We left Kalash early in the morning, complete with our policemen and travelled on toward an area with a natural hot spring. Lunch was in a hotel that was being renovated to nigh on Western standards! Oh why aren't we staying here? Chris and Roy even take a swim in the naturally spring heated swimming pool!
Richard is still unwell and skips lunch along with Roy, for whom we had to stop the jeep en route in order for him to throw up. Both manage the smallest portion of rice at dinner time, back at the hotel in Chitteral with the intermittent electric and therefore, intermittent hot water. I think hot water in a bucket was a better plan, at least you knew how much you had and when.
Thurs 11th Sept
After a night spent in the bathroom, Richard feels well enough to venture a piece of toast. Pakistani toast is not like ours; the bread is sweet and sort of fried on one side. We have a long journey today, back tracking down the severely off road road on our way back to Gilgit. We already know it is too far to go in one day. Groan, groan camping again!
The location is better, above the highest polo ground but the facilities are worse than ever. On arrival Richard has no choice but to use what pretends to be a loo. It is foul! By now I no longer care if it offends anyone's Muslim expectations, I am not using that toilet and neither do I care that there are no bushes I am peeing outside! My white, western bottom cannot offend them more than their toilets offend me!
We both decline supper, Richard because he is unwell and me because having risk assessed the situation, both the likelihood of risk and the possible severity of risk score is off the scale. Thank heaven I snaffled a packet of Rich Tea biscuits into my luggage for just such an occasion. It appears that Katherine, too is following suit. Roll on tomorrow. I didn't think I'd actually want to go back to Gilgit!!
Fri 12th Sept
After a sleepless night, I ache all over. Richard is now throwing up as well as being "squitty" my heart has hardened towards the Pakistani people. They have enough untapped resources and foreign aid not to be in the state that they are. To my mind they are in a third world state because they choose not to drag themselves out of it! Why do they accept their squalor? Even if they can't agree with their neighbours, why don't they improve their individual surroundings? You would think that the police, being educated people, would not accept the state of the huts they have to live in when posted to these check points.
Later, I ask Karim this very question. Totally bewildered, he just says "but why would they?"
Richards tummy problems are helped by some antibiotics. (Here they are not prescribed by a doctor, you just buy them!) Christina also spent the night vomiting and Chris still has diahorrea.
We say good bye to our happy band of policemen today. At first we thought they were quite officious but after the incident where they got their vehicle stuck and we laughed at them, they relaxed, joined in and helped with all sorts of things. If I had my photo taken once, I had it taken ten times; especially by the chief who even ventured an arm round my shoulder for one pose! Before departing they turned the music up and treated us to a show of dancing.
After a long and bumpy ride through the dust; there is dust everywhere in Pakistan; everyday we are a strange shade of grey, we arrive back in Gilgit. Today can be summed up in three words: dust, diahorrea and deprivation !
The one good thing about Gilgit is the hotel we stay in. It has hot water and a clean, comfortable bed.
The day ends well, with everyone enjoying a game of cards and Karim, under threat of mutiny, agrees to no more camping!
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