Pakistan bureaucracy is too much to take so, stuff the system!
We headed off without the NOC or the authorities knowing and rode north towards the KKH (Karakoram Highway), after about an hour we arrived at the start and for a further 3 hours we rode free before the police caught us up and said they will escort us, this was ok as we were starting to climb the foothills of the Karakoram Mountains and I only had to sign in at one road check point. It was beautiful with lush green PADI terraces, trees, pasture and mountains around us, it was such a great change after weeks of desert and the temperature whilst still very hot was starting to cool at last. The road peaked at about 1,500 metres but dropped down again in Besham.
It’s amazing to think that if I carry on up the KKH I’ll be at the Chinese border in two days.
We checked into a hotel and for security we were asked to park our bikes in the hotel lobby! Fine with me:) My room didn’t have air con so I asked to change my room and 5 minutes later a boy brought me a chair and put it on my balcony, very funny.
At 10pm armed police arrived with the usual array of weaponry and when I went to the shop they escorted me the whole 20 metres! As I’ve heard a thousand times ‘its for your safety’.
One Response
Hi,
glad to hear and see your having a great trip and a great time.
Pictures and your recollection of your days,are very interesting.
I think Michael Palin will start to have sleepless nights!