16 IslamabadThe windowless room made sleeping considerably later than usual,
and it was late before I eventually surfaced. Furthermore, the lack of
windows made the room hot and stuffy. I wasn’t the solitary occupant
but shared the room with many creepy crawlies. Upon emerging, I
found the weather not merely rainy, but hot and humid.
Being a planned city, built in 1960 as the new capital, Islamabad was
spacious and sported lots of greenery. Exploring, a trekking agent
arranging treks to K2 base camp got me all excited. I’ve been
fascinated by K2 (more so than Everest) for as long as I can
remember and have read almost every book about climbing K2. So,
more than over the moon, I signed up for this iconic trek. Albeit
expensive, I was determined to go. The high price tag was due to
K2’s location in a National Park. Access to the park and K2 were
strictly monitored and could only be accessed with a guide. The price
included transport to the start, a guide, a cook and porters to carry
the whole shebang, including personal belongings.
Islamabad
Excited, I arrived at their office a day early, assuming this was our
departure day. Hahaha! It was not a disaster as I enjoyed exploring
the markets and the street food, which consisted of all my favourites,
i.e., samosas, chilly bites, potato fritters, nuts and fruit. The rest of
the day was spent packing bits and pieces needed during the walk
like warm clothes, a sleeping bag, and a sleeping mat. I considered
buying a pair of hiking boots, but nearly all the shops were closed on
Sundays.