End of Trek: Scarifying lamb

Last day at Mithramdan
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

The last night didn't go well at all. There was some heavy, cold rain when we were returning to our camp. And we four were rather late - me, Adeel, ZAK and Tanweer. The mood wasn't good and everyone was now demanding accountability from Tanweer. There was a general agreement at Mithramdan that we have been betrayed by the trekkerz group and that we need to have our money back. The night was cold and quarelsome and Tanweer along with his stooge, the dimwit Talat Saeed, felt the heat. Zahid bhai profusely abused both of them and was going to slap Talat when he was persuaded not to. It was 9 vs 2 and even our cook, Mr. Haibat Ali, looked disturbed that night. Dinner was served and eaten fast. And we all slept.

Next day, before anything else, Zain had already bought himself a year old lamb. He was celebrating his big achievement on the trek: Finding the horns as lasting souvenir of an incomplete journey. He himself slit open the lamb, removed the skin and cut to pieces its tender flesh. And he also cooked it for us in two parts, salty and masalla. His claim that he is also a cook was verified but the bitter taste from last night did not go away

Back trek to Mithramdan : Day 8 / Wargoth camp site

Wargoth camp site
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

That's me on the right with Adeel in our yellow, leaking camp. The time is 7:57 AM and we were almost freezing without a proper cup of tea. And we were of course very sad that we were returning. In fact, I was the saddest. Some others looked jolly. You cannot control your destiny sometimes; you have to go with the group, with the tide. And you need to be optimistic. As a traveller that is doubly important. In fact, must I say that being optimistic and 'open' are the virtues of a good traveller.

We soon packed up and left this most wonderful place. I hope to return to this very camp site with my family and friends. INSHALLAH.

To Wakhan : Day 6 / To Chitti Boi glacier and back

Trek: From Sokhtarabad to Chitti Boi glacier, Pakistan
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

The rains finally subsided today but after a long spell. So finally our lethargic group leader, Tanweer, decided to start the trek today (16th Sep, 2011). It wasn't a very good start. There was no breakfast except for a kheer (which is a rice mix) with chai, hardly a substance for trekkers on North Pakistan. Yet, surprisingly, no one really objected except for Zahid bhai. The trek began at 12 noon. So off course there was no chance of reaching our destination.

We walked and walked and rains again started. Tanweer bhai created a drama and sat down (he is the founder of a fraud group...http://www.thetrekkerz.com/forum.php) and then Talat Saeed also sat down. That meant demise of our trekking. I felt the rat alongwith our trekking partners, Adeel Ather, Adeel, Danial and Zahid bhai. But we could do nothing so we had to call our forward going porters back from Chitti Boi. The cheaters group, as we named them that day (although they like to call themselves as Trekkerz), returned happily. There was general disagreement over the course of action but Tanweer seemed extremely fit to me and yet he was claiming his illness. An ill person cannot trek so fast (he reached destination very fast).

This is the group shot of (from L) Adeel, a local Gujjar, Zahid bhai and Zain.

The Trekkerz at Concordia (Karakoram)

The Trekkerz at Concordia (Karakoram)
Originally uploaded by -DarkSide-

The Pakistani group known as The Trekkerz is based on some very energetic and knowledgeable persons, who manage various treks across Norther Pakistan from time to time. This time they managed to pull a wonderfully organized trip to that ultimate masterpiece of nature, the base camp of K-2, second Highest mountain on the face of Earth.

I take this opportunity to congratulate my friends, Raja Islam, Zagham, and ZAK bhai for making it through, despite much troubling weather.