AN ADVENTURE IN PAKISTAN

The Journey

 

A group of 6 intrepid souls departed from Canmore for Pakistan amidst dire written and verbal warnings from friends and country alike as to the dangers we would face visiting this forbidden country. Our destination was the Shimshal Valley in northern Pakistan where we had arranged to install lights into 235 homes in 3 adjoining communities.

 

The journey was smooth and incident free although we arrived fatigued in Islamabad at 8.00am in the morning having missed 2 nights of sleep. We were gratified that we had been waved through customs upon arrival and therefore avoided paying duty on the 500 lights we were carrying with us.

 

Our host, Sahib Noor who had organized the Pakistan end of things was there to greet us and we were soon installed in a plain but clean hotel in Rawalpindi. The large batteries and solar panels, which we had ordered, were delivered safely to the hotel later that day.  For Anthony and I, the day was spent with Noor’s brother Basharat hunting down many meters of wire in numerous markets. We also put a $6,000.00 deposit down in case we needed rescuing by helicopter from our trek from Shimshal into the Pamir!

 

    Loading equipment onto the bus outside the Rawalpindi hotel (Click here for larger image)

 

Next day saw us comfortably settled on a 22-seater bus, surrounded by all our gear and equipment for our long journey North along the Karakoram Highway, or KKH as it is affectionately known. This was a nerve racking experience; firstly due to the speed and daring shown by all the drivers on this relatively narrow road and later, as the traffic thinned and the road became even more narrow, due to the bends, rough sections, rock slides and precipitous drops down to the Indus River!

 

   The Karakoram Highway above the Indus River (Click here for larger image)

 

Nightfall saw us in an empty little town called Besham, which Noor considered dangerous although the hotel was quiet, and the staff most obliging and we were given no reason to feel uneasy.

 

Next day, the thrilling ride continued. We stopped at one point to observe the confluence of the rivers, which mark the meeting of the 3 greatest mountain ranges, the Hindu Kush, the Karakoram and the Himalayas. Unfortunately, Nanga Parbat, over 8,000metres, which marks the western edge of the Himalayas was obscured by cloud.

 

Evening saw us in Shangri La; Karimabad in the upper Hunza Valley, which truly rivals anywhere any of us, had ever been for beauty. The valley is wide, lush and green from many years of irrigation, the terraces are crisscrossed with canals and edged with Lombardy poplars; their walls red with ripening tomatoes. Fruit trees of every variety grow here. Despite the cool nights, the trees were hardly turning and roses and enormous dahlias were in still in full bloom. The green of the valley abruptly changes to steep scree slopes and towering, icy peaks. We admired the breathtaking views from the Balti Fort, home of the Mirs at the top of the steep, narrow, winding main street.

 

    Balti Fort in the Hunza Valley (Click here for larger image)

 

Jeeps the next day took us to Passu where we turned east off the highway and along the terrifying jeep road to Shimshal. Only by the efforts and persistence of the villagers had this remarkable feat of engineering been achieved. No motorized equipment had been used and that the road had been carved into the face of the deep canyon walls was truly amazing—and frightening!

 

On approaching the last bridge to be completed, some negotiations had to take place as the official opening was to be the following day. However, we were finally allowed across, and an hour or so later, proudly arrived in the community being the first convoy of jeeps ever to complete the journey. (Our return was not so glorious. The same bridge collapsed 4 days later under the load of a tractor and trailer full of potatoes! We were swung across the river on a pulley system one at a time in a small wooden box!)

 

     The first jeep to cross the new bridge (Click here for larger image)

 

The Community and Installation.

 

 The Shimshal community comprises the 3 villages of Aminabad, Shimshal and Khizerabad. Gullies divide the 3 and it is probably a distance of 7 km end to end. The low, mud, flat roofed houses are barely discernable between the numerous stone walls. All houses are of the same design, which made the light installation very straightforward. A dark passage from an outer door leads to the single square room. Chair height plinths line 3 walls and the metal fireplace and flue exiting from an open square in the roof, are in the center of the room. The back wall of the home comprises the kitchen. China plates, cups and saucers are proudly displayed along wooden shelves. Yak wool mats and padded quilts cover the plinths and provide both the sitting and the sleeping areas. Shoes are left at the doorway and all is clean and tidy.

 

Our tents were pitched on a bluff overlooking the flats and the river and these became our home for the 9 days of the installation. Days were warm but temperatures plummeted as soon as the sun went down behind the mountains in the late afternoon. We shivered as we ate our suppers in the cold and draughty dining tent and were often in our tents by 7pm seeking some warmth! Only Lee surfaced before “bed tea” at 7am the next morning. He complained he would get bed sores if he stayed in the tent any longer!

 

On the first evening after we had arrived, we were invited to a home for “welcome party” all the men in the village somehow squashed into the small area and we were duly feted with food, gifts and speeches of welcome.

 

     Solar panel installation team (Click here for larger image)

 

The next morning, we divided into 5 teams. Anthony’s team was responsible for installing the 7 panels into each of the 3 villages. Three wired the lights into place in each home and 1 followed to put in the switches and connections. We had wonderful helpers; keen, efficient and with a good grasp of English, which made life a lot easier. My team led the way and we named and numbered the homes with a strip of paper tape above each doorway. For several days I struggled to keep up with the 3 young men who covered the distances and leaped over walls with amazing speed and alacrity! I was thankful for the respite of drinking numerous cups of tea in many of the homes! Tea was ladled from a massive pot on the stove It was invariably very milky, usually very sweet but occasionally salted, which was less palatable.

 

      Light installers greeting home owner prior to installation (Click here for larger image)

 

Being Ismaili Muslims, the women were often bareheaded and treated with the same warmth and courtesy, which we noted between the males. Always a shake of the hand, and usually a hug between the men. Outdoor work is shared but the women are responsible for cooking and care of the children (and there is no partying for them, apparently!

 

Wiring completed, we enjoyed a day visiting the 3 schools. Of the 2 secondary schools, one is a government school for boys only and the other, funded by the Aga Khan Foundation was mainly for girls but had a few male students. The third school, recently completed was for infants and had been funded by a Rotary club in New Zealand. All the schools were inadequate in size and supplies were short. Classes were held out of doors whenever possible as the interiors were cramped dark, damp, gloomy and  without furniture.

 

     Girls at the Aga Khan School (Click here for larger image)

 

Temperatures fall to –15 degrees in the winter and a small stove in the center of each classroom is totally inadequate. Each child is responsible for bringing a little fuel to school each day.(Fuel for the homes is provided by a low, prickly bush which grows quickly, and burns slowly with a good heat. We did not discover its English name)

 

Education is provided in the community to the grade 9 level.  Those wishing to continue have to move to a larger center. We were pleased to learn that there is a real concern for the continuing education of the girls. Many of the boys share accommodation when they leave for the city, but in a Muslim society, this would not be possible for the females. Move was afoot to establish a residence for the girls but the expense incurred would obviously exclude many of them.

 

Academic standards are understandably lower here than in the urban centers. It is our hope and the community’s that having light in the evenings by which the children can study, will close the gap to some extent and give the children the opportunities they so deserve.

 

Aminabad, the poorest of the 3 villages, had no school. Over 90 students pile into 2 small homes (which are vacated on a rotating basis) daily. I was shown the foundations for a school, but lack of funds, due to the huge expense of building the road, had bought construction to a halt. It became clear that completion of the building would be a very appropriate project for the village to undertake by way of “payment” for the lights. I suggested that all but the poorest families could continue paying what they would normally pay for candles and kerosene into a construction fund. However, the village leader preferred the idea of approaching the more affluent for a donation of a yak or a tree(as part of the construction material) and I agreed to match whatever funds they could raise in a six month period. Hopefully, the $5,000 US required will have been raised in time for construction to begin in April 2004. (Labour will be provided free by the villagers).

  .

Shimshalis are mainly subsistence farmers, growing barley, for animal feed, wheat and some fruit. Herds of yak, sheep and goats are pastured in the high Pamir during the summer but return to the village in mid October. Chapattis, milk, cheese, yogurt and occasionally meat, comprise the staples for their diet. Potatoes are a more recent crop and for the first time this year, these are being transported south for cash.

 

Many earned a respectable income from guiding, portering and cooking for the parties of trekkers that would visit the area each summer. However, sadly, the aftermath of 9/11 has seen a 90% reduction in tourism and has had a severe impact, not only in Shimshal but in the whole of the Northern Areas .We were only the second group visiting the valley in 2003.

 

In conclusion, we found the Shimshalis to be warm, friendly and open, both with each other and with ourselves. The severity of the conditions under which they live does not diminish their “joie de vivre”. We will carry happy memories of the time we spent in their midst and are grateful that we had the opportunity to learn about their culture and how they live their daily lives. Passing through the community on a trek, we would have missed this wonderful experience.

 

    The Shimshal valley (Click here for larger image)

 

 

The Trek

 

Work completed, the 6 of us, accompanied by Noor and his 6 guides, 13 porters and 1 donkey set off for a 7-day trek. We learned later that this route is nobody’s favourite! The guides all consider it to be the hardest of the company’s repertoire, with its numerous elevation gains and losses. Our destination was the Shuijerab Pass, above the Pamir at an altitude of about 14,000 feet.

 

This trek was not for the faint of heart. The first day was gloomy. We scrambled up the fairly gentle slope above the mouth of the Pamir Gorge and within a few hours were traversing the steep wall 2000 feet and more above the river on a narrow, vertiginous trail! This continued, with its ups and downs, its areas of rockslides and erosion where the trail was barely distinguishable. Finally we descended a steep scree slope to our first campsite; rather dismally situated in an echoing gully with little by way of flat areas to pitch the tents.

 

The night brought snow! This forced us to climb much higher the following morning than we would have in drier conditions and by lunchtime, another long and steep descent brought us down to the river. Why is it that the steep ascents always follow a meal?! Up relentlessly for 3,000 feet and finally, we went through a stone gateway to nowhere onto a more friendly plateau.

 

Camp 2, a little more scenic, especially in the crisp cold of the following morning with impressive views of Chatpa (a mere 7,000 metres!) across the valley. Day 3 was easier but we were still climbing steadily and 2 of us were struggling by this time with the effects of the altitude.

 

Gradually, we saw more and more sheep and goats grazing on the scant pasture beneath the snow. The settlement, when we reached it, was again walled and low and barely distinguishable from its rocky surroundings. In the late afternoon, we watched the herds of yak and goats returning from the pass to their pens. Milking time. How can the women survive with bare hands, thin dresses and jackets of no real warmth? I was shivering with cold in my multi layer, expensive clothing!

 

Day 4.  More snow and frigid conditions. Frozen boots, ice on the sleeping bag; not surprisingly at –20degrees! Our day’s hike to the pass was obviously not an option. We asked if it would be possible to huddle around a fire somewhere. One was lit (a rarity in a morning) but the burning yak dung gave little warmth and a great deal of smoke, so we  repaired to our tents again.

 

We were called later to the mess tent to receive the ladies of the settlement who were standing in a line, having donned their neat, traditional head gear, bearing plates of enormous pancakes and yak butter. That they had had the time and the wherewithal to affect all of this was truly amazing and it was a touching reminder of the power of individuals to reach out beyond governments, their propaganda, divisions of race and culture in kindliness and friendship to people from a very different background.

 

    Village ladies with their offerings (Click here for larger image)

 

Day 5. I had been wondering how long we would have to stay in these conditions before the helicopter could be summoned to whisk us to safety! However, thankfully, the next day proved bright and clear and there had been no more snow overnight. We had an easy descent to camp 2 and were wishing that the rest of the trek could be so straightforward.

 

    Avalanche on Chatpa (Click here for larger image)

 

Day 6.Good weather continues but it is treacherous underfoot. We tackled a steep, icy slope and were glad that one of our party had taken an ice axe so that one of the guides could cut steps for us. The icy traverses back to camp 1 were no more reassuring.  That night, I lay awake and fretted about the last day, the slippery canyon trail (and lack of it!) and feared for the safety of us all.

 

Day 7. I resorted to hanging onto the hand of Aslam, our large, dependable guide, many times, my confidence eroded by the events of the previous day. We made good time however and by early afternoon were down at the mouth of the canyon, in the Shimshal Valley basking in the warm sunshine and waves of relief! Canned tuna and broken crackers by way of a late lunch had never tasted so good! An easy walk along the flat river valley brought us back to our campsite in the village as the sun was setting. It seemed quite like home!

 

Departure

 

The following day we checked the system, had meetings with all those involved concerning care and follow up and in the afternoon loaded the gear into the tractor-trailers for our departure. This, unfortunately, pre-empted the farewell party which I think was to be held in our honor that evening. We said goodbye to many of our new friends who had gathered to witness our departure and solemnly shook hands with all the children peering over the wall with which we had shared many a game of Frisbee. Always a lump in the throat occasion, the farewell to people who have quickly become familiar, whom one is unlikely to ever meet again.

 

    Noor (right) with some of the trekkers in Islamabad (Click here for larger image)

 

The Return

 

Even the drive out of the valley didn’t seem so frightening now. I think we had become desensitized! Disappointingly, we were unable to visit the Khunjerab Pass on the border with China as there was no diesel fuel to be had in the border town of Sost!

 

We returned to Karimabad and enjoyed a day of shopping and an evening of eating and partying ( a farewell to all the guides) A day in the bazaar in Gilgit and then a spectacular 1 hour flight to Rawalpindi. Nanga Parbat soared above us, resplendent in the morning sun, this time.

 

A day admiring the clean, new city of Islamabad ( so different from its dirty and crowded neighbour Rawalpindi. The last afternoon, with little else to occupy us, we ladies enjoyed a quiet and relaxing visit to a beauty salon to have our hands hennaed! A final wonderful, traditional meal with Noor was a fitting conclusion to our trip of a lifetime ( until next year’s anyway!)

 

Facts and Figures

 

Number of lights given to the community--------------------------------------------------    500

Number of 7.5amp hour batteries (one for each household and community building)-------    240

Number of 75-watt panels (3 for Shimshal, 2 for each of the other 2 communities)--------     007  

Number of 80 amp hour batteries (to hold the charge of the solar panels)-----------------     004

Number of charging connectors, (to charge small batteries from large ones) --------------   

                                                                                                                          Shimshal     015

                                                                                      Each Khizerabad and Aminabad     010

                                                                                     

Lights are made from plastic cosmetic jars. They are 5.5 cm in diameter, 2.5 cm in depth. They are robust; withstand being dropped and cold and hot conditions. The beam is relatively uni directional but 2 lights in a room approximately 15’x15’ give ample illumination for reading and working by.

 

Each light comprises 6, 0.12 watt white light emitting diodes, and 2 resistors mounted on a plastic circuit board. Each light is mounted onto to ceiling using a simple metal bracket, which allows for the light to be directed in 2 planes.

 

Anthony Harckham designed the lights (mark 3!) and they were all constructed, with help of friends and fellow trekkers at the home of Faith and Anthony. Solar panels, batteries and wire were purchased in Rawalpindi as prices there were competitive given the issue of time. Replacement batteries will be cheaper ordered directly from China

 

Costs(approximate)

 

Per light----------------------------------------------------------------------------------$4.60 Can

7, 75-watt panels complete with frames and regulators------------------------------------$6,000 Can

7.5 amp hour battery  (each)-------------------------------------------------------------$16 Can

80 amp hour batteries (each)-------------------------------------------------------------$50 Can

Wire etc ,--------------------------------------------------------------------------------$400 Can

Total costs-------------------------------------------------------------------------------$12,900 Can

 

Total cost per household with 2 lights------------------------------------------------------$52 Can

 

Life Expectancy!

Lights---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------30 years

Batteries--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 years

Solar Panels---------------------------------------------------------------------------------15 years

 

Funds raised

 

Contribution by each trekker, $1,000-------------------------------------------------$4,000 Can

Donation from Rotary Club of St Albert-----------------------------------------------$2,800 Can

Private donation ----------------------------------------------------------------------- $200 Can

Donation by Faith Harckham through sale of artwork----------------------------------$5,900 Can

 

Faith and Anthony would like to say a big THANK YOU to fellow trekkers

Lee de Soto

Donna Iddings

Beryl Park

Diana Petrik

For their cheerfulness in the face of difficulties, their humour, their camaraderie, their appreciation of all our varying experiences, their courage on the trek and generally for their fun and good company. We couldn’t have taken a finer group of people. They made the trip a wonderful and memorable experience!

 

Faith  Harckham

Nov  2003

 

Return                                                  Home