Pakistan. Lahore - Madyan - Rawalpindi

Parts taken from my diary as no internet connections in the Swat Valley.

MADYAN 09-02-2006

We had a long journey yesterday to a place called Mingora, the journey took 10 hours and my stomach was not feeling good at all, so it made it quite uncomfortable for me.
We arrived in Madyan this morning on the local bus from Mingora. As soon as we got to the hotel, we dropped off our bags and went for a walk up a mountain behind the hotel. We started going up routes that were a little rugged, but nice and easy in parts. Our first aim was to get to a bare tree that we could see a long way off. When we got there (or around that area) was saw another aim, then another, far far away up the mountain, a small hut perched among the snow. I sat on the roof of the hut for a while (when Maurice went a little bit higher)then we decided that it was time to go down as we did not want to get caught in the dark. The way down was much easier as we followed a path that we had not seen much of on the way up.
The hotel that we are staying in is fine, we've got a nice room with a fire place in it and its crackling away nicely now.
We have been told by the hotel owner that we must not be in the village at all tomorrow as there will be a Danish flag burning ceremony (and people coming from other villages are expected to come as well) and that he thinks that we should stay away as we are white, and they could think that we are Danish. That's fine anyway, as we want to climb more mountains anyway. We have an armed guard that stays at the hotel every time there are tourists there, to ensure that they are ok and also provides his local knowledge of the mountains and is willing to take guests on various walks. We decided that he would show us around tomorrow and take us up somewhere.

MADYAN 10-02-2006

This morning we were woken up and after a hot shower we set off with Ali the guard (AK47 i tow again). We set off, first in a truck and then set out on foot walking through this wonderful valley, gradually getting higher and higher, following and listening to the sound of the Swat river to our right.
The landscape was stunning, the long fast running river, sweeping through the valley, high and jagged snow topped mountains with huts scattered willy nilly around each mountain side. We passed some great houses with a lot of children around and took some great pictures. Throughout our whole walk we were passed by boys and young men, running up a and down the mountains with huge logs and long planks of freshly cut wood.
As we followed the river up, we started walking through snow which was wonderful, as you can feel the cold, but the sun that was beating down on us felt wonderful. When we got as far as we could, Maurice did some exercises (much to the amusement of Ali who bugged Maurice the whole way through!) while I drew.
On our way down, we stopped off for chai at a house, as they were making it, Maurice fell asleep in the sun and I was invited down into where the women of the house were. None of them could speak English, but we communicated very well despite this. At one point, they were making chapatti and the girl was doing it so fast (making the ball of dough into a flat circle) i took a picture. When they were nearly finished, the girl gave me a piece of dough to do myself...It was terrible!. Hers had been thin and round while my was thick and long!. The women all laughed at me until one of them looked at me as if to say "if you cant make chapatti, what ever do you eat?!". Later in the conversation, one woman noticed that i was not wearing make up and they brought out a pot of eyeliner to put on me, so I explained that as we were walking I would get hot so, then it would run down my face. When they finally understood what I was saying, they absolutely hooted with laughter. Finally chai and bread were eaten and they watched me eat and drink with delight, pulling apart the bread for me and topping up the cup every time I took a sip!. When we eventually got down to where we had started from, we decided to carry on walking back to Madyan instead of taking a car again.
In total I think we must have done 32KMS that day. Maurice's head is getting bigger and bigger. He has been totally blown away with compliments from Ali. I'm starting to think that Ali has a crush on Maurice. He kept saying thing like " You have a wonderful body...Big strong man...I will never forget you".

MADYAN 11-02-2006

We've had another great walk today, despite waking up a little late. I was very stiff in my legs when we set off, but a few steep starirs going down to the village from the hotel and a little climb up seemed to sort them out. This time we went through and up another valley, crossing many mountains so that we did a loop back to Madyan again. It was nice and peaceful and we took our time, taking in the views around us.
We had a great meal outside someone's house on the side of a mountain, tons of chapatti, and 5 dishes of food! (we had asked Ali if we could have just chapatti, as we had some food with us to make into sandwiches, but JUST chapatti was not possible - Pakistani hospitality!). After stuffing ourselves with food, we walked down the mountain, first following a road, then the swat river, until we finally got back to the hotel. We have both bought ourselves a ring each from the guy that owns the hotel. He is also a shop holder in the village, and has 'forced?' us into buying these rings. Both very happy.

RAWALPINDI 12-02-2006

WHAT A DAY WE'VE HAD!
We woke this mornings, and had an extra sleep until 12.30, which we really needed as we'd had a long day the day before and we due another long day today - which we got!.
We did our last walk with Ali, this time, going back up the same mountain that Maurice and I went up on our own the first day, but ended up on a different part of the mountain. It was not too important that we went up somewhere different as we only wanted to get a little exercise and get high up. Ali had planned to take us to another village, but as we were so late getting up it was better to stay close to home.
We got back, picked up all our bags and said goodbye to Fida at his shop in the village, and jumped on a bus with Ali to Mingora. Ali came with us as it was safer for us with him, and his village was just outside of Mingora. He saw us onto a bus that was to take us to Rawalpindi. There were no available seat on the Dawoo bus (the better of the busses), so we had to make do with the regular local job. Before we set of, we were sitting on the bus, looking around, thinking "this isn't too bad. The Dawoo is just more expensive as it has food and a hostess on it"...Then we set off and realised that the Dawoo was more expensive because it also had MUCH better suspension. So, we bounced and jiggled all the way to 'Pindi' and tried to avoid all nasty looks from the guys at the back of the bus who kept saying the word "Danish" (as if they thought that we were Danish). An old couple were sitting in front of us. When we first got on the bus, the woman looked quite distressed, but after a few minutes she handed us both a handful of nuts and raisins each. I think that she had felt pretty sorry for us, as the people behind us were very obviously, NOT HAPPY TO SIT NEXT TO THE FOREIGNERS. So, throughout the whole journey, she would smile, hold my hand and be nice generally.
She was the nicest person on the bus..Until she ate all the biscuits!.
As she had given us the nuts and raisins, when we stopped, I bought a packet of biscuits. We sat back on the bus and I started to take 2 out of the packet to give to them. Maurice pointed out that she may not take them if I touched them, so I passed her the packet. We had a little struggle with the packet, as I tried to shake two down, and she took the whole lot and ate them all!. I guess she needed them more than we did and she did seem grateful!.
We got off the bus and had to get a Taxi. That was a mission, then getting a hotel was yet another mission, and not a very nice one after such a long journey and at 1am.
Now we are good though. Hot water and TV in the room (first place with our own TV since we left Islamabad!).