John & Mick's BIG AdventureReturn to the KKH
Day 50 – 292 kms (13853 kms total)
We headed for the local beauty spot of Satpara Lake, 8km south of Skardu, planning to pass beyond it making a loop back to the KKH at Bunji. The road to the lake is a dusty track full of lorries servicing the construction of a new dam.
The Lake itself is quite small and now spoiled by the surrounding construction works. When the dam is complete, the island in the middle will disappear.
Given the condition of the ‘road’ we decide against continuing and return to the KKH along the road we came.
We manage the return trip in 5 hours, but the lower end of the road is much worse. Sand patches cover much of it and quite deeply in places.
Most disconcerting when the sand starts to steer the bike towards the unguarded precipice, and a 2,3,400m drop to the angry Indus below. Driving on the left, we are now on the outside where the drop is…
In places there is little more than a 2 foot sandy edge between the road and the drop – a worry when negotiating oncoming traffic and trying to come to a rapid halt.
A brief shower is welcome but also worrying as in these parts, rain EQUALS rockfalls.
Back at the KKH we turn south and find the spot where the Indus and Gilgit rivers converge.
This is the point at which the three mountain ranges of Karakorum, Hindu Kush and Himalaya are all visible.
We relish the return to the quality of the KKH, with its small bumps, long sweeping bends, and we go mad on those straights that bring us up to a heady 80kmh.
70km later, the road crosses over the Indus and here it is obviously maintained by Kazakhstan. ‘nuff said??!!
The weather is deteriorating fast and the wind is howling up the valley from the south, blowing sand and dust everywhere. In the distance we can see the storm clouds turning blacker.
Another hour later, and 30 km, we reach Chilas, hot, tired and thirsty and find the Panorama Hotel, recommended by the hotel manager in Skardu. A bit pricey (1500r), but clean, hot water and restaurant.
Chilas does not feel like a very friendly place. Everyone looks like Bin Laden!
The children along the route have been getting progressively more aggressive but no stone throwing as yet.
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