Day 1 – Surprises :: Trek to Rush Lake, Nagar Valley, Pakistan

Finally its Sunday, 8th of July 2k12; The day when we are going leave our homes for trek. At first we’ll reach Rawalpindi and then to Hunza via NATCO bus service;

04:30h. I Left home to reach Bilal daweo terminal. The streets are deserted and silent. There are few dogs roaming here and there who start barking at me; Might be they are thinking me as bagger due to my big rucksacks at back; Though I’m in neat appearance and clothing, believe me; 😥

04:30h – 05:00h. Need some money as pocket cash; Try one ATM but its out of cash; Went to next one, the door is locked – great; Reach next market and approach to another ATM, again out of cash; Run to another one and found that Meezan Bank’s link is down; Damnn; Surprises has started; Well after a long run, I got an ATM in functional condition and amazingly Meezan’s link was also working (I was hopeless though)

05:00h. Reached at Bilal Daewo terminal; Get cancelation of one ticket from Lahore to Rawalpindi as one of our trek mate isn’t able to join us; Sitting on bench and start waiting for Rizwan Yousaf and Asadullah;

05:40h. Rizwan Yousaf arrived at terminal with Asadullah; We found that they have forgotten their camp mattress at home (next surprise) 😀

06:00h. Bus is slowly leaving the terminal; Travel for trek has started; (:

07:15h. Bus has stopped for some unknown reason; Driver is looking for something (dont know what) We restarted our journey after 15 min;

08:30h – 09:30h. There is a heavy rain on M2 moterway; The weather in Lahore was hot and humid but looking to heaving rain drops against the window is a good surprise;

10:00h.  We are at Rawalpindi – Pir Wadhai bus terminal; Our rucksacks in luggages area has become wet due to heavy rain on moterway – sad; The worm jacket is also wet inside Rizwan Yousaf‘s rucksack; Another bad surprise;

10:15h. Next news, the departure of NATCO bus from Rawalpindi to Hunza has been switched from Pir Wadhai terminal to NATCO bus terminal (at 15 min drive for taxi) Another surprise, and for sure bad one;  Now have to arrange cab and load all luggage over it; Just an extra exercise;

11:00h – 11:30h. Shezbad Iqbal (butt sb.) joined us at NATCO terminal; cheers; (:

At NATCO terminal Rawalpindi with Shehzad Butt.12:15h – 12:45h. Asad is tring to find gas cartridge and camp mattress from nearby market; Got mattress only;

14:00h. Start journey from Rawalpindi to Hunza; (: But no footrests with seats; 🙁

18:15h.  Traffic jam near Qalandarabad; 2+ hours has been waisted due to speed like turtle; 😐

20:30h – 21:30h. We are at Mansehra; Looking for some good hotel for dinner and getting fresh;

22:00h – 23:45h. Crossing different areas like Chatter Plan, Battagram and Thalkot; Buss is running fast on zigzag road of Karakoram Highway (KKH)  sheltered by huge rocky mountains;

00:30h. We have reached Besham and Bus is stopped at fuel station; We get refresh by having some juices and little walk on filling station;

Its end of Day 1, full of surprises; Bus is running fast and many other passengers have slept (or trying to sleep like me) Driver is playing a playlist of his favorite local songs and we are bound to listen them; (:

See Also
Trek to Rush Lake, Nagar valley;