John & Mick's BIG AdventureGilgit and the Northwest Territories
Day 48 – 192 kms (13358 kms total)
Thursday morning we wake at 5.30 and kill time, have breakfast and depart at 8. Fill up with petrol at the local station for 55 rupees a litre (0.65 Euro) . The road from here is much better on the whole – apart from occasional small patches of gravel road, where the surface has been washed away, and a few streams that cross the road. The road tracks the Hunza river along the valley and the road hugs the mountainside, rising and falling where it must, presenting even more stunning views around every bend. Colourfully decorated Pakistani lorries, frequent the road, a novel sight to behold.
Shortly after we set off, we come across a washed out bit of road and the water looks deep. No way round this one though so its standing on the pegs and go! Had to take a dab in the middle of it. Very wet boot and leg.
Just past this point we meet a Canadian cyclist heading North and shortly afterwards, Akira, a Japanese chap on a BMW 1100GS, doing the KKH en route to Europe.
Arrival in Gilgit is around 2pm and its very, very hot.
We find the first hotel we can and park up, check in and wash.
It then transpires that the town proper is still some way away but with the help of a local man that we meet by chance, are taken by local minibus (5 rupees) into town to find a money changer and a Pakistani SIM card (200 Rupees including 100 Rupees of credit!) for Johns phone and more tapes for the video camera.
We have seen pictures of Gilgit in the “guide” books and it looks pretty good in them. In reality its a bit of a shit hole. Its built in the old riverbed and there is nothing very pretty about it.
There are lots of Army and Police in Gilgit. All armed to the teeth. One police guy had his black police tee shirt on with the Northwest Territories Police sign on the front. Machine rifle slung over his shoulder. On the back of the tee shirt was written “NO FEAR”
Tomorrow we head for Skardu to seek a view of K2 .
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