Altitude – 8,200 ft: Temperature – 16°C

Fishing day!

No excursion with Murray is complete without i) fishing (and/or ii) a trip to a casino, if at all possible). Naran provided the perfect opportunity to fish for trout (there are no casinos) in one of the most beautiful areas of the world.

Having met our rogue of a guide the night before (his insistence of ‘one more bottle of beer’ through a toothless grin should have been warning enough!) and being presented with two beautiful fresh brown trout to be cooked for supper, we were very keen to get going and catch a fish or two. We were collected by the guide and his cousin, the driver of a 1976 jeep, after breakfast to be taken an hour up the valley to walk the river and fish with both fly and spinning rods. No time was spared and every corner cut, to get us to our destination.

The day was spent walking and climbing the banks of the Kahgan River, passing camps of nomadic people in their last few weeks in the valley before moving to the low lands to avoid the heavy snowfalls. We really were in the depths of rural northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK district). We were certainly the only white faces to be seen and caused much curiosity. On reflection I wonder whether this was because of our fishing endeavours rather than our appearance – not a sizable fish was to be found after 8 hours of hard fishing! The peoples of this area barely subsist on what they can grow so it is hardly surprising that they have netted the fish to near extinction. I suspect the trout our guide produced were from one of many fish farms in the area! It was chicken for supper that night – some of it rather oddly green in colour (best not to think about it too much).

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Distance: 170 miles; Travelling time: 0615 – 1445; Temperature range: 32 – 13°C

The Pakistan National Monument, Zero Point, Islamabad – our final visit before our departure 

The day has finally arrived to set off, wheels rolling, for home. With about 6,300 miles ahead of us we had the first challenge; to get everything we wanted in the car . .  and then to get the car started . . .

The car has been through a thorough makeover in the last weeks of August, replete with endless spares brought back from the UK and expertly fitted and overseen by Murray’s super driver, Zahid. Not only was the engine looking immaculate, as a treat and a surprise all the bodywork had been smoothed and sprayed to look like new! Pretty good for a 15 years old car – let’s hope it can stay the distance.

We set off at 0615 having found the car had been decorated by some stealthy neighbours (thank you, Giles and Lucy!), “Blighty or Bust” was emblazoned on the back of the car with trailing bottles to boot!

 

With everything packed in its place we set off for Murree on the Kashmir Highway, the sun rising and the promise of a beautiful day ahead, we had our metaphorical rose tinted “exit specs” on and everything looked stunning! We beat the morning rush and enjoyed the beautiful hills, the calm and the fresh air of Murree and Nathia Ghali to get through busy Abbottabad and on to the Karakorum Highway (KKH) arriving at Mansehra by midday and on to our first night in Naran.

Views from Murree across to Kashmir

The KKH (N35) is the main, and only, road into China through the mountainous Northern Areas of Pakistan. Consequently it is busy and slow with heavy loads carried by the fabulously colourful jingle trucks, with some ancient Bedford trucks still in service. However, for a few clement months of the year a pass is open to non haulage traffic leading from Mensahra to Chilas via Naran (N15), going over the Babusar Pass. This is a stunningly beautiful road winding along the river through the Kaghan Valley and Little Himalayas and up to the highest point at Babusor at 13,690 ft (4,170m).

 

With months of planning, countless emails and a few restless nights Murray and I now find ourselves with one week to go before our big adventure begins. Visas in place, the family in order, with spare car parts loaded and the house in Islamabad packed it is just about time for the off!