DISPATCHES

Brady

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There is no sign of the K6 hotel or any other landmarks in town I can recognize. The schoolhouse is full of boulders; the level of the rocks rising above the windows. Around 90% of the homes were destroyed, I'm not sure how many of the fields. It's a total disaster, much worse than when I wrote about it last. The Pakistani government has responded by beginning to organize a relief effort. The military does a good job of taking care of the surrounding villages, but Kande could use all the help it can get. We left our food there and gave some relief money to Brigadier Tahir. Please see the last dispatch regarding the Kande flood for ways you can help.

We drove back to Skardu and were fortunate enough to get a flight to Islamabad. The flight is often cancelled due to bad weather, sometimes for weeks at a time. The main road was out too. Had we been forced to drive, we would have been in for a 30-hour jeep ride!

Now we're in Islamabad waiting for our flight home. We're due out tomorrow morning. The leg between London and the US isn't confirmed, so we may spend a bit of time wandering about London.

So, for want of a better place to stop, that's the end of our story. We climbed the tower, enjoyed our stay, and now we return home. There are, however, a few more things I want to say.

Some thanks are in order. First, I would like to thank MountainZone.com. We have gotten nothing but support from the folks at MountainZone.com, most notably from Matt Stanley. We had complete freedom over what we wrote, what we sent, and when we sent it. It has been great fun to take pictures and write about our adventures — a privilege, never a burden. Thanks Matt, Ken, Peter, and everyone else!

We received help from many different sources in the states. Thanks to the Lyman Spitzer Grant, the Polartec Challenge, Patagonia, NOLS, Five-Ten, Sterling Ropes, Mountain Hardwear, Colorado Custom Hardware, Smith Optics, ABC, and everyone else who helped us along the way.

We would also like to thank the great nation of Pakistan. We have received nothing but warmth from its people and kindness from its military. Most notably, Brigadier Tahir was invaluable to us. He played a great role in our getting into the Kondus, showed us great hospitality while we visited him in Khapulu, and has become a good friend. We just spent the evening with his two sons, going out to dinner, and looking at images of the Kondus on our computer. Captain Abdullah of the Pakistani Special Services was also very kind to us. We enjoyed our time with him and look forward to seeing him again in the future. Nazir Sabir Expeditions did a great job of handling our permit and other in-country logistics again this year.

The people of Pakistan have been incredibly kind to us. In particular, the people of Baltistan have left a great impression on me. Very much like the Sherpas of Nepal, they embody the qualities that mountain life tends to bring out in people. They are a strong and hearty people, quick to laugh, even as they hump your 30kg load up a mountainside for the third day in a row.

There is little crime among the Baltis. Life is relatively simple (but often tough if, for instance, your village gets swept away by a landslide). I'm not such a romantic to think that village life is perfect for them. The women of the area are still largely repressed by their men. The Baltis have many health care needs. The few dispensaries in the area are poorly stocked. The sick often can't even afford to hire a jeep ride to the nearest hospital. There are an increasing number of primary schools in the area, but access to education is spotty, especially for girls. The Baltis could use an outside hand, yet many foreigners are afraid to come.

Why are people afraid to come? Or to quote Greg Mortenson of the Central Asia Institute, "Why are there hundreds of worthwhile organizations helping Tibet, Nepal and India, but few or none in Baltistan?"

There are probably many reasons, most of them stemming from a fear of the unknown. Certainly the almost incessant negative portrayal of Islamic cultures in the US media doesn't help. The US State Department-issued travel advisories regarding Pakistan don't help either. I've never felt unsafe in Pakistan, even when walking down the streets of Islamabad at night. Certainly something bad could happen to me or anyone here, but that's true anywhere. Last year's military coup may have scared people off, but it's only notable affect for us has been a decrease in government corruption.

In any case, many of the Americans I've talked to here share the same story: They were afraid to come, many of their friends and family thought they were crazy to want to travel to someplace so dangerous and exotic as Pakistan, they came anyway and quickly forgot their apprehensions once they arrived.

If you want to travel someplace a little off the beaten path, if you want to see a people as great as the famous Sherpas of Nepal but not nearly as well known, travel to Northern Pakistan. Go on a trek, visit great mountain ranges, and see for yourself that all Muslims don't carry AK47's and burn American flags. It's very simple to travel here, just be prudent and quick with a smile. There are many companies that would love to organize your trip, or, of course, you can go it alone. Pakistan could use your tourist dollars, and if you're like me, you could use the exposure to a wonderfully different culture.

Special thanks to my talented friend, Jimmy Chin. He put this trip together, gave it life, saw it through even when it didn't look like there was any chance we'd get the permit. He has been a supportive friend from many years now, and I hope to climb with him in the years to come. Good partners — people that you work with so well you find you often don't even need to talk — aren't easy to come by. Thanks Jimmy!

So that's that. Hope you've enjoyed following us. Over and out from me. Wish us luck with our connecting flights.

Until next time, Inshallah.

— Brady Robinson, MountainZone.com Correspondent

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