Wednesday, April 15, 2009

uncharacteristically vacillatory

I know I had set my mind on Iran.

What you didn't know was that after that post below I had had a change of mind and then decided I really must do the Baltoro Glacier Trek in North Eastern Pakistan.

"What...are you MAD??!!" is the usual exclamation at this point - followed by lots of words like Taliban, bombs, hostage, death, etc.

But really, if you stopped listening to or reading the utter drivel pumped out by moronic journalists who regurgitate snippets of gossip and hearsay, embellished with puerile globs of their own bigoted and ill informed ideas about places they have never been to, don't understand and probably cannot even spell; then sure it probably isn't the best place to go.

There is a great deal of hysteria whipped up about Pakistan which serves various powers' vested interests in certain wars being fought in certain neighbouring countries.

Much of North Eastern Pakistan I believe has, in its remoteness and isolation, continued along much as it has always done unaffected (and possibly unconcerned) about troubles around the Afghan border.

The North Eastern Frontier of Pakistan has to have some of the most beautiful and extraordinary scenery of anywhere in the world. Try Google Image searches for any of the following: Baltoro Glacier, Mashabrum, K2, Hindukush, Hunza Valley, Trango Towers, Rakaposhi and Fairy Meadows, and you will see what I mean.

The North Western Frontier.........well I wouldn't go there for quids. Full of bloody wackos.

The Pakistan trip was all but a reality - to the extent that I had even bought the Pakistan/Karakorum Highway Lonely Planet. But something held me back.

Possibly the fact that I had absolutely no money.

But also I realised that if I was to get there it was most likely to be mid to late September and I know that the high pass, Gondogoro La, would be getting seriously tricky by late September. At the best of times one needs crampons and ropes to get over it.

So 2 days ago I went online to see if Pakistan flights had (wistfully) come down in price - when a small ad by Qantas caught my eye.

It said - "Sydney - South America - AU$1033.00 (incl.taxes)

It seems unbelievable. Usually these offers come with a swag of conditions such as: you must leave on a Thursday at 3.30am, travel in a group of 25 or more, stay 2 days, travel with a canoe and your name must be Nigel.

I quickly entered a couple of random dates around September - and sure enough, it was genuine.

I have had an Argentina/Chile trip semi planned in the back of my head for quite a few years - but getting to South America from Sydney was always very expensive. So this was too good to miss.

Guess what I'm spending my Economic Stimulus Package bonus on?

Thanks Kev.

Here are a few photos from the web to show why I am going:
(click photos to enlarge)


torres del paine at sunrise


cerro torre, los glaciares national park


iguacu falls


perito moreno glacier


patagonia


volcano villarica (must climb...must climb...)


mt fitzroy

I'll do Pakistan next year.

1 comment:

peter maloney said...

i'm already loving my vicarious trip to pakistan thru your blog. and i wont get the trots,bedbugs, sunburn or frostbite.go terry.
~xP