24 Askole – Jhola Camp - 3200m asl The weather was beautiful, warm and quite hot at times as I set off,
grinning from ear to ear, in the company of my entourage. I couldn’t
stop laughing at how bizarre this must’ve looked. I could easily have
been mistaken for the Queen of Sheba! The first day’s walk along the
Braldu River was short but rocky, and the trail was sometimes narrow
and quite precarious. Crossing one of the side rivers, alongside
donkeys hauling supplies up the mountain via a swaying suspension
bridge, I thought this indicated what was to come. Not far from there,
our overnight campsite came into sight and was equipped with toilets
and washing facilities; the camp was considered a luxury one.
However, the water was from the river and thus straight from the
glacier and freezing. My wash was a super quick one!
Munwar (the cook) cooked chapattis, rice and chickpeas. The air was
dry, and although my skin became dry and shrivelled up, I was happy
to walk in those mountains. By evening, I crawled into the sleeping
bag, giggling uncontrollably about the sight of me and my entourage
and the pleasure of being there.
Jhola Camp – Paiya - 3600m asl
The day started with a relatively pleasant walk along the river with
our first glimpses of high peaks ahead. Close to camp, one could see
Baltoro glacier and the peaks of Cathedral Towers in the distance. The
trail was extremely stony, and it felt good to take one’s boots off by
the end of the day. Surprisingly, the new boots were comfortable and
came without chafing or blisters.