Skardu-Islamabad, 18.-20.08.01 |
18.08.2001Resting day in Skardu or what is called resting day for an expedition. After having breakfast in the K2-Motel, we want to re-civilize ourselves in Skardu. First, to the hairdresser. Suddenly, we look like ordinary people after the hair is cut and the razor foam is removed. Thereafter, Ralf, Olaf and Lydia go to the tailor to get their clothes which they have ordered on our way to the Baltoro. Ralf looks like a native Pakistani now. We start our job immediately after returning to the motel. All tents have to be unpacked, dried and packed again because all tents, even these that were not in use, became wet due to the bad weather on our way back. Then we have to repack our tons, this time not the weight but the volume is the most important criterium. And this took the whole morning. After having supper, we dicide spontanously to travel by Jeep Sadpara Lake, a beautiful lake in the mountains at the Deosai National park. There is a little restaurant at its border and we enjoy having a tea while cooling our feet in the clear water. Later on, we hire a small boat and cross the lake, Lydia, Christian and Markus even swim in the cold water. After three hours we go back to the motel and continue with packing and writing packing lists. Our last look to the clear sky at night allows us to expect good weather for tomorrow and, therefore, to fly to Islamabad. Principally, the flight take place every day, but it is cancelled up to 60% because of bad weather. The flight from Skardu passing the Nanga Parbat is flight by sight and can not be done at bad weather. There was no flight during the last four days but we hope for tomorrow.19.08.2001The first view after awaking adresses the sky that is clear. But the flight depends mostly on the weather at the Nanga Parbat. After having breakfast, we drive to the airport. It took some time until our luggage has been checked and finally we get the confirmation of the today's flight. On the way to the plane, Markus gets contact with a man in uniform. It is is the captain himslef and he invites him to spend the flight in the cockpit of the Boeing 737. The flight was a dream, across the mountains of the Karakorum and Himalaya. The Captain tried to explained all things in detail ("Can you see the Sadpara Lake down there? No?..." - and he makes a turn to the right in order to see the lake better... :-)). After a quarter of an hour, we get sight to the Nanga Parbat, elevation 8125m, the 9th highest mountain. Clouds are beneath us but the Nanga Parbat exceeds about 1000 meters upon the clouds. "Can you see the Nanga Parbat? I'll fly a little bit closer...". And he makes a slight turn to get closer. What an experience. On board, there are the two most amous climbers of Pakistan: Ashraf Aman and Nazir Sabir, the first and second, respectively, Pakistani on the top of the K2. Both are forcing tourism and Ashraf loves it to tell storie on climbing. We arrive at Islamabad after 40 minutes. And Karim, our agent, welcomes us with "Welcome to the heat!". There are 35 degrees Celsius and high air moisture. The sweat flows in lines and we go for our hotel in Rawalpindi with its air condition.20.08.2001Olaf, Lydia, Ralf and Christian drive to the capitol Islamabad, to get some souvenirs. But they loose each other after some seconds among the stores and people. Ralf and Christian return at noon, Lydia and Olaf make their tour until the late evening. Markus tries to do the necessary formal things for our expedition. In vain. Only he is ready in the end. After discussion for ours with our officer, he denies the debriefing. His offical point of view: the permit for the Gasherbrum I was shared with the Spanish expedition and because it is not back now, he cant do the debriefing. The real reason is clear: his oppulent salaire that has been paid by us. Furthermore, there are a lot of meaningless details why the obligate debriefing can take place not before tomorrow, or evenm later. Long lives the bureaucracy! Our flight home departs on 24th of August and, anyways, all things will be done until then. Markus Walter, 20.08.2001from the capitol of red-tapism |