my professor, Idit’s, house during a wedding shower!! Here I was, seeing the same thing in the real place where folks have always done it!
On the way back to my hotel, Akeel talked about how I should really visit Swat and I think I’ve decided I will. He said he can drive me and be my guide and then take me on to see the ruins of Taxila before arriving in Rawalpindi. I think it will be great, I just hope he isn’t taking my friendly personality in the wrong way! I don’t want to deal with anything like that, plus it would be a shame because he has been an excellent guide so far. Well! I just went to dinner downstairs and a huge group of women arrived at the hotel. A woman named Maria introduced herself and inquired about my being alone and where I’m from, ect. All of the women in her group are civil servants from Karachi who have come to Peshawar for something to do with the army. What a refreshing sight after going for several days with out meeting any English speaking women! Hopefully I will get to talk to them more tomorrow!
5-30I’m suddenly not feeling as comfortable here as I thought I was.
5-31Well, now I am fine. I’m up in the Nathiagali area! Yesterday I was not feeling so comfortable because I was still suspicious that Akeel might have mixed intentions about taking me to Swat. Then, I went to the Khan Klub, the most expensive hotel in Peshawar, to enjoy a good lunch and they swarmed me! I was seriously thinking that they might try and rape me or something. I was about to go into the dining room, when they told me it would be better if I ate upstairs. I saw some men eating in the dining room and guessed that perhaps I wouldn’t be welcome there. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly, I barely had time to think. They showed me into the sitting room of one of the rooms and gave me a menu and set the table for me. Rasheed, the assistant manager, seemed to know about my plans to go to Swat with Akeel. He told me that he would be happy to take me because Akeel’s schedule had changed. It was so strange and I was growing more nervous at every moment. I was initially confused because here I was in one of their eight gorgeous suites, but the day before, Akeel was unable to make me a reservation because they had told him they were fully booked that week. There I was, sitting in a vacant room! They all left me to contemplate the menu, but all I could do was contemplate how the hell I was going to get out of there! Then the hotel owner came in and introduced himself. He was overly curious about what my relation was with Jeff, my Australian guide, who had come to dinner with me at the Khan Klub on a previous evening. He also wanted to know if I wanted to stay at the hotel and that “price was not a problem.” He even invited me to dinner for that evening and wanted me to come at 9pm. I told him that I would love to (just to keep things friendly while I maneuvered an escape). I then told him that I would prefer to eat lunch in the dining room down stairs. I had to insist and then for the rest of the meal he sat across from me just watching so that I had to keep talking in order to fill the silence. Of course he turns out to be a bachelor and meeting women in Pakistan is so hard...... etc. I was just so pissed off that they’d managed to entirely ruin a perfectly good lunch!! I asked him about the weird deal with the reservations and he seemed clueless. What is up with these guys? I am just so thankful I got out of there safe.
Afterwards, I went directly to Akeel at the tour agency and he didn’t understand the confusion at the Khan Klub. He coolly brushed off our plans for Swat and thought I would enjoy the cool hill stations around Nathiagali just west of Islamabad instead. The next day a nice old man drove me to see the ruins of Taxila and then dropped me off at the hotel in Nathiagali.
I’m so happy I’m here! It is much cooler and greener and there was even a momentary rainstorm a few minutes ago and then the sun came right back out!
6-1-00Now I am in a different place up the road at the Park Plaza Hotel -> the water works and the room is fine and it only costs 400 rupees! (That’s less than half of the last hotel’s price! I’m just chillin’ out here (literally, it’s kinda cold here at night!).
Earlier I went for a walk and photographed the little old Muslim caretaker of an old English church. He was so sweet and I’m going to send him copies. I also saw an old English house that was gorgeous with gigantic expansive grounds. Somebody pretty rich or important owns it now because there was an armed guard at the gate. I also ran into a young girl carrying a massive load of wood up a steep trail on her head. She was very nice and showed me the best way up the hill.
As I mentioned before, the hotel is fine, but why does the guy in charge always act like I’m some object that’s been placed in his presence to that he can look at me and talk to me like........ well, you know what I mean! It’s just annoying as all hell.
Earlier, a family from Lahore asked for a photo with me and that was funny... I seem to be a star again! A car full of men also stopped to get pictures with me. Most of the men have been alright here (so much so that I have been able to go back to wearing my long-sleeve shirt and pants instead of the shalwar kameez). But some older men don’t seem to approve and some others seem to giggle like adolescent boys. Oh well.
