Adventure.

The word is probably thrown around loosely - with almost anything being an adventure. So it depends what constitutes an adventure for you, based on your own experiences and expectations.

Several months ago, I was challenged to take on one. Traveling out of my usual zone and likely out of my mum's comfort zone. I had been planning to take a trip with a friend I've known for many years. We never got the chance to travel together, and I had badly wanted to for some time. So imagine my surprise when I suggested to head to Vietnam but was counter-proposed with a Pakistan Adventure Tour.

It was hard to agree there and then. The Instagram photos were amazing, and rightly so. The place was a blend of mountains, snow peaks, rivers, lakes. Probably one of the easiest places to make beautiful photos with all those backdrops! I was captivated. I was excited. At the same time I was fearful, and a little hesitant. Going to Pakistan? I could imagine my mum’s face when she heard about it. Perhaps it was the misconception about the dangers of traveling to the that region. Perhaps it was the online news about Pakistan in conflict with India and the militants around the borders or so the general knowledge was.

I was left to ponder over the invitation to join the trip, torn between going and staying.

About a week later I agreed. There were too many pull factors to give up such an opportunity. I was never gonna get a better chance to travel to such an amazing place for trekking and sightseeing. It would be insane to wanna plan a trip by myself there, so with a group heading out together it made perfect sense! I had done some reading on the web - travel blogs, forums, news about the areas we were visiting. At this point I was just trying to reaffirm my decision, in my heart I had already said Yes. I convinced my mum slowly, explaining where we would be heading and showing her photos and videos on YouTube. Soon I was super excited to be going!

The excitement grew as we made plans for the trip. Had to book the flights, get the required documents from the tour provider, apply for visa, buy some apparel and stuff I was lacking. From January to April, things slowly came together and soon it was time to jet off.

The group consisted mainly of Thai friends, with only 1 Malaysian and 1 Singaporean - the latter being me. We were gonna be flying out from different locations but planned it such that we would take the same flight out from Bangkok. So arriving in Bangkok, I managed to meet up with part of the group and chill a little. The rest of them I would only meet once we touched down in Islamabad. Not exactly an issue as I make friends easily and get along with most people. It had been a long time since I flew a non-budget flight and ended up watching movies and enjoying the drinks onboard. Fatigue of rushing from airport to airport did cause me to fall into slumber toward the last hour of the flight. As the plane descended onto the tarmac and we cruised to a stop, I looked out the window (thankful for my window seat) and saw the airport. It looked pretty well developed and I’m guessing many more things about the country will be an eye opener to me.

At that point the emotions were still cloudy, the unknown instilled some bits of fear, the adrenaline fuelled the excitement. Soon we were making friends, collecting our baggage and greeting our guide. Everyone was tired, and rightfully so, traveling was almost always physically draining. We strapped the baggage to the top of our Van - which was gonna be our ride for the next 10+days! Then off into the city and the night.

As mentioned earlier many things about this country were surprising - the first being the expressways! Wide enough for 5 cars and smooth traffic as we made our way from the airport (likely to be due to time we were arriving), second being the cars being small like mini-sized but still with many people squeezed into them. However as the drive dragged on later into the wee hours of the morning my brain crawled to a snails pace, and all I really wanted was to shower and sleep.

Waking up first morning there, to drive North

The next day was a get yourself out of bed way too early kind of day, as we had ground to cover. Driving north hundreds of kilometres with the sole intention of making it to Hunza. Just the thought of an 8 hour drive made me quiver, thankfully we had stops along the way, for breakfast, for lunch and for sightseeing. One thing noticeable was the predominant Male culture. The streets were filled with men, there was hardly a woman in sight (save for the tourists, and the 2 lovely ladies we harboured in our group), it was so extreme that even the marketplace and shops that we passed were all operated by men. The dusty roads weaved around, bringing us through open desert-like patches or narrow streets where traffic slowed due to the crowds. Sitting in the van our excitement levels were high as we passed by photo-worthy landscapes, it was still the early part of our trip and only the afternoon heat led some to catch some shut eye during the commute. The drive was punctuated with security stops, seemed like they were very skeptical about any vehicles not carrying locals or not looking local. Good in a way - as it meant we were safe, but annoying that it kept delaying our drive. By the time we got to our hotel the sky was dark, we were more tired than hungry or at least I was. Rooming arrangements were quickly settled, followed by a quick dinner, then it was easy to say good night as we each wanted a good recovery sleep.

Mountains - taking you deeper and further

The next day was supposed to be a full day of driving too. We were halfway to Hunza. With stops along the way at Narga Parbat Viewpoint and another where the 3 worlds biggest mountain ranges met. Lunched outdoors with the beauty of Rakaposhi Peak in the background. As we were making our way North, we also saw some women and school girls. I guess here away from the capital the rules are different. With the past two days of driving, overtaking slower vehicles, weaving around potholes on the road, we finally made it to Lower Hunza late afternoon. What I remember is that the weather had changed - the air was clean and fresh, cooling, and we were finally seeing cherry blossoms. The mountains seemed to form a priceless painting that we had been magically transported into. Felix our Malaysian friend in the group said “the actual holiday has only just begun!”

He was right. The beauty of Pakistan was only just starting to be revealed to us. It was like unwrapping that present that was covered with several layers of paper! We had only removed the outer layer the last two days.

Spent some time walking around the village admiring the landscape, taking photos and had the benefit of meeting many locals along the way. We didn’t talk much aside from some hellos and how are you, but everyone was friendly and weren’t shy to stop for photos - especially the kids in the village. I really enjoyed the long walk, even though we were out all the way till dinner time. By the third day of the trip, we were all getting warmly familiar with one another and after dinner we spent the night playing games and laughing deep into the night.

It had been a long time since I had travelled with such a big group of friends. The cosy gathering of like-minded travellers is just so precious because you don’t always see eye to eye with friends you travel with. I didn’t know it 100% at that time, but I was pretty confident that we were a good enough travel companion and was quietly pleased that I had this group of new found friends.

The next 2-3 days were choc-a-bloc full of activities but also relaxing because we were gonna be situated in 1 hotel and not rushing to a new hotel. We went sightseeing in the town, photo-taking and exploring the forts, the little streets and the beautiful flowers.

We moved from Lower Hunza to Upper Hunza, watching the scenery change but this time just slightly. It was colder - that being the most obvious. Everything seemed to slow down by another level and it was more picturesque. We trekked on glaciers and through snow storms. We ventured out onto a suspension bridge - with wide gaps between planks, and a couple of us made it all the way across. We went all the way up to the China-Pakistan border at above 4700m high. We played in the snow and we saw Yaks grazing in some places. We bought apricot cakes and some of us woke in the middle of the night to see the milky way. It really was an eventful few days!

Perhaps the biggest highlight of those 3 days would be the Passu Glacier Trek. What seemed like an easy hike slowly grew more difficult as we went higher and as the weather turned colder. Making it to the point where we were to next proceed on the slopes was already physically demanding. Then traversing the slopes, measuring every footstep on rocks that were shaky, holding on to each other and crossing narrow sections. Many a times I questioned myself if we would be better off turning back. Our guide assured us it was just further up, and the collective agreement was to continue instead of turning back, so onward we went. At this point the wonder and awe of the white freezing glacier, was also accompanied with fear for one wrong step would mean sliding or tumbling down the slopes. It was highly risky and ridiculously dangerous. To make matters worse the falling snow got heavier and the winds grew in intensity. Temperatures dropped to below 0, and the snow covered the area white. By this time I believe others in the group were also shivering from the cold and the idea of pressing on seemed more and more far fetched. For me it wasn’t worth the risk, we were not equipped to deal with any accidents - I didn’t want to be trying to save someone rolling down the steep slopes much less be the one needing saving. Reluctantly but agreeing, everyone turned around and slowly retraced our footsteps. Once we were safely on stable ground we felt more relieved. We then continued making our way down with the snow slowly covering our jackets with a layer of white too!

After 4-5 hours we made it back to the start point, hopped onto the van, and scoot off for lunch and drying ourselves next to a heater. Ending what would be a super memorable part of the whole trip.

This was definitely one of those moments I walked into the middle of nature and felt the wonder, stood in awe and quivered from the might of it. (Trying to walk home from school during a Typhoon in Taipei was also no joke.) Would I have chosen to continue if given a second chance? Perhaps, but hard to say. Not willing to risk my friends that were with me. Not sure if it was really that different to be standing along the side looking into the glacier versus standing atop it. Also the weather didn’t give us any clear skies for taking pics. So no regrets, we had done well enough for me. There will always be opportunities to see more amazing places.

The next phase of the journey took us back down towards Gilgit where we were to then swing to across to the left side of the country. We weren’t the only things swinging as the temperature was also going to rise as we descended from Upper Hunza! Our boating trip on Attabad Lake was full of warm sunshine and I felt totally over-dressed! Resting on the deck of the boat, listening to the humming of the engine and being surrounded by the mountains. Another highlight of the trip! The waters so calm and peaceful, when the boat’s engine was shut off we felt like we were transported to a different dimension. The traveling was tiring, and every time we were in the van most of them were sleeping, but the long drives and the bumpy roads were part & parcel of getting to these scenic spots. Only when you’re there sitting on the side of the boat, with your feet dangling over mirror green waters, then you truly appreciate the beauty.

Of course a trip like this couldn’t be without hiccups. There were days we got stopped for long periods due to security checks, there were times when we forgot our phone chargers in the hotel and had to go back to get them. Then there was the night after Attabad where we arrived after 5 hours on the road only to be told our rooms were not available! Long story short the hotel administrative planning played us out even though our tour operator had made the reservations. After various options were considered and explored, we had no choice but to continue the drive after dinner - directly to the next destination about 2 hours away. As with all travel, experiences like these help to shape you, they make you quick on your feet and bring out the worse or best in you. Over the years, I’ve had my fair share and by now I do well enough to avoid any confrontations or panic.

Whilst being on this adventure, I had grown to love the company we shared, the spirit of being one with nature and the constant snapping of photos. Everyday was a totally different experience, a change of scenery that constantly outdid itself. After the long drive the previous day and arriving in the dark of night, the view that greeted us in the morning left us speechless. I remember stepping out from the balcony door to the blue clear sky, mountains in the distance and cool morning air. It was cold, but the morning sunshine was more than enough to keep us warm. Sat there at the ledge for some time chatting with one of the Thai guys and enjoying the morning air, then taking a short walk with another friend. It was moments like these that make bonding on trips so much more meaningful. The day was spent exploring the lake, chilling by the river, eating and taking photos. After several days of physically demanding activity, it was a day of rest and just enjoying a slower morning. We were originally scheduled to stay one more night, but we went with the Guide’s suggestion to move instead of staying. So after lunch we packed and got ready to move.

We were towards the finishing leg of our journey. After Phander valley we were going to head to the last major stop - Fairy Meadows. I had hardly known anything about Pakistan before thinking about going for this trip, much less about what Fairy Meadows would be like. During the planning had googled some images and it seemed very much like Taiwan’s Cingjing, but that was about all I searched. Never would I have imagined that the next 3 days would be so magical.

The journey there took quite a bit of effort. We left Phander Valley, driving all the way back towards Gilgit. Stopped for the night at a hotel we previously visited for lunch. Then the next morning after packing our bags for the trek, the van took us to Raikot Bridge where we had to transfer to off-road jeeps. We left our big luggage with the van and our trusty driver, then split up and took 2 jeeps up the side of the mountains along rocky cliff roads. Once the jeeps could go no further we walked up a short stretch to a lodge to rest and break for lunch, tied the backpacks on a donkey, and then prepped for the 2 hour hike up. The walk was not too difficult, and we were buoyed by the amazing view as we went along. We sang, we laughed and we took countless photos. As we got higher up, the temperatures dropped and soon it was pretty cooling; or for me wearing just a t-shirt, more cold than cooling.

I’ve been to several amazing places in my lifetime so far. Had the good fortune to spend a summer in the Grand Canyon National Park, been in the Arctic circle having gone up North of Finland, hiked up Taiwan’s highest peak, been atop the Great Wall of China, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, The Vatican, The Colosseum, Mozarts’ birthplace in Salzburg, and the list could go on a little bit more. However, this trek up Fairy Meadows was something that I really would say is a first for me. Watching the view change as we made our way up, seeing nature unfold layer upon layer of beauty. It took longer than we were told, but that was primarily due to us using plenty of stops for photo taking and modeling. When the final group of us made it to the campsite, it was slightly past 3pm. The others were already sitting at a bench with snacks and hot tea waiting for us. Ended up just chilling and relaxing there for quite some time, the beauty of the moment plus the exertion of the hike taking us captive. As we talked and planned what to do, the sky started to dim, and we all set off to get our stuff unpacked, shower and get ready for dinner.

It was a really incredible place, just being high up there, the greenery surrounding us, the mountains in the distant. We had wooden cabins for our accommodation and they were adequate. We did however end up all camping in one particular cabin which had a fire heater. It got so cold after dinner, we gathered around the stove with our feet around the wood fire. Then ended up shifting all the mattresses over as it was more cosy having everyone together in one cabin to sleep. As we all drifted off to sleep, the fire died out in the middle of the night at about 2am and without the wood to keep it going, we just shivered and snuggled tighter in our blankets. Ended up too freezing to really sleep comfortably. When morning came we were up and about before long. Eager and excited to take the trek to Narga Parbat Base Camp. A few of the team dropped out, and only 4 of us were to head out. It was an expected 4-5 hour trek there, so we got all dressed warmly and prepared all that we needed before setting off. This was not an easy hike due to the snow & ice, more so the ice as it made the paths slippery. The snow came down pretty much as soon as we left the campsite and soon we were coming across knee-deep snow areas. It was fun though, interestingly I was totally alright with this snow, this cold and this amazing time. I guess when you get to spend time with people you like, doing things you really enjoy, nothing else really matters. The bummer was that the snow made the trip to the base camp unachievable and we had to settle for a campsite along the way. We had a mini snowball fight once we arrived, then settled down inside with hot tea, warming out hands and drying our gear near the cooking stove. Then had bowls of hot noodles to fill our tummies. Eventually we got pretty comfortable at the fire side and didn’t wanna leave! Especially with the snow getting heavier by the moment. Alas time was against us and we had to start the journey back. We had lots of time to talk and to share stories as we made the 2.5 hour trek back. It was one of those if you could do it all over again - you would places. 100% sure that I would. The rest of the time in Fairy Meadows we had to treasure because it went by quickly, washing up, packing, moving everyone to a smaller cabin, warming by the fire, challenging each other in planking, having dinner, and playing games, then gathering in the room and getting ready to wrap up and sleep. The second night we were much more experienced with the fire, we had more blankets and it was not as cold while we were sleeping. The next day when we got up, it was nice weather and nice sunshine! With a schedule to meet, we could not spend more time up here, a real pity because I really think this is one of those hard to get to - but so totally worth it places. The journey down also played a part in making this whole experience complete, as we retraced our path down, helping each other along the way, then taking the Jeep down until we were finally feeling hot and back to our van several hours later.

Our journey was coming to a close, our adventure almost. We had one final night in a hotel nearby, unpacking and repacking, sharing simple dinner in 1 room, then all laying together on the beds, lazing, sharing photos, talking and reluctant for our holiday to end. The next day, the feelings really hit, it was the end of the trip. I had come to this country a stranger and with several strangers. At the end of the 12 days together, I am leaving this country with such a different view of this beautiful country, with new friends that I totally have no qualms about traveling together with again. As we made our way down towards the capital, we were more reflective, enjoying the last day, the views that we had come to love over the last week, the quietness and the vast spaces. I’m not sure if everyone shared the same feeling, but for me it was a strange reluctance to say goodbye - to the place and to each other. Perhaps the only things I was keen to change was the food that had gotten too one dimensional after the first couple of days. Arrived back in Islamabad by evening and the city traffic now was way worse than when we first arrived. Made a brief stop by the first guest house we came to, there we had a short 30minutes to take a quick hot shower and freshen up. With less time due to the traffic we had to skip dinner with our guide, and had to rush to the airport - choosing to get food once we made the check-in time. We made it to the airport safely, got everything settled amidst the craziness and plonked ourselves down in the waiting area to eat and wait for the flight. It was crazy the last day just flew by like this and so did this chapter of our travels. We bade farewell to Pakistan, boarding the flight with plenty of mixed emotions - thankful, tired, sad, happy.

Ending our Journey - Arriving in Bangkok

The trip will always be remembered for various reasons, the little experiences that we shared and the inside jokes that only we will know, the places that we walked together, the photos we took, the weather we braved together. I think amongst the 7 of us, we have more than 5000 photos combined - but I’m also pretty sure not even those 5000 photos will be able to truly tell the whole story. It will always be one of those amazing journeys we won’t forget, because we chose to go together, because we chose to say “Yes”.

Pakistan. It’s not the easiest or most obvious choice for many people. It’s definitely not something that will fit everyone, but for us that were born for Adventure - it was perfect.

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For more photos check out the Pakistan Album