May 19, 2008
Nanga Parbat is the western edge of the Himalaya. It is a breathtaking mountain, very tricky to climb (about 30 people managed it so far and more have been killed on the way to the top) but maybe the most convenient to see from the Karakoram.
Early morning breakfast with a view to killer mountain of the Himalaya
The ninth highest peak in the world can be seen from Fairy Meadows, a beautiful place at 3.360 m. with some hut hotels for accomodation. This is actually a place you can reach by a notorious jeep road (hiring a local jeep is obligatory and costs 35 dollars) and after a 2 hours walk. Fairy Meadows is worth as it is the only place in the world where you can have your breakfast served with a view to an 8000 m. high mountain.
Let’s remember our experience on the mountain, back in May 2008…
After 13 hours of disturbed sleep, I finally woke up in better physical conditions. Probably the thin air of Fairy Meadow made me feel better. We had a nice breakfast – prepared by Mr. Fazal – with a view to the enormous mountain that gets taller by 0,7 cm. every year.
This is a fantastic view – it’s unique actually. Fairy Meadow is the only place on earth where you can have your breakfast in front of an 8000+ peak. The northern face is the most breathtaking and difficult to climb and even the best photographer is unable to transmit the power of this mountain, that is the western edge of the Himalaya.
When you sit here and look over the snow white peaks, you imagine the people who tried to conquer this mountain from 1895 till 1953, the year of the first successful expedition by Germans. More than 30 people lost their lives here in the meantime.
In 1970 Reinhold Messner lost his brother here before making the first ever crossover of the mountain and he came back here in 1978. It’s strange to drink your milk tea next to a monster like this where so many people’s lives were changed or even lost…
Descending from Fairy Meadow – where tonight will be held a party by the Pakistani security officers – we met Boris, the Croatian scooter biker we had met in Esfahan. It was a beautiful moment and we will be waiting for the guy in Gilgit in order to travel together up to Khunjerab Pass, from where Boris will enter China by bus.
After a short trip to Gilgit, we are now back in normal life, resting in the nice camp site of PTDC hotel. Life is strange in Karakorum. You can take a glimpse of a killer mountain one day and get back to reality the next._A.Temperidis
Monday 19/05/2008, Gilgit, Pakistan Total km.: 68.164 Day km.: 86 Overnight: Maggiolina at the PTDC hotel (100 rupees/day) Tip of the day: Gilgit is the major tourist center on the Karakoram Hwy
Our old website is here!
