pakistan experience

preparations progressed well. exchanged few mails with iftikhar and got ready. reimbursement of expenses could not be done in advance so had to spend some money on my own for tickets. however, local hospitality and registration was done courtesy dr iftikhar jan.
i did not know what gifts to carry so asked ejaz on this issue. giving gifts to americans or europeans is very easy, one can give a statue of ganesha or budhdha and they are very happy. i remember my gifting a peacock feather fan to italians and how they were thrilled to receive real peacock feathers!
this would not have worked in karachi. ejaz suggested that i carry agate or other artefacts, but no religions statuary. which was fine. so went to panchakki and bought several agate animals etc. also bought several film cds and a ajanta/ellora cd.
left finally by train to mumbai. reached mumbai early morning, had bath and tea and left for airport. everyone was thrilled with the idea of my visit to pakistan.
pakistan international counter was crowded with bohris, everyone carrying boxes of alphonso mangoes. whole lot of people travelling. counter staff polite and polished as usual. surprise was another security frisking at the aerobridge by a separate set of people who did not wear a uniform, neither indian police or any other. two men and two women were frisking all passengers. the flight contained great many workers, it was going to jeddah from karachi.
cabin crew wore elegant salwar kamizes, good looking, smart. stewards and hostesses spoke chaste hindi or urdu. it did not matter. i could understand it very well.
food was excellent, an inkling of things to come.
outside view was unremarkable, i thought i saw the indus river as the plane flew over indus delta and we could see the innumerable rivulets.
karachi airport is rather stark, the field is large but terminal building appeared rather small. can not compare it with milan certainly or dubai.
it was very hot and humid outside the plane. bus took us to the terminal and a long wait began. after visa clearance, all foreigners had to fill a set of four forms, stick photographs and wait and wait and wait.
baggage was cleared fast. there was nothing to declare and nothing was found in the customs check.
foreigner clearance took a long time.
very young girls were at the counters, a web cam was taking pictures of all and something was being written. it was crazy. while this was going on, some others were seen to walk freely across the counters.
i did not understand what was going on but had to wait patiently.
it must have taken at least a hour and half to clear this and leave the airport.
at the barrier, four persons were standing with a placard. three surgeons and one mr rajkumar. we shook hands and got in a mercedes pickup. the bag was thrown in back and we got away.
traffic moves very fast, road is very good, at least six lanes. city seems very far from airport. someone asked me if this was my first visit and obviously the answer was 'yes'.
it was strange to see the sights of karachi. everything looked familiar yet different. same kind of people, same kind of faces, same cars, rikshaws, scooters. strange looking buses and trucks though. and more people in salwar suits. no women driving cars or two wheelers.
saw the pakistan air force museum on way. reached hotel mehran after almost an hour and got in.
receptionists were in elegant sarees, no burkas were in sight. a very modern and smart appearance. i saw a girl wearing sleeveless blouse and skirt, sitting in restaurant. two women smoking!
this is something one would rarely see in mumbai.

pakistan trip

i joined the pakistan pediatric surgeons chat group sometime in 2002 or 2003. problems were similar, situation was similar, there was much to discuss, much to exchange, much to learn. i found the group quite academic, discussing administrative and other issues from time to time but mostly devoted to practical patient issues. as usual, there were few who were very active, more responders and many more lurkers. but that is how most groups are.
then sometime in dec 2003 or jan 2004, there was some discussion on the group about forthcoming national conference to which i received an invitation. then another invitation for the 'basant' festival in lahore was received. it was not possible to attend either.
then a meeting in may-june 2004 on megacolon was announced at the national institute of child health in karachi. for this the invitation came from prof iftikhar jan and i thought i might try and attend this.
some time before this, i had began doing single stage endorectal pullthrough for megacolon which was a advance as very few people in india were doing this at that time. this was worth presenting and i had some videos, photographs of the procedure.
thus the process began.
i received the letter of invitation and then applied for visa.
it turned out that one had to visit the pakistan embassy in delhi in person and apply. this was incorrect as i later found out and after spending money on air fare.
a trip to delhi had to be arranged at short notice. there were no direct flights to delhi then. so it had to be via mumbai.
visa forms were not available for download on the net so they had to be procured in the embassy. there were few agents here who were conversant with pakistan visa procedure.
went to mumbai in the night and caught the first flight to delhi.
reached delhi some time around 9 am and managed to reach embassy by 930 am.
window closed.
there were few sellers roaming around on streets selling visa forms and i bought a set of four for rs.20.
the filled the forms and reached window where no one was standing in line.
cought the attention of person inside and gave him forms. he accepted them happily though the time was over and did not bother to check bonafides, whether i was submitting forms in person or whatever. i suppose anyone could have submitted the forms. the visa fee of rs.15/- by bank draft was submitted. visa issue would take few days so i left the documents with him and decided to come back and ask rajendra deshpande to get the passport later.
so back to airport by taxi, aurangabad flight was ready to leave and back to aurangabad by evening. did not stop in mumbai. called ushamaoshi from the airport. met dr nandedkar in the plane and had to do some dodging to avoid disclosing the purpose of my visit.
plane hardly had any passengers, and after aurangabad, it was nearly empty.
the gentleman sitting behind was hungry and asked for a refill of the vapid airline food. some hunger!
so got back and three days later, passport was sent to me with visa stamped. however, it was for the wrong period so it had to be sent back and revised.
so at last, a big hurdle was over.
mumbai karachi flights had just began. earlier one had to travel to pakistan via shrilanka as all direct flights were stopped.
this was lucky. so booked tickets on pakistan international mumbai-karachi flight, leaving mumbai at 8 am.
and began preparing the presentation and video.

last week we visited a manganese ore mine in maharashtra/madhyapradesh. entry of non authorized persons in underground mines is prohibited so i will not mention the place.
it was a strange but educative experience.
george orwell in 'road to wigan pier' describes the world of coalmines and coal miners in wales. i had read that many years ago but this was a first hand experience of the underground world of mines and miners.
it is a strange world, dark, not silent but full of strange noises, hot, humid. it is like walking in a dark maze. strange machinery is moving, people in hard hats, headlights, working very hard but looking very glamorous nevertheless.
one plays with fire, with one's life at all times and works very hard.
our life is a luxury it seems.
the daily routine of a mine consists of drilling throughout the shifts, they make about 20 holes in one hour. the drill is so heavy that it takes three men to hlld in place and to work it.
it makes a very loud racket. loads o fdust flying around.
no worker was seen to wear ear or dust protection but i saw one engineer wear a mask.
there is water underfoot. pneumatic pipes running everywhere. electric wires along walls.
strange niches and galleries everywhere.
rails underfoot with trolleys.
staircases, no laddes.
at one point, i had to climb down 90 feet straight down . afer spending some time there, i had to climb u p ths same straight up.
and thw workers were doing it as if going for a walk on the beach.
no wormsn works underground but they work on the surface breaking ore, washing it.
that too is heavy work

mountain photography dos and don'ts

dos
1. best position of sun when there is mist around is facing the camera
2. shadows should fall towards the camera
3. close shots of snow covered buildings may be taken with side or back light
4. shoot when there is enough light and shade to render structure of hills
5. best time to take photographs is early morning and late afternoon
6. cloud formation is very important for the mood of a picture
7. to emphasize the height of a majestic cliff, include strong foreground rock, village or tree. a figure may improve composition but will not provide scale
8. snow covered landscapes are best pictured when snow is clean
9. snow pictures are made in sunlight.
10. use medium yellow filter for best results of sky and clouds
11. deep yellow, orange and red filter will give good distance penetration

don'ts
don't photograph on a hazy day, it gives flat and lifeless pictures
don't picture mountains with overcast skies or a cloudless blue sky
always include some scale object with mountains
don't picture snow when sun is high
don't take pictures in midday
don't expose on a flat area
don't take large areas of snow
don't tilt the camera

personal hygiene/care of clothes

hygiene is important in mountains and during trekking.
while trekking and climbing body sweats even if one may not feel hot. sweat dries on feet, in groin and armpits. dirt gets caked up on perspiring body and pores are clogged. there may be chapping and rash in groin. one can not shave while trekking. even bathing is difficult.
it is not possible to have a hot bath in mountains. it is not advisable to bathe in cold water particularly at high altitudes.

sponging
if you can get a basin full of hot water, thorough sponging with soap and water followed by clean water and rub down the a dry towel and dusting with talcum powder is a good alternative to hot bath.
using two napkins, one soaked in hot water and other for drying helps.
change underwear after sponge bath.
keep a spare change of underwear in the rucksack. wash underwear and dry it as often as possible. if washing is not possible, air it and dry it. give it a rubdown and dust it with talcum powder. dirty clothes are less warm. their insulating quality is reduced by the amount of caked dirt on them. dirt is cold.

care of feet

to avoid sore feet
remove boots as soon after a hike
wash feet as often as possible
dry feet thoroughly, especially between toes
wash socks as often as possible

to harden feet
wash feet in cold water and soap freely
rub soles with soap or grease
soak feet in salt solution
apply spirit to soles of feet

care of socks
if socks are torn, put a thin piece of cotton and paper over the torn portion
mend always from inside, edges must be cut. don't leave knots or projections
wash socks whenever possible
woolen socks are likely to shrink
change socks from right to left and vice versa
carry enough pairs on a long trek

footwear
boots/shoes should not be too tight or loose
fitting should be tried with proper socks and in standing position
try walking some distance in the shoes
uppers should fit in smooth and not bulge out
fitting should be tried in the afternoon or evening
don't use shoes which have not been used for a long time
keep footwear very clean
trim nails before putting on shoes

if blisters form
clean with soap and water
puncture the blister with a sterile needle. (pass needle through a flame)
soak all fluid
do not remove skin
apply adhesive plaster

prevention of blisters
apply generous amount of powder on the feet before wearing socks
apply more powder in the shoes before wearing shoes
apply vaseline to feet, specially on toes and bony parts

trekking rules according to yhai

mountaineering dos and don'ts
1. pollution
camp site:
camp site usually satisfies basic requirement like availability of flat ground, closeness to clean water, orientation of slope, direction of wind, shelter from rain and snow etc. other parties have used the camp before you and others will use it after you have left. so leave the camp site cleaner than you found it.
a. all litter should be kept in one place
b. all garbage to be burnt should be collected in one place away from camp site and burnt. members responsible should ensure that all garbage is burnt and the ashes are covered with earth.
c. garbage which can not burn, glass bottles, tins, plastic should be collected separately and either carried back to base camp or buried away from the camp
d. nothing should be thrown in the river/stream
e. latrines should be allotted to members as soon as they arrive in camp
f. shallow latrines should be dug if the camp is going to be used for some days. otherwise, area away from camp, and downstream should be used as latrine area and each person should be instructed to cover nightsoil with earth. gravel, sand or fine scree should be piled in latrine area in advance.
g. separate latrine areas should be provided for men and women
h. sanitary napkins should not be thrown in water or in toilet/latrines but should be burnt; sanitary napkins are not biodegradable and should not be left in the campsite
i. when camp is being abandoned, all chullahs should be broken, all scars of fire covered with earth, all wood piled in one place, all garbage suitably disposed off and area made as natural as possible

on the march:
no litter should be thrown on the wayside. this includes toffee wrappers, cigarette packets, paper. all litter should be carried to camp and burnt.

conservation of flora
fire hazard: all fires must be put out before leaving a camp site. some hill people are superstitious about completely extinguishing a fire. in such a situation, a couple of embers can be left, surrounded by a ring of stones, and covered by a layer of ash.
burning cigarette stubs should not be thrown but completely extinguished.
no tree should be cut for firewood. juniper bushes should not be burnt. only dead branches and twigs should be collected for burning

conservation of wildlife
killing of animals/birds is prohibited

reporting
all trekkers are requested to report if any trekker is found indulging in polluting the campsite or stream; burning of trees, killing animals/birds

mountain manners

on meeting another climbing party or local inhabitant, a cheery greeting should not be forgotten. you may get useful information from them and save yourself some trouble.
if there are other groups on the track, maintain a distance in front or rear from the other party and do not mix the groups.
if you have to overtake other groups, please ask the leader of the group and seek his permission so that he can halt his group and allow you to pass his group.
walk at a steady rhythmic pace, maintaining the cadence. do not rush up hillsides. do not try to show off.
all members should walk at the pace of slowest member, especially at bottlenecks and difficult patches.
the leader should be last person and should check that all members are present from time to time.
don't lose your patience with a local inhabitant who tells you the distance in terms of time. they are used to walking in hills and can walk much faster than you.
respect social customs of local people. do not argue with them about religion, social customs, habits.
respect their womenfolk. do not indulge in eveteasing.
any important information such as a landslide, broken bridge, breach in track should be imparted to the nearest village headman and all parties on the track.
never throw stones down the slope or in water. a stone travels at very high speed and can severely injure others. if stone is dislodged and starts falling down the slope, give a warning to others by shouting 'stone' or 'paththar' loudly.
rowdy and noisy behaviour should be avoided. boisterous shrieks, whistles can distract others and cause serious accidents. don't wave handkerchiefs or wave your arms about as these are distress signals and can cause alarm in others.
in the camp, do not scatter your equipment or belongings indiscriminately.
do not take undue risks, avoid bravado. no one is greater than the mountain. mountains dont forgive or give you a second chance. be very careful and don't attempt things which you are not trained in.
before leaving camp, inform others where you intend to go, when you intend to return and what route you intend to take.
taking undue and uncalculated risk is not to be confused with dash and courage

camp customs
do not enter the tent with shoes; this will spoil the ground sheet. sit inside the tent with feet outside, remove shoes and keep them under the tent flap
never wash upstream from campsite or where other people may be drawing drinking water
check all streams for at least 400 yards upstream and make sure you are not downstream any washing area
only take water which is flowing fast, and not from a stagnant pool
drinking and cooking water must be drawn upstream; washing and bathing should be done downstream
wash mugs and dishes immediately after meals

duties of group leader
a group leader has responsibility to look after the physical, mental and psychological well being of the boys and girls in his charge. he must ensure their safety and see that all are able to complete their tasks.
he should
check the equipment of every member and satisfy himself about the condition of equipment
acquaint with trekking route and timings
know about flora and fauna and encourage members to observe plants, birds, rock formations etc
set the pace by the weakest member of the group
regulate the number of halts
keep the group together and do not allow straggling

for trekkers
keep your equipment in good condition
adhere to schedules and timings.
camp leaders are voluntary workers and do not argue with them
be prepared for a variety of food in different camps
if food is limited, accept it
do not stray away from group without notifying the leader or deputy leader. do not go away alone, take someone with you if you are going in a unfamiliar area
a trek is not a race or marathon. there are no prizes to be won. walk steadily and slowly, maintaining a steady and strong rhythm, observing nature, enjoying the beauty of mountains. if you get tired, slow down but don't stop frequently
keep toffees, lozenges handy as these will prevent thirst. don't drink water suddenly as this can lead to fainting. start early and finish significant amount of trek before noon.

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youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india
national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking programtrekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking
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youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india
national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking program national himalayan trekking programtrekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking trekking
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youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india
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youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india
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youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india
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youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india youth hostels association of india
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kashmir experience 4

inshan to lahinwan via margan pass. margan pass is more than 11ooo feet. snow covered throughout the year. inshan is at 8000 feet so we have to climb 3000 before 10 am. as sun is up, snow melts and passes become difficult to cross.
we were made to get up at quarter to four and had to leave by quarter to five after collecting lunch and breakfast. one gentleman tarik was accompanying us. he was to take us to the top and show us on the way.
the path was on open land, no trees but climb was gentle, sun was not up so it was not very difficult. it turned cloudy by 8 am so we were made to hurry along. we ate breakfast near a stream. there were many flocks of buffaloes, goats with gujjars, their families on mules, dogs. the animals used to get scared and boys were scared of horses. dislike was mutual.
we reached a stream by 9 am which was quite wide and flowing rapidly. water was very cold. we were made to take off shoes and socks and wade through water. tarik took each one by hand and crossed the stream. poor fellow had to do it 20 times. after few crossings, his feet turned red and he had to jump up and down to restore circulation. he started screaming with pain but had to take everyone across. water was very cold. first feeling was that of extreme heat. then it felt like hundreds of ants biting, multiple needles pricking, most odd feelings.
we all paid him a rupee for his help. he did not come beyond the stream and turned back.
there was a 2 km patch of mud and rocks. it was slippery and bad for shoes. it started raining. pass was fully covered in snow which was quite deep. there were hillocks on each side, mostly black barren rocks. the peaks were covered in snow. it started to snow. we could hardly see anything. snow was quite deep and some of us were going down upto knees. there was water in some spots. then we started to pick rocks for walking. sun was not visible, it became very dark, rain, snow were falling. some horses were stumbling and gujjars where hurrying them along. wind started to blow. a most scary experience. we could not enjoy the snowfall. four of us were the last persons to cross the pass, almost everyone else had gone ahead. suddenly the fog became so dense that we could not see our own fingertips. then we walked rather slowly and held on to each others rucksack and slowly reached the other end of pass.
in this weather, a flock of birds flew over us!
eventually the snow ended and we had crossed the margan pass. the descent was rocky. fog was persisting. we could hardly see much but had to descend somehow.
we had been told that the kashmir valley could be seen from margan top but fog and snow did not allow us to see anything.
it is not possible to remember how we got down. but we did somehow. we were seeing clouds and glaciers below us!
found a plain spot around 1 pm and ate lunch. rain began again, fog was enveloping still. but kept on walking, stopping for shelter. suddenly we found a tea shop and drank several cups of tea apiece. reached camp by 230 pm. the camp is in a grassy knoll near a medium sized stream. campleader is called kukkoo. he is a amateur geologist and was happy to see us carrying salim ali book with us.
food was very good, very tasty spicy. first time after kishtawar, we got good food. i was so hungry, i finished dinner in five minutes. campfire was dull as everyone was quite tired and we were bored singing same songs. sleep was wonderful.
sleeping bags were given at lahinwan.
dawn broke at 5 am. many trees, dew on grass, birds singing, pine trees, wonderful weather.
kept lying in sleeping bag till 7. breakfast was late. margan top was in bright sunshine. today's group would have a nice time.
we left around 10 after a breakfast of halwa, puri, boiled egg and tea. it took us about an hour to reach lahinwan village when we took a bus to daxum village and reached there by 3pm.
heavy rain began at daxum and continued till evening. synthen top was not visible. we had tea with camp leader and walked to daxum village. this is a small resort and there were many tourists. had a proper tea in a regular restaurant. welcome change from goat milk tea.
food was again very good, rain had cancelled campfire. tomorrow morning we were to cross synthen pass and had to start early so slept early.
daxum to synthen via synthen pass is less difficult than crossing the margan pass and there is more snow.
first three km were in a dense pine forest. we started early as usual and had a ski instructor to guide us along the way upto synthen top.
after the forest, we had to climb over the glacier for several kilometres. the glacier surface is covered with small mounds and one can not see the top. one feels one has reached the top when you see another hump ahead. the climb is steep, snow is deep and soft, we kept on getting bogged down. but it was fun while it lasted. chikki came in very handy. cheese also helped. one needs lots of calories. the ski instructor made us walk on snow while he himself was walking on a track by the side of glacier. wise fellow. he didn't have a pack too.
we reached top by 11 am. beautiful sight. yesterday clouds had marred all view. today we could see many snow covered peaks, mountains covered with dense forests. clear skies. a most beautiful sight. everyone wanted me to take pictures. and i did take a few.
we ate lunch at top and began descent. we used the enamel plate and sat down in it and slid down wonderful time. reached synthen camp around 3pm. it rained much on the way but no trouble.
campleader is one mr desai from mumbai. he repreminded us for groupism and then suddenly it felt very wrong to have formed groups, rivalries, competition. collected few rocks, slate in synthen and sat huddled in blankets and drinking tea. campfire began late. we were lectured by a forest officer. he was very sincere and meant well but it made the affair a little dull. campfire went on till midnight when we slept outside accompanied by half a dozen dogs.

synthen to chatroo is the last stretch. it was downhill all the way in a dense pine forest, deep shade. track was good but the descent was bad on knees. apte and kulkarni lost their way and went somewhere else which lost us some time. it was a dull affair because we were all tired and anxious to be done with it. we were bored with each other's company and wished to get back to civilization. last kilometre or so was on a metalled road and finally got to chatroo and then by bus to kishtawar.
thus ended the 8th himalayan trekking program.

kashmir experience 3

yordu is a place of rest for trekkers. we are at halfway mark. the camp is near river. two forest huts and few tents. camp leader is a woman and assistant is from delhi. a.d. and ambekar left for next leg of trek. breakfast was hot and tasted very good. my shoes are torn by the side and there is no cobbler. i had to stitch them myself. we went for a walk by the river. saw few water birds. village is small, about 100 houses. tea was good, tasted normal but goat milk odour was present. afternoon was siesta time. for the first time in one week, i was able to sleep in the afternoon. what a pleasure. the sun came out. bright sunshine. welcome change.

yourdu cook was complaining of headache and we passed out crocin tablets. so the cooking tent is very friendly now.
breakfast of halwa, puri, unlimited. last year, limited breakfast used to be served. boys were eating six or seven puris and 3-4 bowls of halwa. tea was limited. today's trek was to sarkandu, 11 km with little climbing. we left by 830 am and walked leisurely. track ran through dense pine forest, nothing spectacular, nothing special. we lunched at 12 and once again crossed the river. then we saw a grove of walnut trees. sarkandu came at 1 pm. sarkandu camp is in a meadow, a small glacier is close by. we had to cross a stream to get there so went there in evening and played in snow. on our way back, the stream had swelled and all footholds were under water. so had to look around and go up and downstream to find a shallow ford. campfire was cancelled as tomorrow we were to leave early.
camp leader gupta was at jai last year. we had a long chat in the evening. weather is getting colder and colder. even with 3 blankets, tents are very cold.

sarkandu was most forgettable except for the fracas at breakfast the next day. here, limited breakfast was served and delhi boys started fighting. gupta explained that there is inadequate flour but they kept on fighting and he had to relent. this delayed breakfast and departure. the trek was along the right bank of marwah river, along open plains bordered by tall cliffs further right. sparse trees along way. no pines, almonds, walnut, bhojpatra and others. we met many gujjars with their cattle and families coming in other direction. all kept on demanding headache tablets.
inshan camp is on the other side of river, which has to be crossed by a wooden bridge which sways terribly.
we could see the camp from afar but it took us nearly 45 minutes to get there. the camp is on a barren patch of land by riverside. no trees, no grass, no nothing, except bare rocks. the campleader had gone somewhere so wasn't present to welcome us. we had to cross several glaciers this trek but the path was wide and well trodden so there was little risk. it was a dull day. the main part of trek, crossing margan pass is tomorrow. we have to leave very early so everyone slept early.

kashmir experience 2

sonder to sirshi, a small trek so we planned to start late. the distance on paper was 5 km. we thought we could do it in an hour.
as usual the camp was a little slack and bed tea was served at 7 am!
sonder village is beautiful. it is surrounded by rice paddies, mountains all around, pine forests. the camp leader decided to send us off without pack lunch and we left after 9am.
it was downhill initially but the road was rough, too many boulders and stones, lots of dust flying around. since we started late, it was very hot. there was little shade. this was a dull and boring affair.
we met a madman who was said to be a cook. we saw several snowcovered peaks and named them. sirshi campsite is nice. river is close and its roar can be heard all the time. food was good. mr patki is the camp leader. he is the son of national secretary of yhai. many birds in the trees. we had to bring water from a stream which was behind the camp and a little way down. climbing up with a full bucket took some effort.
we could sing many songs in the campfire and impress delhites.
it wasn't very cold at night so we slept outside.
camp leader served hot bournvita at night. how wonderful. weather turned at night. a great cloudbank rolled up and it started raining at 2 am. we had to collect blankets and rush inside. nine persons sleeping in a small room, very warm and cozy. i forgot to take shoes inside and suffered consequences the next day.
shoes were sopping wet the next day. cooks let us dry them in the kitchen in front of fire. weather was cold and hot tea was welcome.
breakfast was not served till 830 and we finally left by 1030.
we had to kill time so walked back some distance to see sonder camp which is visible from a turn.
breakfast was chhole puri and tea. pack lunch was puri and achhar.
today we had to cover 16 km. the track ran through dense pine forests, close by the banks of marwah river. there was a small aqueduct taking water somewhere, we didn't see where. the track ran by its side for few kilometres. we walked quite close to the river and spent some time sitting on the rocks. the river runs very fast, water is very muddy. there are many logs floating downstream. huge logs. there are large rocks in the riverbed. no bridges anywhere. if someone falls in water, he would directly go to heaven.
i was wondering about hillary's expedition up the ganga river which was in the news recently. it must have been some experience.
we ate lunch around 2pm in a glade. things were moving at a slow pace. no one was in a hurry. we saw a paradise flycatcher. first sight. beautiful bird. then we also saw jungle fowl, robin, shama, rock thrush etc. we were to go to hanzal for the next camp.
we had to cross a large waterfall along the way. the track was quite slippery. with rucksack on back, it was quite difficult but we had to manage.
we met a sardar coming back and he scared us by telling that hanzal is 8more miles and it would take us at least 3 more hours.
we almost ran to catch the leading group. had a cup of tea and again walked fast. the track now ran through a dense forest, it was almost dark. it was like walking through a tunnel. dark clouds, low lying. we had to cross few frozen nullahs. the snow was quite dirty so could not play much. weather was such that we were afraid of rains. a.d was walking quite slow so we made him walk in front and all followed behind. it is not safe to let someone lag behind.
we reached camp by 630 pm and it started raining. we just reached there in time. weather became very cold. after two or three cups of tea, some warmth seeped in.
camp leader at hanzal is one dr gautam jaswant. when he learnt that we were medical students, he ordered cooks to make alu paneer and ordered them to give us royal treatment, whatever it meant.
anyway, a good gesture.
dinner had to be eaten in pouring rain. campfire was cancelled.

hanzal camp was covered in clouds and fog next morning. rain had stopped some time in the night. i could hear many birds but couldn't see one. beautiful weather, a little chill, no sun. ideal for trekking. tea was very good. actually when weather is cold, any hot water with little sugar is going to taste very good. one can drink litres of tea here.
there was some time before we were to leave so scrubbed the place and lunch box. i am going to be an expert pot scrubber by the time i finish the trek.
breakfast of halwa and puri. halwa was probably ata and gur mixed and cooked. but it was hot, weather was cold, we were very hungry and it was very good.
gautam passed out toffees.
today we had to walk 16km to yordu. it was considered an easy stretch. as usual, we started late. the track ran along river, no forks, no diversions. straight to the next camp. we crossed few small streaks over log bridges. forest was medium, not very dense. weather continued to be cloudy. then ambekar, a.d. and medsingh went ahead. five of us were walking little slowly. saw the goldenbacked woodpecker. beautiful bird. here in cold weather, birds are more colorful.
suddenly we came near a stream and there was a big crowd there. a medium size stream with log bridge. few gujjars, a.d. and medsingh. a.d. was soaked to skin, he had taken off some of his clothes.
a.d. was crossing the stream when the log turned and he fell in water. immediately a gujjar jumped in the stream and caught him and a log. others took them out. it must have taken few seconds. both were soaked. shivering. a fire was lit and they were made to sit near it. a.d. was lucky not to have gone in the marwah river, otherwise it would have been the end. he lost his glasses, broke his wrist, lost his camera. he changed clothes, gave some money to the gujjar and we left the spot.
then we had to cross a quicksand patch. it was not a quicksand but a patch of mud. we had been warned about it so crossed it carefully, holding hands and all going together.
it started to rain, we had to cross more streams. at one point, we had to jump across but a gentleman gujjar was standing there to help us.
a.d. lost his slippers in the next stream.
then we crossed another stream of mud. this mud patch was moving down the hill like a river. some trees were growing in the mud stream and they too were moving downhill.
we were able to see the camp in some distance so decided to eat in the camp. the track now ran in dense pine forest and we crossed few very minor streams. we reached camp around 4 pm. the village cemetery is on the way. some lily like flower is planted over graves. we are not supposed to pluck the flowers.
village is quite small, about 300 people.
villages are peculiar. most have a shop or two which sell everything from chappals, lanterns, clothes, groceries, biscuits.
food is good, water is scarce. campleader appears little strict. so what.
a.d. and ambekar have decided to go ahead with the first group. we have a day's holiday tomorrow. a.d.'s wrist is broken and he wishes to get it treated as soon as possible.
number of blankets is decreasing as we are climbing.

kashmir experience

in the summer of 1978, we went for a trek in the pir panjal mountains in the kashmir valley. the trek began from kishtawar and passed through the margan pass and synthen pass and returned to kishtawar after 12 days.
this was a slightly more difficult trek than the one we had done in 1977, the one from Bhadarawah to Padri pass and back to Bhadarawah.
this time our group was larger, there were 10 of us from aurangabad. myself, sunil apte, darshane, sanjay muley, ambekar, medsingh, sanjay kulkarni and his brother, raju joshi, anil khot, and two more.
the journey from aurangabad to delhi was eventful.
this time we did not have reservation for delhi and had to travel by general dabba.
we reached manmad in evening and prepared to board punjab mail which used to arrive at 10 pm. the train arrived on time. being summer, it was crowded. some of us could get in the last dabba, while me, sanjay and some others had to run all the way to the first dabba when some others got in through the window.
the train left and me and sanjay muley were left on manmad station with several bags.
abhay darshane and sanjay ambekar had gone via mumbai/ western railway.
me and sanjay muley had to spend the night at manmad station waiting room.
we paid a cooly some money to help get in amritsar express and could get in the train as it arrived the next morning at 4 am.
we were able to secure a berth and get in all the bags.
the day and night passed somehow and we reached delhi the next morning. others had reached the previous night. punjab mail is a faster train with fewer stops.
i don't remember what i did the whole day, what i ate, what i drank but the journey was most uncomfortable.
raju joshi and others had arrived to welcome us and took us to maharashtra samaj, a dharamshala near old delhi station and approachable by rikshaw from new delhi station. this was an interesting place. two or three big halls with durrees, people had kept their bags in the hall and were sitting and talking. the rent was rs.3 per day. there were few toilets and bathrooms. no hot water. no food. but very cheap.
we had a bath and changed, went to new delhi station to book return tickets but could not get any. went to connought place for window shopping. ate something somewhere and were back by afternoon to catch the evening train to jammu.
reached n delhi station and all of us were able to get in the train. it was very crowded as usual and we could get only seats in the general dabba.
even after nearly 30 years i shudder at the experience.
reached jammu the next morning after a harrowing night. took the bus for kishtawar. the journey went as usual, from udhampur, the weather changed for the better.
ate lunch at batote.
batote is a queer place. about 2km stretch of the highway has only dhabas. each will have a bus or two and people would be sitting and eating.
vaishno dhabas serve vegetarian food. others serve meat also.
food is usually tasty, hot and spicy.
we met two boys from delhi who were going to kishtawar. snobbish. tried to act aloof.
reached kishtawar in the evening. weather was very cold, camp was in same place. larger.
camp was a little disorganized. harish saxena is the director. blankets were lying around. we were expected to pick up from the tent without supervision.
acclimatization walk was along a track, between fields swaying in wind to a stream where we had bath and could wash some clothes. usual breakfast of bread and jam.
rockclimbing training was very dull. we had had some experience. no sherpas this year. little rappelling. the instructor was a bore.
we were to leave next morning for ekhala via palmar.
the journey from kishtawar to palmar was by bus. the bus was crowded, it was dusty, hot, stuffy and a big bore. however, it had to be endured.
we got down at palmar and started walking. the track was not very difficult but then a steep climb along a zigzag path began. there were no trees, no shade. we were sweating. i tore my pants. after the steep climb, the track entered a forest and then it was comfortable. we stopped for lunch and tea. there are many tea stalls along way. most serve tea made of goat milk, not very good but it has to do. no food is available anywhere.
next part of the trek was along a steep cliff, at least a thousand feet above the foaming river. scary sight. we had to walk very carefully at some spots but it was fun.
camp was reached at 3 pm. camp leader served us several cups of hot tea which took away all fatigue. one mr khatri is the camp leader. he told us that garge has gone to brahma base.
then we got talking with some locals who told us some interesting customs.
they don't consume or sell cow's milk from september to march. during this period, they use goat milk. but they can use buttermilk or ghee.
before a widow is able to remarry, she marries a tree. if the tree bears fruit, then she is considered fit to remarry.
all marriages are arranged and if the couple marries against wish of the family, they are outcasts.
branches of a pinelike tree are used as torches at night, also during diwali.
a type of tuber is used for washing clothes.

ekhala is a hindu village, population was about 200. most hindus are brahmins or pandits.
the camp is in a forest hut and tents. it is surrounded by pine trees, near marwah river. there are tall cliffs, snowy peaks all around. grand view. too many flies.
back, shoulders, knees, thighs, everything is hurting. this is the first day.
next day, it was announced that we have to stay here as provisions have not reached next camps. we hung about doing nothing after cleaning the camp and tents. then we saw a mule train come from palmar and go towards higher camps.
we went for a walk in the forest. pine needles formed a deep carpet and made it very slippery to walk. lot of pine cones lying around, also pine gum. many varieties of ferns. coming down, my both hands were occupied in carrying ferns and other specimen. it was a slide.
lunch was khichadi and potato curry. it was hot, spicy and after walking for some hours, everything tastes very good. soup was watered down.
there was nothing to do after lunch. we walked to a stream and some of us had a bath. i declined the privilege.
then tea and some of us decided to visit a logging camp somewhere up the hills. we kept walking for a hour and half and reached nowhere. had to come back without seeing anything.
campfire was a dull affair, locals sang some songs which we did not understand but had to appreciate.
a trekker from brahma base returned in evening. he talked about accident somewhere which had held up the trek. he gave me a sample of bhojpatra. he had come directly from nantnala and was planning to go to kishtawar tomorrow. some stamina.
next morning dawned dull because there was nothing to do. we still did not know whether we were to stay or go. so had breakfast and decided to take a bath.
water was extremely cold. it was almost impossible to breathe. but then it was fun.
lunched at 12 and then suddenly two groups arrived, one from palmar and other from sonder. so the brahma group left and we too had a quick lunch and left camp at 1 pm. what an odd time.
we had to cover 18 km to reach sonder. we walked quite fast and rested every hour for 5 minutes. the track was not steep nor difficult so we could walk fast.
we reached sonder by 6 pm.
we had some goat mik tea anc shankarpale on the way.
the camp leader from sonder, a girl had walked some distance to greet us. a good way to welcome trekkers. there was some snow on the way, our first snow. last year when we had crossed padri pass, we hadn't encountered much snow. it was a small glacier under which ice cold water was flowing. from top sun was beating down. this is crazy. heat and sweating is tremendous and weather is so cold. afterwards, the track ran through pine woods and it was descent all the way.
the campleader had brought some chikki for us.
we say many birds on the way, robin, blackbird and others. it took us nearly half an hour more after meeting the camp leader to reach camp. we had thought it would take few minutes. we could see the camp from some distance and it appeared very close but the track was winding along mountain side and took some time.
this was very tiring and i caught a nap.
we had some tea and biscuits in the camp.
the campsite is beautiful as usual. water is rather away. there is no banner on the camp. the other camp leader is a idiot. he didn't turn up for the campfire. dinner was served at 9 pm. it gets dark quite early and then it is difficult to move around in the camp. it is best if dinner is over by 7 pm, campfire by 8 pm and lights can be out. dawn breaks at 5 am so we can actually start by 6 am. this will save us much trouble. yhai is stuck in its ways and won't change.