By this Author: Grete Howard

Today we are leaving Gilgit behind and travelling east along the upper reaches of the Indus towards Skardu.

It’s a glorious day with some beautiful views from the bedroom balcony.

In the distance we can see the glacier-capped Domani, at a height of 7,788 metres

Nanga Parbat

Asif has been very keen to show us this 8,216 metre high peak, but when we had the opportunity two days ago, it was obscured by clouds. Today, however, it is clearly visible, and Asif (and us, of course) are very happy. Not only is it the ninth highest mountain in the world, it is also the fastest growing, at a rate of 7mm a year.

Nanga Parbat has a deadly reputation, and is known as “The Killer Mountain” due to the number of fatalities over the years. Statistically, it has one of the highest death-to-summit rates among the world's eight-thousanders (the 14 mountain peaks on earth with a height of over 8,000 metres). Despite its extreme altitude, steep and treacherous slopes, unpredictable and severe weather, and high avalanche risk, it is still an extremely popular climbing destination.

Look at that road!

As David leans out of the window to photograph a passing truck, the driver slows down and flashes his lights in a friendly greeting.

In places the overhanging rock barely allows the tall trucks to pass underneath.

Natural Car Wash

Where a waterfall splashes all over the road, Haider decides he is going to get the car washed.

We see a couple of other waterfalls along the way too.

On the opposite side of the valley, some houses are perched on the hillside with an interesting bridge leading to them.

They look fairly basic, but at least they have electricity

Their access is on foot only across this bridge, but it does look like a road is leading to the settlement on the other side.

Later we see some beautifully maintained terraces.

As before, I stop to photograph some of the interesting characters we see along the way.

And some that are interesting in more of an eye candy way.

I can’t believe that Asif went up to him and said “my friend thinks you’re handsome, can she take your photo?”. Well, actually, I can believe it, Asif is certainly a larger-than-life character himself.

Midway Hotel

We stop for a chai break at this popular restaurant. I am amazed to find that this small place, miles from anywhere, has a Nescafé machine, and I delightedly other a cappuccino.

David with his cappuccino

The café owner also mines the mountains for precious gems, and Haider grabs a couple of pieces to show us.

The hotel-restaurant suffered a devastating blow last month when a flash flood washed away their outdoor terrace! Thankfully it did not affect the main building, nor were any lives lost. They are trying to rebuild it ready for the next season.

You can see what it used to look like on this video posted on Google here. The green building and the two terraces are gone!

Just as we are getting into the car to continue our journey, another vehicle pulls up carrying the British couple we met on our first day in Islamabad. We spend some time chatting and comparing notes – they are on their way back from the north and have visited many of the places we are going to.

Landslides

This area suffered quite badly from the recent landslides, and every few miles there are workers clearing the road.

A lot of the work is carried out by hand, but occasionally heavy machinery is brought in

Mixing cement by hand

It's dirty work

A partially buried house

The forces of nature brought down a bridge here

Lunch

In the small village of Dargai, we stop at the upscale-looking Baran Hotel for lunch. As it is still very early, no food has been prepared yet, so we sit around in reception checking out some photos on the laptop.

While we are waiting, I desperately need the toilet for an urgent deposit. Asif suggests I use the bathroom in one of the bedrooms. Both the bedroom and bathroom are lovely and clean, but there is no water in the taps or toilets. David, who has used the rather basic staff toilets behind the reception (which does have water), finds a bucket, fills it, and flushes away the evidence for me. We later find out that as it is right at the end of the season and the hotel has no guests staying, they have turned the water off in the rooms so that the pipes don’t freeze over.

To say their menu is limited is an understatement. They have chicken, channa, and lentils, so that is exactly what we order.

Top = channa, middle = dhal, bottom = a spicy chicken dish and some roti. It is all very tasty and filling

Kachora Village – Drone

Just outside this small village, we stop at a viewpoint to send up the drone.

David trying to find a flat surface where it is safe to launch the drone from

You can see our car and the dedicated viewpoint area

On the left you can see the Karakoram Mountain Range, and on the right is the Lower Himalayas.

The water level in the Indus River is quite low, creating some nice shapes in the sand

The view from the ground using the panorama function on my phone.

I play about a little, getting Asif to run from one end of the terrace to the other while I scan the panorama, making him appear twice in my photo.

Skardu Viewpoint

A few miles further along we stop at another spot to send up the drone.

This viewpoint is on a bend with good vistas in both directions.

I am, however, mostly drawn to the patterns in nature.

Ladies along the road carrying animal fodder and leading their livestock

Skardu

Arriving in the town mid-afternoon, we spot a young man on a horse carrying a polo stick. Like we did yesterday, we stop and ask him if he is on his way to a polo match. He is. Bingo!

Polo Match

We drive across town and head for the polo ground, where Haider drives us right across the pitch to the opposite side where the VIP section is. Steps lead up to a raised area, enclosed in wire fencing to prevent VIP spectators from being hit by a fast ball (I am guessing that the not-so-important audience sitting on the unprotected terraces opposite are thought to be more dispensable?)

Right in front of me, however, is a gap in the fence that I can stick my camera through to take pictures.

The local organiser comes along to talk to us about the Gilgit Baltistan freestyle polo, which has been described as raw and wild. As someone once said: "by comparison, an American Wild West rodeo might pass for choir practice." Six players make up one side, which means that the field can get fairly crowded. I am amazed that they never seem to collide. Or fall off the horse.

As the Very Important VIPs that we are, I am given the ball to throw through the gap in the fence to start the game. I feel incredibly honoured.

Known locally as “Polo of the Kings”, the local polo games are far more rugged and less formal than the more genteel international polo games. As the captain says: “It’s a bit of a free-for-all, without many rules”, which makes it fast-paced, exhilarating, confusing, and at times scary, to watch.

There are many misses, and it seems complicated that the players may hit the ball forward or back, depending on their position.

Polo is deeply embedded in the culture of Gilgit Baltistan, and dates back to when it was used as a method to train the King’s troops. Freestyle polo in Gilgit Baltistan remains as more than just a game; it’s a way of life, a celebration of heritage, bravery, and the indomitable spirit of the people. It continues to be a pivotal part of the region’s identity, bringing communities together in a display of skill, courage, camaraderie, and cultural pride.

Unfortunately, the local Skardu team loses the game to Chitral, but we are invited onto the pitch afterwards to meet some of the players.

A polo match – my very first - is something I have been really looking forward to and hoping we would have the opportunity to attend. It is definitely the highlight of the trip so far. We are always amazed that even after 48 years of extensive travel (236 trips abroad to 153 countries), we still manage to clock up a ‘first’ or two on each occasion.

Kharpocho Fort

Asif suggests we head for the fort to catch the sunset.

To reach the fort itself, we would need to climb a steep path, with a number of switchbacks as can be seen in the photo below (the blue and yellow fence zig-zagging up the side of the craggy rock).

As there is not a great deal of interest once you reach the summit, other than the view, Asif recommends that we stop near the base of the rock, and send up the drone instead.

Asif warns me to be a little mindful of where I send the drone, so that I don’t catch the attention of the nearby military barracks.

The fort, also known as Skardu Fort, was constructed at the end of the 15th century, and it remained the seat of the Maqpoon dynasty until the 18th century.

We catch the last rays of the sun as they illuminate the top of the Karakoram mountains.

The mighty Indus River snakes its way through Skardu Valley and later meets up with Gilgit River just a few miles off to the left (out of the photo).

All of the town of Skardu can be seen from the lofty viewpoint of the drone. Far better than the arduous climb to the top of the fort. I call it “trekking by drone”.

Mashabrum Hotel

As we pull up in the courtyard of the hotel, three members of staff greet us, and takes all our luggage (including my little camera bag, and my camera) straight to the room. One staff member, who turns out to also be the waiter, brings a menu to the room for us to choose what to eat for dinner. Someone also brings two chairs for our balcony, although it is getting a little too dark to sit out there now.

Dinner

When the food is ready, the waiter comes and knocks on our door, and we make our way to a small café area off the reception.

As soon as we start eating, we realise that we forgot to mention that we would like our food spicy. The chef, knowing that we are foreigners, deliberately omitted most of the normal spices, making the food more bland than we would have liked. The waiter promises to make amends tomorrow.

David's Chicken Jalfrezi, topped with an omelette

My Chicken Ginger. I can taste the ginger - just!

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations, their local team, and especially our amazing guide Asif for making this incredible sojourn of Northern Pakistan possible.

To my delight, we have instant hot water this morning, which I suppose we should expect from a Serena Hotel (they are an upmarket chain of hotels, some of which we have stayed in when visiting Tanzania in the past).

This morning the weather is a lot clearer than it was last night, with view from our balcony revealing the 7,788 metre high glacier-clad Domani peak.

Breakfast

David in the dining room

Again I choose the Pakistani option, of channa masala (spicy chick peas), and aloo bhuja (a rather dull potato dish).

Pakistani breakfast

I also, rather naughtily, indulge in some French toast with syrup afterwards.

French toast - naughty but nice

David starts with cereal, and follows on with fried egg, chicken sausage and baked beans.

An Englishman's breakfast

Kargah Buddha

This huge carving on the side of a bare cliff, dates from the 7th century (Buddhists inhabited this area until the 15th century).

Despite being a popular excursion spot from Gilgit, there is no dedicated parking area, and we are expected to leave the car on the side of the already very narrow roads. Asif suggests we stop on the opposite side of the little valley, just before the guarded gate, to send up the drone.

The narrow - and very rough - road leading to the site

Where we stop

Having given us permission to fly the drone, the guard then suggests we might want to drive right up to the bottom of the cliff. Asif is amazed, as he has never before been permitted to cross the bridge by car. Yet again we are treated like incredibly privileged VIPs.

The little red guard's hut and the bridge leading to the enclosure

We are parked almost right underneath the Buddha - you can see the carving in the top right hand corner of the picture above

When I did my research on the internet before we left home, I was concerned about the number of steps leading up to the viewing platform by the Buddha, so I am really grateful that I am able to send the drone up instead of climbing all those stairs.

Images from the internet

It’s in fact not until I get home and look closely at my photographs, that I realise that the staircase is no longer there. In the photo below, you can see the support pillars still there, and I have indicated where the steps once were.

While Asif and Haider take breakfast, David enjoys a chai and I send up the drone again for a closer look.

The boys enjoying their breakfast

David with his chai

The enclosure which includes a small café

A closer look at the Buddha - it is believed that the holes either side and at the top once supported a canopy to protect the carving from the elements

According to local legend, after the Buddhists left the area in the 15th century, locals believed that this carving was that of a child-devouring witch known as Yatshini. A respected sufi climbed up to the statue and pinned the she-devil to the cliff to stop the killing, and promised that as long as he was alive everyone would be safe from Yatshini’s terrorising antics, and provided the sufi was buried at the base of the cliff after his death, there would be no more evil and no more children eaten.

Ghizer Valley

This valley was one of the areas badly affected by the flash floods and subsequent landslides a few weeks ago. In several places there are huge clearing-up efforts underway, which, despite the light traffic, causes a long wait at road works. Chaos ensues as both sides of the traffic is released at the same time, trying to squeeze through a small gap.

Online news report from last month

Waiting for the road to be opened

The disorderliness of two directions trying to fit into the small gap in the works at the same time

Note the goat lying peacefully on top of the van

A little later on we see a very narrow miss, where a few rocks, some reasonably large, come tumbling down, missing a pedestrian by mere inches. It may only have been a tiny landslide, but it certainly made him jump sky high and ‘run for his life’. I am not quick enough to capture the actual incident, but this is the aftermath.

Painted Trucks

We see many of these ornately decorated trucks this morning, and several of them stop when they realise we are trying to take photos of them. The drivers are very proud of their moving artwork, and love to show them off. Quite rightly so.

We see a few trucks that have passengers sitting on the front bumper, such as these children hitching a ride to school.

It is probably safer than it initially looks, with a fairly wide ‘seat’ with a guard rail around it to stop them sliding off.

The children in this area have a much more European look than the ones we have seen so far on this trip, with paler skin and some even sporting fair hair and blue eyes.

The narrow winding road is cut into the cliff-side, and follows the beautiful Ghizer river, which is interspersed with picturesque bridges.

Look at that road!

You can just about see the road on the left here

The river meanders through such lovely scenery

One of the many interesting bridges along the way

My People Project

At the start of this trip, I shared with Asif that I had an idea that I want to photograph some of the many characterful men in this area. Asif is fully onboard, and when we see someone along the side of the road, he will ask “will this one do?”, and if so, he will stop and talk to the person, as he does with this chap.

The local women, however, are not generally happy to be photographed. I do snap the occasional covert drive-by-shooting picture, but I am happy to respect their reluctance and concentrate on the men.

An old lady walking alongside the road

Walnuts

A first for us: seeing how walnuts look when first picked from the tree, before being peeled and roasted. This area is renowned for their walnut production.

Lunch

We stop at the Green Hotel in the village of Gahkuch for our midday meal.

We find a shady spot in their large garden

On the long travel days Asif will pre-order food for us to save time, but today is quite an easy and chilled day, so we are given menus to choose from.

David's chicken sandwiches

My beef manto (dumplings)

Grapes
We are amazed to see vines that have grown so large they look like trees, and are full of grapes. As soon as I ask Asif about them, a waiter goes off and picks a large bunch for us to enjoy.

They are quite small, and very sweet, but unfortunately full of very annoying pips, something we are not used to from home.

At a construction site along the road, we stop to photograph one of the workers, again for my project.

We also stop to take pictures of the river and surrounding scenery.

While we are stopped, Asif shows Haider how to film his ‘famous’ slow-motion movies for TikTok.

"This is what you do..."

Asif pretends to run along the side of the river

Haider seems to enjoy it!

Drone

I also want to try and record some movies, using my drone. I am generally a stills-only droneographer, but I have been practising with some special effect automated actions on the drone before I left home, and would love to try them from the middle of a bridge over the river.

We find a suitable bridge with no overhanging branches or anything else that can interfere with the movements of the drone.

Parking up, we walk onto the centre of the bridge.

It feels a little wobbly, especially when other pedestrians or motorbikes pass us, but I am assured that it is perfectly safe.

View along the valley from the drone

This action is called 'The Dronie'

Whereas this one, which circles the subject, is known as a 'Helix'.

Some local kids hang around to watch

It’s time to make our way back to Gilgit, taking more photos as we go, of course.

I love the different colours of the mountains

Another bridge

A butcher's shop miles from anywhere else

Another painted truck

It looks like there have been numerous landslides from this mountain over the years

Gilgit

As we enter the confines of the city, we spot a horse rider carrying a polo stick, and stop to ask if he is on his way to a match. He is not, the game is not until tomorrow (when we will be moving on to the next destination). Pity. I do hope we get the chance to see a polo match at some stage!

Dinner

The only option for dinner around here is the hotel, but neither of us are that hungry, so we order one dish to share: Apricot Chicken. It is described in the menu as “Dry apricot and apricot nut stuffed chicken breast served with white rice apricot spicy sauce and butter vegetables”

As would be expected from a Serena hotel, the dish is very nice, with tender meat, some welcome texture from the nuts, and al dente vegetables. The ‘spicy’ sauce is realistically less than a 1 on the Grete Scale of 1-10 of Spiciness. We should have anticipated that, and explained that we are more used to spices than the average Western palate.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations and their local team for arranging this incredible trip to Northern Pakistan.

We were warned last night when we checked in to the Northern Retreat Hotel here in Naran to make sure we let the water run for a while in order for it to become hot. They were not joking – it took 15 minutes for it to become warm enough for my shower this morning.

The lift does not seem to be working this morning, but a member of staff who is sitting at a desk on our floor runs down to the ground floor, gets in the lift and brings it up to us. Obviously the lift was still asleep, just trying to have a bit of a lie-in today.

Breakfast

Not long after we sit down (as the only diners again), the power goes out. I hope they cook on gas (most places seem to here in Pakistan, we often see huge gas canisters outside restaurants).

The staff rush over as soon as we walk in to the restaurant

I order channa masala and paratha, which is very tasty – about a 2 on the Grete-scale of 1-10 of spiciness.

The channa and some very pale toast

Paratha bread

Apple jam to give the toast a bit more colour. It sounds nice, but doesn't really taste of apples, just sugar

David's fried egg

After breakfast we set off for the next stage of our road trip.

Asif in his local outfit, ready to go

Haider, our driver, looking cool in his sunglasses

Naran Bazaar

Our itinerary includes a stroll through the local bazaar, but as neither of us are keen on shopping, and my knees are not keen on walking, we settle for a drive-through of the market. The bazaar is not a market as in the strict sense of the word, it is more a road full of small stores selling everything from clothes, to arts and crafts, to food. And lots of things between.

Candy store

Fruit stall

Handicrafts and souvenirs

Fruits, nuts and snacks, plus a drinks stall on the right

A small restaurant serving breakfast

Clothes and toys

This area is known for its nuts (walnuts in particular), and dried fruits (apricots being a speciality)

Butcher

The state of the pavement is a good reason not to do a walking tour for someone like me with limited mobility

Once we leave Naran, the road passes through small villages and rural areas. We see a number of people walking in the opposite direction, accompanied by their livestock, and sometimes heavily laden pack-horses. These are families walking back from the mountains where they have spent the last couple of months escaping the oppressive summer heat in the lowlands, and letting their animals graze on fresh grass.

The ever changing scenery is impressive, and we make many stops to photograph it.

David and Asif admiring the scenery

You don't really appreciate the grand scale of it until you see the tiny people and their yellow raft in the bottom left hand corner

There is not much traffic on the road (it’s the very end of the season), but we do see some of the beautifully painted trucks.

Most people we see are quite happy to have their photo taken.

Working the field

Children looking at us curiously

Carrying animal fodder

Waving and trying to run alongside our car

A partially-sighted old chap at one of viewpoints we stop at

Cyclists - good luck to them on these hills!

Kunhar River

Close to the small village of Jhalkad, we stop to send the drone up. The small pools left behind from the receding water, the different colours and textures of the riverbanks, and the the lovely natural patterns they make fascinate me.

There is even a convenient bench for me to sit on

The grand view of the area (a 7-image panorama), with us next to the red square on the far right-hand side

The meandering river

If you look very closely, you can see a red tractor and a couple of people in the top right hand corner

Patterns in nature

We see a few small waterfalls along the way, but mostly the rivers and streams are very low on water, which surprises me after all the recent floods.

There seems to be a trend to construct restaurants over the top of the cascades so that diners sit with their feet in the water.

In some places the water tumbles across the road, but Asif assures us that it is rarely deep at this time of year.

There is also an area where hot water comes from an underground spring.

Batakundi

With the construction abandoned (at least for this year) after the floods and landslides caused a huge number of tourists to cancel their trips to this region, the new tourist town of Batakundi stands mostly unfinished and unloved. Tourism can be a bit of a double-edged sword, it brings in much needed revenue to the area, but at what environmental cost? “This used to be a stunning scenery” Asif laments, as new-build hotels, restaurants, homes and mosques now crowd the landscape.

Burawi

Another much more established village.

Besan Service Station

We stop at a local service station to use the facilities and stretch our legs (and for Haider to have a break too, of course, he’s the one who is working hard). There is everything any traveller needs here:

Children's playground

Restaurant with a view

Toilet block

I ask Asif if they have a western style toilet here, and he explains what I should be looking out for: a single seat means just one toilet, squat style (so no seat at all), whereas double seat indicates that the cubicle has a hole in the ground local-style toilet, as well as a toilet with a western style seat. I obviously go for the latter, and am not disappointed.

A sign of things to come?

Lulusar Lake

A major tourists attraction, Lulusar Lake is situated at an elevation of 11,200 ft (3,410 m) above sea level, and is 3,400 metres long.

A seven-image panorama

The lake is a gorgeous bluey-green colour that changes depending on which direction you are facing.

Looking north, green is the more prominent hue

It's more of a blue colour facing south

There are plenty of places along the road to stop and take photos.

And of course to send up the drone.

We drive along the shores of this gorgeous lake for a while, with me leaning out of the window doing my usual ‘drive-by shooting’.

I am amused by this sign warning of falling rocks that has been almost knocked down by falling rocks.

Some amazing scenery along the way

Action Camera

As we start our ascent towards the high pass known as Babusar Top, David attaches the action camera to the windscreen wipers of the car in order to catch some of the famous bends that takes us higher into the mountains.

Speeded up video from the action camera

The road to Babusar Top is considered one of the most dangerous routes in Pakistan, with harsh weather conditions, frequent landslides, steep gradients, large potholes and high altitude. As a result of heavy snowfall and treacherous conditions, the road is closed for a large part of the year, usually October to June. Every year, a number of casualties from road accidents are reported, mainly as a result of mechanical (brake) failure and inexperienced drivers. I trust Haider completely!

Some rather concerning info from the internet

Babusar Top

I am sad to say that this place, which I had been particularly keen to see and experience, is somewhat disappointing. My first impression is that it is a dump.

It is extremely commercialised (but next-to-no tourists) with lots of gem stalls, food sellers, and even Zip Lines (they seem to be VERY popular here)

Semi precious stones - although Asif warns us they are unlikely to be real

Coffee shop

More cafés and restaurants, all without a single patron

Empty restaurants, and a Zip line in the background, We don't see anyone using it, though.

Not, one, but TWO zip lines

The name Babusar comes from the fact that the Mughal emperor Babur passed through here in the early 16th century. If it is good enough for Babur, it is good enough for me.

At an elevation of 13,700 ft (4,200 m), the air is thin, and after a short walk leaves me totally out of breath, I leave the running around to David and Asif.

While sitting in the car waiting for them to return, I am approached by a very persistent honey sales person. I tell him I don't like honey. He claims I will like HIS honey, and insists that I try some. I stick my finger in the lid of his jar as offered. I still don’t like honey, but that doesn’t seem to deter him and his relentless sales pitch. It’s only when Asif comes back and admonishes him for not taking “no” for an answer, that he finally gives up. Post note: This was the only high pressure sales person we encountered in the entire three weeks in Pakistan.

To me, the only good thing about this place, is the amazing views.

There is an annoyingly strong – and chilly – wind at the top, making it too risky to send up the drone, which is a great shame, as the road leading down the other side is said to be one of the most hairpinned road in the world (Asif counts 66 sharp turns).

The bends seen from the top (without a drone)

Google maps showing the many sharp turns

We start driving down from the high pass

Asif stops to chat with a couple of chaps grilling corn on the cob at the side of the road.

Lots of smoke from the fire

The are all smiles when I ask if I can take their photo

Sampling their product, a popular snack with passing drivers

Photographically, one of the highlights for me of our road trip through Pakistan, is the people we see alongside the road.

Children begging for drinks and snacks

Carrying animal fodder

More fodder

Roadside café

Fruit seller

New Moon Restaurant

We stop for lunch in a branch of this popular restaurant chain.

New Moon Restaurant

Stuffed Ibex

We initially sit outside, but when a light rain starts to fall, we move under cover.

Open air seating

David and Asif

Haider and David

Asif relaxing on a cot, a popular bed-like seat often found in roadside cafés

I order a Chicken Makhni Handi, which is very, very, VERY good, with lean pieces of chicken and a nice spicy sauce with just the right amount of creaminess.

David opts for a Ginger Chicken which is slightly spicier than mine, with strips of chicken. I prefer mine and he prefers his, so we are both happy.

Thin roti to share

There is a Turkish Ice Cream stall on site, and it would be rude not to, right? They’ve run out of mango, so I have pistachio instead, whereas David chooses chocolate.

Those of you have have read my blog from the start of this trip, will know that there were a number of flash floods in the weeks leading up to us leaving home, resulting in some serious and severe landslides. Today we see evidence of the destruction this caused to the infrastructure.

Workers clearing rocks and gravel

A large bus trying to get through

More serious works - although I see more people relaxing than actually working

There is always a supervisor or two looking on

Manual worker with a wheelbarrow and a large digger behind

The debris causes narrowing of the road

Some areas a digger is employed

A bridge was brought down by the recent landslides

Traffic jams as a result

Chilasi Houses

As we get nearer the town of Chilas, we see many examples of the typical local architecture, clinging to the steep hillsides, and often utilising the large rocks found in this area.

Karakoram Highway

We have now re-joined the Karakoram Highway, affectionately known as the KKH, after a two-day detour via Naran and over Babusar Pass. That is worthy of a celebration.

The ever-changing scenery is magnificent.

We have now been joined by the mighty River Indus, which we will be following for a while.

Nanga Parbat Mountain

The world’s tenth highest mountain, and the second highest in Pakistan (after K2), this peak is a lofty 8,126 m (26,660 ft), and is the westernmost peak of the Himalayas. Also known as the Killer Mountain for its high number of climbing fatalities, it is also the fastest growing mountain in the world at a rate of 7mm per year.

Its beautiful glacier-clad peak towers above the surrounding mountains. On a clear day. Today is not that day – it is hiding somewhere behind that cloud.

With David leaning out of the window to photograph the painted truck go by with my camera, the driver slows right down and flashes his lights. How sweet.

We encounter a number of police check points on our journey. Some of them are more vigilant than others, and we teach Asif a new English expression: “Jobsworth”. This one barely looks up as we pass, and does not seem to be bothered that I am taking a photograph either.

Jaglot

At a dedicated, and rather commercialised, viewpoint we stop to take some pictures.

We have noticed that many places in Pakistan appear to be geared towards not just photographing the stunning natural landscapes, but including huge signs and a selfie, presumably to be uploaded to Instagram. Facebook or TikTok.

I suppose it has to be done...

It is here that three of the greatest mountain ranges on earth converge: Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and the Himalayas.

Meeting of the giants

Rainbow

We encounter a nice rainbow as we make our way towards Gilgit, our home for the next two nights.

Gilgit Serena Hotel

The rainbow is still very visible as we pull up outside the hotel.

The Serena was not on our original itinerary, it is one the local agents has upgraded us to “to make us more comfortable”. It is certainly a posh looking hotel, from the huge reinforced locked gate, to the security checking our car before we are allowed to even enter the compound, and of course, the lobby and public areas.

The lobby

We are offered a welcome drink of apricot juice as soon as we arrive, and in the room there is a tray of dried fruits and nuts.

Dried apricots, apricot kernels (a new one for us), and almonds. I lament that a nice glass of rum would go so well with this.

The view from our balcony is pretty nice too across the manicured lawns to the city of Gilgit and mountains beyond.

Despite a couple of power cuts, we manage to back up the photos from the cameras to the laptop before dinner. We have brought along a couple of portable hard drives for just that reason. It is the drone and the action camera that I am particularly keen to have a second copy of photos from, as these two cameras are more at risk of being lost. If the action camera falls off the car without us noticing, or the drone drops out of the sky (I often read on drone forums about that happening to people), at least we will have the photos up to the previous day.

Room Service

The restaurant is on the next level up, with three flights of stairs to reach it, so we decide to order room service instead.

As I am not particularly hungry, I pick something under the Gilgit Baltistan Cuisine Appitizer (sic) heading: Barikutz. Walnut paste with spring onions, green coriander, fresh dill, mint leaves, and yogurt, stuffed in traditional chapati served with apricot oil.

Served cold, it is very light and fresh, and I like the salsa-like filling inside.

David, also not hungry, just orders the apple pie, which is disappointingly small (more pastry than apple), and quite boring.

Nice presentation, though.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this incredible tour of Northern Pakistan.

We are leaving very early for today’s long journey, so early in fact, that breakfast is not available when we go down at 06:40. David is fine as he can have cereal with milk, whereas I grab what looks like a croissant.

The pastry is incredibly dry and dense – the French would be horrified!

Hasan Abdal Decorated Trucks

This area is known for creating those incredible painting on the side of the huge trucks that ply the Karakoram Highway. It is too windy (whipping up loose sand from the side of the road) for any painting to actually take place today, but we do see a number of these beautiful vehicles at a popular truck stop.

The large trucks are covered inside and out with elaborate and colourful artistic designs, a form of folk art known as Pakistani truck art. Motifs include flowers, symmetrical designs, village and mountain scenes, calligraphy, various birds and animals found in Pakistan, and also bells, garlands and cloth tied on.

Inside one of the trucks

Truck art is big business in Pakistan, with an estimated 250,000 people employed in the industry. There is also a lot of friendly competition as to who has most beautifully decorated vehicle and they are considered symbols of personal pride. Huge sums of money are invested in decorating the trucks in the best and most unique fashion. The more flamboyant a truck is, the more it stands out.

Even the inside of the cargo bed is decorated!

The black cloth tied to the corners helps ward off evil, and many drivers decorate their vehicles with reminders of home, as they are often away for long periods of time.

A decorated truck in the wood-panelled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa style, with the unmistakable canopy (crown prow) rising from the front of the vehicle, known as a taj. I can’t but question how this impacts the aerodynamics of the truck.

Also known as ‘jingle trucks’ as a nod to the chains and bells often suspended from the bumper (fender), which make a jingly sound as they move over uneven road surface.

Asif shows off the bells

Truck art has also been used to spread news to remote areas (before social media), and as here, highlight the plight of missing children!

Later we pass a shop selling stickers, garlands, bells, and whistles, flashing lights, and anything else you can possible want to make your truck stand out from the rest.

I first became aware of these pieces of travelling art many years ago while watching a film of travel through the Khyber pass. I’ve wanted to see one in real life ever since, and today I have fulfilled that dream!

Gurdwara Sri Punja Sahib

When we set off this morning I ask Asif whether he thinks it would be possible for us to visit the Sikh Gurdwara (which isn't on our itinerary, but we will be more of less passing on the way). Asif is doubtful, as westerners were recently banned from entering after a TikToker made a video inside, put western music to it, and made disrespectful comments of ridicule about it.

We stop right outside and Asif chats with the guards. They are happy to let us in, but fear they would get into trouble with the police and intelligence if they did so. The gurdwara is a very sensitive area as a result of the India-Pakistan relations. I can totally understand that, and I really don’t want to cause any problems for anyone.

Heavy barriers protecting the entrance

Karakoram Highway

We are now travelling along the fabled KKH, also known as the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway. It runs between Kashgar in China, and Hasan Abdal in Pakistan, and is the highest paved international road in the world. Construction began in 1959, and the 1300km (810 miles) long highway was opened to the public in 1986. During the construction, 810 Pakistani and 82 Chinese workers lost their lives, mostly in landslides and falls. As a marvel of civil engineering, it's said to be the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' due to its high elevation and the difficult conditions in which it was constructed. It’s considered one of the ultimate road trips, and has been on my wish list for a number of years.

Roads signs written in English, Chinese and Russian, reflecting the importance of this highway as a trade route.

Roadworks along the way

We stop in a small village where Asif goes off to buy water for us. While I watch this chap carrying baskets of concrete to a construction site on a roof, Haider is being pestered by a young girl begging for food, money and water. Using hand signals, he suggests the person she needs is Asif, and she goes off to hound him instead, making us laugh out loud. Asif initially shoos her off, but just as he is getting back into the car, he slips her a small amount of cash, as do both Haider and I.

Lunch

We stop in Abbotabad in a KFC to use the toilet, and stay for a bite to eat (Asif’s choice, not ours!).

Asif and Haider

Asif orders burgers, fries and wings for us to share

Zinger burger with chicken and cheese

David sees the opportunity to have an ice cream, and I join him.

Manshera

Ashoka Rock Edicts

Driving up a steep, narrow side road, we stop by a fence surrounding an area with a couple of structures sheltering two rocky outcrops.

The gate to the complex is locked, and according to some people hanging around further down the road, the guard with the key has gone home for lunch. They give Asif his telephone number, but when Asif tries to call, it just rings out. Plan B: Asif sends a man on a motorbike to fetch him from home. The motorcyclist comes back to report that according to the guard’s wife, he has gone out for lunch. Plan C: Asif sends someone out to look for him, with me stressing that we will wait until the poor man has had his lunch!

I amuse myself meanwhile by taking photos of utility metres on the wall. Oh, the excitement!

Eventually the guard turns up and we are allowed inside. There is a huge sign forbidding photography, but I am told to take no notice of that!

These boulders are culturally and historically important in that they are covered with edicts carved into the surface of the rock by the Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC.

After a particularly bloody war in India, Ashoka, dismayed by the human misery caused, converted to Buddhism and renounced all kinds of violence. He created a set of rules and conducts, which he started to enforce throughout his empire. With no Facebook, TikTok or other forms of mass communication in those days, he started to inscribe rock surfaces and pillars of polished sandstone along major highways to spread his message (we first came across Ashoka Pillars in India back in 1988). Over the years the inscriptions have eroded, and these days are difficult to make out.

It was only fairly recently (mid 19th century) that the rocks and pillars bearing Ashoka’s edicts came to light, spread across Northern India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. I find it mind blowing that I am here, looking at something written by an emperor 2400 years ago.

We continue on our journey, with Haider stopping at various points when we see something interesting along the side of the road.

Children bathing in a small pond

A man with a couple of horses

An overcrowded Jeep that we followed for some time

I count ten passengers plus the driver and a large amount of luggage and goods

Chai Stop

In order to give Haider a break from driving (and us a chance to stretch our legs), we stop for chai at a roadside café near Balakot.

Haider and Asif

David tries the local chai, whereas I stick to black tea

The view from the terrace

The toilets are situated down a steep staircase with no hand rails, clinging precariously to the side of the cliff. Thankfully I do not have the urge to go at this time.

Action Camera

We brought with us a small action camera to be attached to the front of the vehicle to record some of the ‘interesting’ roads we will be travelling on during our three weeks in Pakistan. Below are a couple of videos – speeded up – showing the road with its numerous S-bends leading up into the mountains and on to Naran.

We pass some amazing scenery as we climb higher into the mountains.

Look at these roads!

We pass a gaudy restaurant that is built over a cascade, with the seats positioned so that patrons have their feet in water. Asif asks if we would like to stop and have a drink. We decline.

One of the many pretty bridges we see spanning various canyons, and in the picture below, you can see a pulley system where a dolly (basket) is used to haul people and goods across the river.

With autumn well on the way, it is now the end of the grazing season for animals in the mountains, and we see many sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, mules, and horses being brought back down to the lowlands for winter.

Naran

By the time we get to Naran, it is raining quite heavily, and dusk is creeping in.

As I mentioned in my blog from the 3rd September, our original hotel in Naran has decided to close early for the season. Asif explains that a number of tour groups have cancelled their trips at the last minute as a result of the recent floods and landslides (you can read all about that in my blog post here). From Naran, the road north goes over the Babusar Top high pass, which is a seasonal road that closes in winter. The hotel we were re-booked into, has also closed early, only letting Asif know a couple of hours ago. After numerous phone calls and using some of his contacts, Asif has managed to find us yet another hotel at very short notice.

Northern Retreat Hotel

The hotel is nice and modern, but certainly doesn’t appear to be overbooked.

The lobby

There are some interesting artifacts around with a nod to the British Empire days.

Some of the staff ask to have their photo taken with us before we go to our room.

We have a large double and a single bed

Dinner

Being on a hill far from any other civilisation, the hotel restaurant is the only choice for dinner. The room is in darkness as we enter, but a couple of members of staff spring into action as soon as we arrive, with lights being turned on, and menus appearing.

My chicken malai handi is mild and creamy with strips of ginger and cashew nuts

David's Lahori Chicken Karahi is quite spicy with chicken on the bone

We share a tandoori naan to go with it. As the restaurant has no Coke, Pepsi, Fanta, or 7Up, just local drinks, we stick to water.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this incredible tour of Northern Pakistan.

I continue my quest to try local foods this morning, opting for a Pakistani omelette for breakfast. I am asked if I want it spicy or non-spicy. I choose the former, while David asks for a plain omelette – he likes spicy food, just not for breakfast.

The omelette is a little on the dry side, but very tasty. It is better with toast and butter

David with his plain omelette

Daman-e-Koh Viewpoint

Set on Mangala Hill overlooking all of Islamabad, Asif tells the security guard that we are very special VIPs from the British embassy, and he needs to let us drive to the top rather than park in the car park and walk.

The guard lets us through, and at the next ‘barrier’, Asif simply moves a couple of plant pots.

The view from the top is definitely worth it – we can see all of Islamabad laid out before us.

A relatively new city, Islamabad may be Pakistan’s capital, but it is only the country’s tenth most populous city with around 1.1 million people. It was built as a ‘planned city’ in the 1960s, with the capital transferred from Karachi in 1967.

The name Islamabad simply means City of Islam. Located in northern Pakistan, Islamabad is notable for its modern architecture, tree-lined avenues, and organised layout, and is divided into a series of colour coded areas. We are staying in the Blue Area.

We bump into another British couple who are also on a private tour similar to ours, and we chat for a while, comparing our two different itineraries. They are flying up to Skardu (as they only have two weeks unlike our three weeks in the country), whereas we are driving up as well as down.

The Jamia Farida Islamic religious complex

The three towers house Mövenpick Hotel and a shopping mall

Shah Faisal Mosque - our next stop

On the way up to the viewing platform we saw dozens of monkeys running around the grounds, so I get my long zoom lens out ready for the journey down. They’ve all gone. Not. A. Single. Monkey. Oh well, here is a short clip from David’s video from the drive up the hill.

Shah Faisal Mosque

The same VIP treatment happens here, with Asif managing to get special permission not just to drive right up to the mosque, but also to go inside (normally just reserved for dignitaries outside of prayer time).

Shah Faisal is the national mosque of Pakistan, and the sixth largest in the world. It is named after the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, whose $28 million grant helped to pay for it. The design was inspired by the shape of a Bedouin tent, without the typical dome usually seen in Islamic religious architecture.

As soon as we arrive inside the mosque (with permission to carry the shoes to the locked VIP area inside rather than leave them in the public boxes outside), a couple of chairs are brought out for us, and a fan positioned to cool us down (it is 36 °C outside, and not much cooler inside).

Asif explains about the mosque

I am particularly taken with the chandelier

The large open book represents the mihrab which indicates the qibla (the direction of Mecca).

Behind you can see an electronic display of different times relating to daily prayers

The stairs lead to the lectern used by the Khateeb (preacher during the all-important Friday Prayers).

The larger platform you can see at the back on the right hand side of this photo is reserved exclusively for the King of Saudi Arabia.

Not only is the interior of the mosque quite stunning, the whole VIP experience leaves me in awe. I certainly feel like a Very Special Person indeed, and can’t believe the lengths Asif is going to for us. My head is spinning with the wonderment of it all and I feel quite overwhelmed.

Us in front of the lectern. Cameras are not allowed but using the phone to take pictures is OK

Displayed around the room are calligraphic versions of the 30 chapters of the Koran, each more impressive than the previous.

The complex has the capacity to hold up to 74000 people in the main areas including the inner hall, and the courtyards, with the surrounding grounds being able to contain up to 200,000 people.

We are offered some sweets to share in the celebrations of a young couple who have just got married and came here to have photos taken.

I'm amused that someone has seen fit to take a bite out of a rasgulla and put it back in the box

The happy couple

Some birds in the grounds of the complex:

Common Myna

House Crow

Mawlid Celebrations

As we drive away from the mosque, we encounter what I initially believe to be a political protest. “Not at all” Asif reassures us, "it’s a religious celebration for the birthday of the prophet". The devotees carry banners, and often sing in praise.

Saidpur Village

This 400-year old village has been turned into a bit of a ‘tourist spot', with the entire street lined with restaurants (none of which appears open when we are there).

This Mughal era village has a wide spectrum of cultural and religious heritage. It is one of the oldest villages in the region that is still inhabited. It started life as a Muslim village, later to be set up as a place for Hindu worshippers. Today there is a Hindu Temple, a dharamshala (public resthouse where Hindus could sleep, eat and drink for free), and a Sikh Gurdwara right next to each other. An Islamic Mosque as well as a Christian church are found not too far away.

The 16th century Rama Mandir Hindu Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shri Ram, who is believed to have lived in the area with his family during 14 years of their exile.

Sikh Gurdwara dedicated to Guru Nanak

The dharamshala 'guesthouse'

The dharamshala is beautifully decorated with frescoes on the walls, made from all natural colours.

In the complex stands a 200-year old bodhi tree. This sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa) is considered to have religious significance in four major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

Lunch: 14th Street Pizza

Asif orders a couple of large pizzas and some BBQ wings for us to share. Having ascertained that we are quite happy with spicy food, he gets a Mughal Pizza as well as an Extreme Peri Peri Pizza. The latter is extremely delicious, deep pan, with a creamy filling.

Extreme Peri Peri - really yummy

Mughal Pizza - good, but not a patch on the other one

BBQ Wings - they are tasty, but I am not so keen on wings as I don't like food with bones

International Friendship Gardens

Yet again Asif manages to magically open gates for us. Not only are we allowed to drive right up to the entrance, someone unlocks the gate to the garden for us and we walk past the NO ENTRY sign. Later we see other people being turned away.

The NO ENTRY sign

Being opened up especially for us

Part of the much larger Shakarparian National Park, the Friendship Garden showcases trees planted by various international heads of state.

Asif, Haider (our driver), David and I all look at the various plaques, but it seems that neither the UK, nor Norway, has sent any horticultural representatives to this place.

Burma, Zimbabwe, and USA are all represented, so why not Norway or UK?.

Between us we cover the entire area, but to no avail.

From there we drive through Islamabad's Red Zone where all the government buildings are. Normally a security guard at the end of the road will stop traffic, but today, for the first time for three years, Asif is allowed through. I am again told not to use my 'big camera', but it is OK to take photos and videos with my phone.

Pakistan Monument

The walk from the car park to the entrance is thronging with domestic tourists, vendors, food stalls, and hustlers.

A decorated camel is ready for tourists to ride. I am not tempted.

We see a Ukrainian girl having her hands painted with henna, and Asif helps her to negotiate a fair price. I am drawn to having mine done as well, of course.

The artist uses a stamp, which is very much quicker than painting freehand.

As soon as she stamps my hand, I feel a burning sensation, which is rather worrying, having read horror stories online about people suffering serious burns from chemical henna. I decide not to have the second hand done for that reason, nor the inside of my palms as the other western tourist did.

The area around the actual monument is extremely busy, and we are the only westerners here. People are mostly shy, sometimes trying to photograph us covertly, but none of the pointing, crowding around us, and just standing there staring, which we are used to from India. I wave at a young mother who is trying to take my photo, and she comes over with her family to have her photo taken with me. A few others follow suit, but it it is all very calm and not overdone, thankfully.

We climb up onto the platform, and Asif explains about the various aspects of the monument. The four large petals represent each of the four cultures, the Punjabi, the Baloch, the Sindhi and the Pakhtun. The three smaller petals represent: the minorities Azad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Standing together, they are protecting the star and the crescent of the flag of Pakistan.

Each of the petals is covered in artwork on the inside, illustrating the story of the independence of Pakistan.

Our visit here is planned to coincide with dusk, so I can take photos as the lights are turned on for the monument.

Asif kicks the youth sitting on the wall in front off so that I can take a photo

The platform below is absolutely full of people, however.

It isn’t Asif who gets rid of them, but Photoshop!

The obligatory selfie:

There are some rather threatening clouds around, and by the time we get back to the hotel, one of the most incredible thunderstorms I have ever witnessed takes place. Initially we just stand and watch, then I take some videos of it on my phone, and finally I get my camera and tripod out to take some ‘proper’ photos. There is no rain, just a terrific light show.

It's a shame that there is not an interesting foreground, but beggars can't be choosers. The hotel car park, it is then.

What an incredible finish to an amazing day! Thank you Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this fabulous adventure to Northern Pakistan.

After a very short night (less than four hours sleep), we get up to make sure we can get some breakfast before they close.

I am helped by the waiter to select some Pakistani breakfast dishes: beef keema, channa, aloo, and paratha

Just as I think I have finished breakfast, the waiter brings a so freshly cooked puri, and some halva to go with it.

We go back to bed to catch up on some much needed sleep, before meeting up with Cynthia, the office manager of Adventure Pakistan (the local agent used by Undiscovered Destinations) in the lobby. As today is Mawlid, a religious festival celebrating the birth of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed, the banks and foreign exchange bureaus are likely to be closed, so Cynthia has brought along some cash for us to exchange through her instead. What great service!

Lunch

Cynthia also takes us to lunch at a fashionable local restaurant called Loafology. They do, as is expected, a selection of sandwiches and cakes, and as we are both still quite full up from a late breakfast, we just choose a cake each.

David's apple charlotte tart is apparently every bit as good as it looks

My cinnamon caramel scroll, however, is sadly not as delicious as it looks

David enjoys a carrot, apple and ginger juice

Whereas I go for a sweet lassi

The café is bright and modern, and filled with a young in-crowd.

David and Cynthia

Me and David

We spend the afternoon chilling in the room, sorting out our luggage ready for the journey ahead.

The view from our bedroom window

Dinner

Looking at the hotel restaurant as we enter the lobby this evening, I am really grateful that I did some research about local eateries before leaving home. The hotel restaurant is bright, clinical, and empty.

Seeing the security guard on the door sporting a serious rifle, David is a little concerned about the safety of walking outside after dark. “It’s not because the area is dangerous, it’s a government requirement” the guard reassures us. We are only walking a couple of blocks anyway, and we feel totally safe while doing so. Safe from a security point of view, at least; although the pavement (where there actually is some) is in such as state – as is the road – that it is a real trip hazard! I manage to make it to the restaurant without incident.

Hot and Chilli Restaurant

The kitchen is on the ground floor, open to the elements for anyone and everyone to inspect the procedures, while most of the indoor seating is upstairs.

The food preparation area. A delicious aroma wafts across as we approach.

The upstairs seating area, supposedly air conditioned.

David orders a Chicken Zinger Roll with garlic and chilli, which is impressively spicy and really good.

I choose the Mahani Dhal with rice, and red and green chillies, and a Roghni Naan.

The dhal

The naan

Dhal and naan

We also get a portion of Hot and Chilli Special Loaded Fries to share, which is enormous: potato fries on top of pieces of chicken underneath, and covered in a couple of slightly spicy sauces. It is really, really yummy, and probably our favourite dish of the night!

All this, plus drinks (non alcoholic, of course), and tip, comes to less than US$ 10. We certainly can’t complain at that! (It is less than one portion of take-away fish and chips back home).

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this amazing sojourn into North Pakistan.

I never sleep well the first night of any trip, and I have been awake since 01:00 this morning. It’s a relief when the alarm goes off at 05:00 and we can drive to the Short Term Car Park and wait for someone to collect the car and park it for us while we are away. We don’t have long to wait, and the driver casually asks us where we are heading off to. He is very surprised and delighted when he hears we are going to his homeland of Pakistan.

We head straight for the check-in desks where there is a long line of people waiting at the Economy counters, but no queue at the Business Class desk. The boarding cards offer a new experience, with both flights on the same card. We are also relieved to find that “Lounge Access” is printed at the bottom of the card.

From the Special Assistance desk a porter takes us through security (where the plethora of leads in David’s rucksack causes a little bit of a stir and end up getting swabbed for drugs), and onto the Etihad Business Class Lounge.

Etihad Business Class Lounge

The service here in the lounge is quite incredible: extremely attentive and friendly, almost gushing. We start by having breakfast in the dining area. David chooses a few items from the buffet, whereas I order Eggs Royale from the menu.

Eggs Royale - one of my all time favourite breakfasts

From there we continue to the more comfortable seats and order cappuccinos while we wait for our flight to be called.

Etihad Business Class flight from London to Abu Dhabi

We have ‘pre-board priority’ on two counts this morning: business class tickets as well as Special Assistance, which means we are the first passengers to board the flight.

Our seats are on the upper floor, which has its own entrance with no stairs necessary to climb

The seats are as comfortable as I expected. Not being used to such luxury travel, this is all a bit of a novelty for us.

Not only do the seats recline to flat beds, and any position in-between, we also have varying lumbar support, and can adjust the cushion firmness. The most impressive attribute, however, is the massage feature.

Before take-off we are served champagne (or a soft drink for those who don’t drink alcohol).

Soon after we are airborne, the crew come around with mixed nuts and another drink. I stick to water this time. The nuts are slightly salty and served warm.

At the same time she introduces herself to us and asks how we would like to be addressed during the flight (sir/madam, Mrs Howard, or Grete – I choose the latter) and takes our food order. Not only is there a good choice of dishes on the menu, but we are also asked when we would like to eat. Both David and I choose the Steak Sandwich to be served as soon as it is ready, and David also asks for a main meal later on in the flight.

Comprehensive menus featuring food and accompanying drinks

The stewardess brings starched white napkins for covering the tables before placing the food on the trays.

The steak sandwich is meltingly tender and very tasty, encased in warm crusty bread.

I choose to follow this with cheese, crackers and a glass of Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port.

Both the red and blue cheeses are tasty, whereas the Brie is rather boring. There is what I guess to be a chutney in solid form like a jelly, which is tasty and goes well with the cheese. The port is so good that I ask for a second glass.

After a decent nap, I wake up feeling very hot, and order myself a Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.

I love being able to choose what to eat and when.

David still sleeping

When David’s main meal arrives, he is still feeling full up from the steak sandwich, and realises that he probably shouldn’t have order anything else.

Beef tenderloin with truffle mashed potato, asparagus, carrots, mushrooms, and jus. While very tasty, it is apparently all a little overdone, including the vegetables

I love all the little touches:

Two different types of bread in one

Olive oil for the salad in its own glass bottle

Salt and pepper in its own compartmentalised container

David dessert of Peach Bread and Butter Pudding with Raspberries, which he claims is as nice as it looks

As we start our decent and the seatbelt sign comes on, the young child across the aisle from me (maybe somewhere between age five and seven?) is struggling to comply with instructions. He is unable to sit still for more than ten seconds at a time, he undoes his seatbelt 17 times between the seatbelt sign came on and it is time to get off (yes, I did count!), and presses the button to bring the blind up and down at least that many times. His parents (his mum is sitting in front of him and his dad in front of me) seem to completely ignore him. I think the air stewardess has spent more time talking to him during the flight than his own parents.

Abu Dhabi Airport

A wheelchair and porter is waiting at the exit from the plane to take us to the Business Lounge. At one stage David pops off to the toilet, and instead of staying put in the place where David left us, the porter continues pushing me through doors and along corridors. We later realise why, as David would have had a major problem getting back into that area through a security door. The porter (and I by default, of course) waits in an area where it is easy for David to eventually find us again.

The Lounge

Much larger than the one we visited in Heathrow (not surprisingly as Abu Dhabi is the home airport of Etihad Airways), and it covers three floors. We just stay in the one area, however, as it will be easier for the porter to find us again when we need to board the next flight.

Unlike the staff in the Etihad Lounge at Heathrow, who were service minded to the point of being gushing, the people manning this lounge can best be described as “indifferent”, with not as much as a hello, or even any eye contact as we enter.

It's not exactly busy!

There are many counters serving various types of food, chefs cooking meals to order, and a cocktail bar; but I am drawn to the dessert buffet.

Clockwise from the left: blackberry tart (very nice), chocolate brownie (nice), tiramisu (OK, a little too creamy for my liking), mango glazed mousse (boring), and cashew gateau (dull).

At the allotted time, another porter comes with a wheelchair to collect us for the long trek to our gate. As usual, we board first. There are only eight business class seats on this flight, and as it is considered ‘short haul’, they are not as luxurious as those on the previous flight. They are, however, worlds apart from the British Airways short haul business flight we took in May.

While BA had simply blocked off the middle of three seats, and nothing else (apart from the service, which was excellent) such as extra legroom or wider seats; Etihad has two custom made seats with extra width and a massive amount of legroom. We are impressed.

The crew comes around with orange juice pre-take-off, while also taking the order for our main meal.

It's a much shorter menu for this leg of the journey

One of the passengers, a young girl, discovers that she has left her bag at the gate area, and is somewhat freaking out – understandably. The air steward is very calm and reassuring, telling her that it happens regularly, not to worry, and that she will definitely get it back. He phones through to the gate agent, who comes down and claims that the bag is not there, and rudely admonishes the girl for “being so stupid and leaving it behind”. She naturally loses her rag and freaks out even more. They eventually relent and she is escorted back, where she immediately finds her bag. All is well that ends well, but I do think the gate agent was being unnecessarily disrespectful.

After take-off, champagne is served, and we lament that this could be our last chance to enjoy some alcoholic beverages for the next three weeks, so we want to make the most of it (without going overboard, of course).

Bubbles and warm, salted nuts

Dinner

I choose the vegetarian option, with paneer, muttar, and quinoa kofta, served with peas pulao, tikka masala, and toor dal tarka.

The starter of corn and chickpea chaat with toasted coconut chips is slightly spicy with a good texture. The tikka masala and dhal are both yummy; the rice is... well, rice; and the naan is disappointingly hard. The cardamom milk cake for dessert is nice but too creamy for me (I have a slight dairy intolerance).

David opts for the tandoori lamb chop with saffron rice, garlic naan, and rajma masala.

David's lamb falls off the bone and the accompanying sauce is nice and tasty.

We follow the meal with a cappuccino and a Cointreau for me, and hot chocolate and Baileys for David.

Islamabad Airport

A wheelchair and a very friendly porter awaits me when we arrive at Islamabad. The airport is quite new and very modern. We particularly like the truck art that is displayed on the wall above the luggage carousel. I am hoping to see lots of the traditional huge trucks painted in this way during our journey.

As we exit through security, we can see the area where friends and family are awaiting the arrival of their loved ones. The area behind the barrier is thronging with people, all dressed in white, most carrying garlands of pink flowers while excitedly looking out for familiar faces. The floor is scattered with flower petals, and there is a sweet smell in the air. The atmosphere is electric, full of anticipation, and quite surreal, like something out of a film set! When Asif and Haider (our guide and driver for the duration of the trip) greet us with a flower garland, I ask what is going on.

Asif explains that this evening (or rather morning, it is now 04:00), several flights from Saudi Arabia will be landing, carrying pilgrims who have completed the Umrah (pilgrimage to Mecca which, unlike the Hajj which has a set date every year, can be undertaken at any time of year), and often the whole village will turn up to greet the returning travellers. It is traditional for everyone to wear white for this event. Asif was concerned that we may have found it intimidating – on the contrary, we thought it was quite an extraordinary and delightful scene, something we will not forget in a hurry.

Envoy Continental Hotel

At this time of the day, or rather night, it is a short drive to the hotel. The hotel is bright and modern, with a large, open reception area. Unfortunately, the lift is currently out of order, they are waiting for an engineer to come out first thing in the morning. The semi-circular stairs are not too much of a problem for me, or at least they wouldn’t have been if they’d had some ‘normal’ handrails. The bannisters start at the usual hip-height at the bottom, but get progressively lower as the stairs ascend to the next storey, finishing at ankle level once we arrive at the Mezzanine floor.

We quickly rummage in our bags for the nightwear, and slip into bed almost immediately. It is now 05:10 and we are completely zonked after a long day travelling.

Thank you Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this amazing tour of Northern Pakistan.

We check in online this morning, and all is OK… apart from the fact that the app asks us for a payment of £79 to access the lounge. I was under the impression that was all included in the ticket. I do some more research and discover that we have a Business Class Value ticket, and as from March the 4th this year, that class does not include lounge access. The good news is, tickets purchased prior to this date still qualify.

I print out all the documentation in case we encounter any hassle at the airport and need proof of lounge access.

Reading Services

As has become quite the Howard Tradition now, we stop at Reading services on the way for a Greggs Caramel Custard Doughnut and Cappuccino.

Premier Inn, Heathrow

As we leave the services, the heavens open, and we experience quite a cloudburst, creating a lot of surface water, and slowing the traffic right down. It is still raining heavily by the time we pull up outside the hotel. We sit in the car for a while, hoping it will stop, but eventually we get so bored that getting wet seems preferable.

After checking in, we wander down to the restaurant for an early dinner. Just as we sit down, we get an email from Mark at Undiscovered Destinations, explaining that there have been a couple of changes to our Pakistan itinerary, although surprisingly not as a result of the recent floods.

Dinner

A delightful waitress from Punjab in India serves us this evening and chats to us about her family back home and her study in the UK.

My linguini with baby tomatoes and chilli. It has a slight kick and is very enjoyable.

David chooses a chicken and pulled ham pie with a cheese crust. He tells me the cheese goes very well with the filling, and the whole thing is quite rich.

For dessert I have the vegan chocolate tart with raspberries, which is as enjoyable as always (one of my favourites in a Thyme Restaurant)

David picks the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream which he very much enjoys

We both finish off with double Tia Marias and a cappuccino each. The bill comes to a very reasonable £79.

With a very early start tomorrow morning, we are in bed by 21:00.

Preface

As with many other destinations, Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway has been on my wish list for a number of years. In 2011 we travelled a stretch of the famed route, the highest paved international road in the world, from Kashgar in China towards Pakistan to Kara Kul Lake. We needed to register with the police and obtain a special permit in order to do so. The scenery along the road was stunning, further fuelling my desire to travel along the ‘main’ part of the KKH, as it is known, in Pakistan.

View along the Karakoram Highway from the Chinese side taken on our trip in 2011

This year (2025), is the time to fulfil this long-held dream, travelling on a private bespoke trip arranged by Undiscovered Destinations.

The KKH runs from Hasan Abdal in Pakistan to Kashgar in China. The green line is the section where we travelled in 2011, and the blue is the part of the Karakoram Highway that we will be following this year.

Pre-trip preparations

Some six weeks before departure, we make an appointment with Nomad Travel Clinic in Bristol to check what inoculations we may need for the trip. They recommend going to our local health centre for the boosters we require for Typhoid and Cholera, as the NHS is contractually obliged to provide those for free. All we take away from Nomad today is some malaria prophylaxis.

We are travelling right through the High Risk area on the road to Gilgit.

Our local GP surgery prove less than helpful, however, insisting that they cannot do it with less than ten weeks to go before a trip. We have six. I have since heard from several people who have encountered similar obstacles from the NHS in other parts of the UK, not just our practice. The general consensus of opinion is that staff are told to put up as many obstacles as possible in the hope that we will go elsewhere to obtain the vaccines rather than from the NHS. My advice is to approach your GP surgery at least three months before travel, giving them fewer excuses as to why they cannot provide the inoculations.

From our local health centre's website

Conflicting advice on the generic NHS website

According to the government's foreign travel section on their website, we are at a high risk for typhoid, so it is worth paying for it privately.

Thankfully, Nomad has no shortage of appointments, and we are able to get in with the same delightful nurse the very next day. She is able to provide us with some protection against both Typhoid and Cholera, and gives us strict instructions not to brush our teeth in tap water (take note of that, David!). On their advice, we decide against topping up our Rabies vaccine (which is also out of date), but instead they suggest we resist the temptation to stroke or play with stray cats and dogs we come across on our travels. We walk away from the Nomad clinic £250 poorer. Thanks, NHS!

Flash Floods 21st July

While researching some of the places we will be visiting, I come across a news story detailing an awful catastrophe in an area we will be travelling through on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Cloudbursts, followed by flash floods have washed away fifteen tourist cars, buried several villages, with landslides eroding the KKH in over a dozen places. Six people have been killed, fifteen people are still missing and 250 tourists have been left stranded. Many families have lost their homes and livelihoods, not to mention their lives, making me feel incredibly selfish for worrying how this disaster will affect our trip.

Screen prints from news reports

The Karakoram Highway is the only road to this remote part of Pakistan. There is another route that bypasses the area, meeting up with the KKH further north. Unfortunately, this road is specifically mentioned by name on the Foreign Office ‘Do not travel’ list, which would render our insurance invalid should we choose to travel that way. The reality of the situation is that if the KKH is not repaired and re-opened by the time we leave, the trip will have to be cancelled.

Screen Print from the FCDO website

Blue shows our route (we are travelling from Hasan Abdal to Passu), the red circle is the affected area, and the purple shows the alternative route bypassing the disaster zone, but which is not considered safe.

More troubles in the area

While searching online for more information about the disaster, I come across this article, which happened a couple of weeks earlier.

Also this:

And this, which highlights the problems you might encounter on what has been dubbed the ‘World’s Most Dangerous Road’.

I consider myself as a bit of an adrenalin junky (albeit our adventures being on the soft side these days), and the scaremongering in the article (and some YouTube videos I also found), only adds to my excitement, rather than put me off. To be fair, the KKH does not look any worse than the roads on the other side of the border, in Indian Administered Kashmir, where we travelled extensively in 2013.

Some photos of the roads in Indian Ladakh in 2013

6th August 2025 - checking out visa requirements

Although it is still 28 days before we go, I thought I'd check out the visa application for Pakistan to see what we need. They helpfully provide a 43-page PDF about how to complete the application

That should have been the first red flag.

Not only do they want a list of the places we will be visiting in Pakistan, the name, place, and date of birth of my parents; but they also want to know details of the countries we have visited in the last three years: the country, date of entry, how many nights, and the places we visited within each country.

Of every single one of the 26 countries we have visited in the last three years, two of which we have been to twice, and another three times.

There are times I am grateful for keeping all my documents from previous trips. But even so... I think I will start early filling in this.

11th August 2025 – Applying for Visa

I feel ready to tackle the Visa application today, as I think I have all the information they want, so I create an account on their portal. After receiving an email, I verify that account, and a message pops up with a QR code that needs to be scanned with an Authentication app. The first app I try doesn’t work, whereas the second one does. I am, however too slow in typing in the code from the app, and by the time I finish typing it in, it has changed on the app, and I have to do it again. After confirming that I am a human by entering their Captcha Code, I am finally in.

David’s account proves to be a little more tricky. Despite having eight characters as suggested in the very helpful application guide, the system refuses to accept it. Only after discovering that eight characters should really be twelve, do we get somewhere.

The guide says eight characters, the form wants twelve.

As for scanning the QR code, David has to do it five times before it accepts his Authenticator app. Finally we are both in.

An announcement on the top of the page explains that a simplified version of the form has been implemented for applicants of 120 countries, including Norway and UK. This means that the list of countries / places I have compiled is not required as it has been greyed out on the form. So has details of previous occupations, bank account details, blood group, religion, native languages, and the details of every place we will be visiting while in Pakistan. Yay! That saves me a lot of time.

They want to know where we are staying, the name of the hotel, address and telephone number. As we are touring, we will be using twelve different hotels, but they only have one box. I google the details from the first hotel.

All goes well until it comes to the page where we need to upload photos, passports and any other supporting evidence (which in my case is my right to reside in the UK). I try to upload the latter, but the system rejects it, and tells me that the maximum number of uploads have been exceeded, despite nothing being uploaded yet.

When I attempt another upload, the system hangs. After a few minutes, I am left with no choice but to ‘kiss it goodnight’ (close it by using the X in the top right corner). I try to sign in again, but it tells me I’m already logged in.

I log out of all sessions, and try again. The password and authenticator code go well, but the Captcha Code is difficult to read. I fail. Twice.

I am finally in, but the delight is short lived, as I get this message:

I log out and back in again (password, QR Code, Captcha code) and try uploading some photos again. Passport fine, supporting evidence fine. Photograph: Image not suitable. I refer to the guide to see where I have gone wrong. In my opinion, my photo looks fine (other than the fact that it is a dreadful photo of me), but obviously they are not happy with it.

The Upload Guide offers a useful tool (with another Captcha scenario, of course) for verifying your photo. I try it.

It fails. After trying all sorts of things, David suggests that maybe the background is not white enough. I try removing any colour cast and lightening the image until I look like I am on death’s door. It finally accepts it.

Or so I am (wrongly) informed. Apparently, it is too small, despite being slightly larger than the dimensions suggested in the guide.

I re-size it in Photoshop. Apparently now it is too big. As you can see, according to Photoshop, it is within the range.

I take a deep breath and try to suppress my growing frustration. Re-sizing it in a different way within Photoshop, the system finally agrees with me, and I am good to go! Phew!

Now it is David’s turn. Having learned how to do the re-sizing to their ‘standard’, I am confident his photo will be accepted first time.

Really?

I try making David’s face darker and the background lighter.

Can you see the difference? The one on the left is the unacceptable one, the one on the right is fine

This works, and we can both submit our applications!

Fingers crossed we get the visas! While there should be no reason why not, it is always a slightly worrying time.

11th August 2025 – Visa Approval

Less than 24 hours after submitting the visa application, I receive an email to say it has been approved. That’s pretty impressive in anyone’s book, especially as yesterday was a Sunday!

I follow the link to download and print the visa. The first hurdle:

The next issue is that it doesn’t like my Authenticator code. It does this three times.

When I finally get through to the next stage, it yet again tells me that I am already logged in. I am not.

When I finally get through to the next stage, it yet again tells me that I am already logged in. I am not. After yet again logging out and back in again, I come across another obstacle: It doesn’t like my Captcha code.

Then it tells me that I need a password, despite the password being there and correct.

On the third attempt it lets me through, and I am finally in the correct portal where I can download my approved visa.

Receiving the visa means we are one more step nearer the trip!

15th August 2025

Pakistan hit the BBC six o’clock news today, as a result of more cloudbursts, and more landslides.

My heart sinks when David tells me, and I go online to find out more details: Five of the affected areas are places we plan to visit: Ghizer Valley, Khaplu, Skardu, Gilgit, Satpara, and Hassanabad. Twelve people have died in the region, several houses have been washed away, tourists are stranded yet again as roads are closed, and power / drinking water has been cut off.

My heart goes out to all those affected, and I realise we have to be flexible and expect that changes to our itinerary may well well happen.

This is the road we are due to take

It's not looking good

The 7th September is the date we arrive in the area

23rd August 2025

And there is more. Yesterday saw a glacial burst in Gilgit-Baltistan, blocking the Ghizer River. A lake measuring 2,000 feet long and more than 50 metres wide has emerged as a result of the flood debris, due to which the Gilgit-Chitral Road is still closed.

The lake has started discharging water according to the online news I am reading, meaning the threat of a burst is receding, but flash floods in downstream districts cannot be ruled out until the lake is completely cleared.

According to the Dawn online paper:
“Hundreds of people in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) have fallen victim to water-borne diseases owing to a severe shortage of clean drinking water following devastating floods in the region, government data showed on Thursday.

On Wednesday, a glacial lake outburst flood (Glof) swept away part of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), while on Tuesday evening, a powerful torrent surged through the Juchar nullah in Gulmit, Gojal, and Hunza, triggered by accelerated glacier melt."

"Another senior nurse, Zaffar Abbas, said he sees around 20 to 25 patients daily who are suffering from water-borne diseases, adding that this has been an issue for weeks.

“We often stay open till 2am due to the influx of people coming to private clinics since government hospitals have run out of medicines,” he said."

Things were looking a little better a few days ago.

25th August 2025

The danger has now apparently now eased off, according to the paper.

That is great news for the people whose livelihoods, homes, and lives were at risk, and selfishly, also for our holiday, of course. The constant “Is it on? “Is it off?” is beginning to affect my stress levels. I shall be glad when we are on that plane out of Heathrow, as then what happens will be in the lap of the weather-gods.

Stay tuned to see how it turns out.

HAPPY 48th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY to us!

Meteora National Park

It’s a late start today, we are meeting Vanis, the local guide at 11:00 for the tour of the monasteries and incredible rock formations. As we head into the Meteora National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site, we are surrounded by the most outer-worldly towering sandstone pillars and cliffs.

Monasteries

We are not just here for the stupendous scenery, however, Meteora is famous for hosting one of the most prominent complexes of Eastern Orthodox Monasteries, dating back to the 14th century. In its heyday, there were 24 religious establishments atop these giant natural pillars, seemingly unreachable by the uninitiated. Today there are still six operational monasteries.

Originally access to the monasteries was deliberately challenging and perilous, using long ladders lashed together, and goods (and sometimes also pilgrims) were hoisted up using ropes across the ravines. These days the ladders have been replaced with steps cut into the rock or added to the side of the pillar. The danger has gone but it is still an arduous task reaching most of the monasteries, with an excess of 300 steep steps.

In the picture below, you can see where the steps lead up the side of the rock, sometimes attached to the outside, other times through the rock. And if you look very closely on the left hand side where the arrow is pointing, you can see the wire still used to hoist goods across.

St Stephen’s Monastery

There is one monastery with almost level access, however, and we will be visiting that today. From the car park a cobbled slope leads down to the entrance, and Vladimir is able to drive down there and drop us off right outside. I have to say, he is extremely kind and caring, always taking my mobility issues into consideration.

The slope from the car park

The bridge across to the entrance

The ravine the bridge crosses

Decoration on the wall by the entrance

We arrive at the same time as a group of pilgrims from Moldova, and it takes a while to check them in before it is our turn to get our tickets.

Once inside the complex, there are a few steps leading up to the actual church, which I would be perfectly capable of managing, but one of the security guards sees my stick, and talks with our local guide.

The aforementioned steps

There is, apparently, a disabled lift, something even Vanis was not aware of. How cool!

As we enter, Vanis lights a candle for us. Inside the church, photography is not permitted (and quite right too, this is, after all, a holy place and an extremely important religious building). The pilgrims from Moldova are overwhelmed by this place, and start chanting in unison with a lovely harmony, making for a very atmospheric experience.

I brought a headscarf from home to wear out of respect.

When Vanis starts performing traditional Byzantine music, I get goose-pimples and tears in my eyes. This tradition is exclusively vocal music and essentially monophonic. It’s a living art that has existed for over 2000 years, and now forms part of the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To hear this music, performed by an expert, in this stunning location surely has to be one of the highlights of this trip.

Taking the lift back down again and exiting the complex, Vladimir, who did not come in with us, brings the car back down to pick us up.

The lift waiting for me

David is not allowed to travel with me in the lift

Vladimir bringing the car down to collect us

We continue our sightseeing by car, with spectacular views around every corned of this winding road.

Viewpoint

We stop at a popular viewpoint where we can see five of the six monasteries from one place.

David climbs to the end of the rocky outcrop with Vanis, while I stay on the flat tourist area.

Leaving Vanis behind to guide another group of tourists, we ask Vladimir to take us past our hotel into the small town nearby, where we head for the local Lidl. Having finished the Duty Free last night, we pick up a bottle of rum, which Vladimir generously buys for us as a wedding anniversary present.

Vavitsas Taverna

After dropping our shopping back in the room, we head for the Taverna across the road. David and I both choose meatballs, me ‘on the grill’, David ‘with tomato sauce’. I think somewhere along the line something got lost in translation.

Meatballs on the grill

Meatballs in tomato sauce

Baklava - still the best ever!

Loukoumi - Greek Turkish Delight - on the house. Neither of us are particularly keen on Turkish delight (the first time I tried it, I was convinced it was soap!), but this is actually quite enjoyable

We return to the room and spend the rest of the evening sitting on the balcony drinking the local rum and celebrating our wedding anniversary while watching the sun go down and the mist descend over the craggy peaks.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this 2025 Balkan Adventure

The staircase from the room to the reception is scary for someone with mobility issues, and David tells me that the continuation down to the basement where the breakfast area is, is even worse, with rickety metal steps and no hand rail. He suggests that I give them a miss and he brings me some food to the room instead.

The steps to the basement as seen from the reception area

The stairs to the basement as seen from the basement

The breakfast area

My 'room service' breakfast

Macedonia – Greece border

The Greek border is a short distance from Korcë. Vladimir is very surprised, pleasantly surprised I may add, that there is no-one in front of us at the border. “Sometimes the queue can be an hour or more” he tells us.

Our first stop in Greece is to take our morning coffee at a small café.

Two Austrian couples who have driven down from Austria also stop here – a great chance for me to practice my German.

Vladimir phones the local guide, who claims he has no knowledge of our booking for tomorrow. Vladimir explains that we will be touring by car and not climbing up to any of the lofty monasteries, which means he can manage to fit us in. That’s a relief, as this is likely to be one of the highlights of our trip.

Hotel Kastraki

The road leading to Meteora and our hotel for the night, winds its way around the steep peaks this region is famous for. Our accommodation is on the outskirts of the main town, with a superb setting.

As we pull up in the car park, I say to David: “I would love to have that room (circled). Someone somewhere must have been listening to my thoughts, as that is our room for the next two nights.

The view from our balcony is pretty spectacular!

The hotel itself does not have a restaurant, but there is a Taverna slightly further down the road which is owned by the same person.

Taverna on the right, hotel in the 'distance' on the left

Meteora Vavitsas Restaurant

The menu is fairly short and simple, with mostly classic Greek dishes, and everything seems to come with chips.

My chicken Souvlaki - with chips

David's Pork Souvlaki and Chips

The cats around here are well fed!

The best baklava ever!

At the end of the meal we are offered a glass of 40% raki on the house along with loukoumi, the Greek version of Turkish Delight.

We return to our room balcony where we enjoy the last of the duty free rum while watching the birds and the squirrels and the mist come down to envelop those gorgeous peaks. I have seriously fallen in love with this place.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this private and bespoke tour of the Balkans.

Sveti Naum Monastery

With an extremely long walk from the car park, the place being overrun by tourists, and it being a Sunday, thus worship taking place, we simply drive around the monastery and find a small café in the lovely grounds to take our morning coffee.

The path from the car park

Big groups of tourists

The monastery

Coffee Stop

The cafeteria on the river

David

Me

The coffee is expensive but good

Albania

At the border crossing from Macedonia to Albania the officials ask more questions when we leave Macedonia than upon entering Albania. With winding roads and people walking their cows, horses, and donkeys, we are now back in rural Albania. We soon head for the hills, and see warnings about bears. As expected, we see no sign of them, although Vladimir claims he has seen some here before.

A man loading up his horse and cart in rural Albania

Vojopoja

We leave the main road and head for the ancient village of Vojopoja.

The Church of St Nicholas

This 18th century church has significant artistic and historical value. We wait in the courtyard for our guide, Angela, to turn up, and despite the sign, I take a few photos of the outside of the building.

The outer gate

The courtyard

Frescoes in the outside portico

Once Angela arrives and unlocks the heavy church doors, I put my camera away. The interior is dark, including the many frescoes covering the walls. Angela uses a very dim torch to show us the paintings, amidst the fear of bright lights damaging them. The frescoes depict scenes from the old and new testament, and are considered masterpieces of 18th century art. Directly below the cupola is a circular mosaic on the floor. The church is still used for mass, although at one time only baptisms were permitted inside. In the 17th century, Jojopoja had 500 residents and 24 churches. Only six churches remain, while the population has grown to 1058, and this is the best preserved of them.

Korcë – Hotel Cathedral

It is almost impossible to stop right outside the hotel, which takes its name from the impressive building opposite.

The hotel itself has a very small footprint, with just a small, unobtrusive front door leading to a narrow reception area and a very steep, winding staircase.

The room is quaint, with exposed brickwork, walls painted in bold colours, and as expected, reasonably small.

The position of the hotel is perfect, however, at the head of a popular pedestrianised area, with a plethora of restaurants, bars, and fast food joints. We take a little walk and stop at a small place called Creperie.

Both sweet and savoury crepes are on offer, and we start with a Burger Crepe and a Pita Chicken.

David's Pita Chicken Crepe

It's full of filling

My burger crepe - an interesting concept with a pancake filled with burger, chips, and cheese. I can only manage half.

David notices that they do a chocolate and Kahlua crepe, and goes back to order one. Something is lost in translation, however, and he ends up with one chocolate and one Kahlua crepe.

Chocolate crepe

Kahlua Crepe

I take a few bites of each of them and let David finish both. We roll back to the hotel afterwards, which is thankfully not far.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this 2025 Balkan Adventure for us.