Day 17. Descended all the way to Hushe (village at the end of the jeep road).

The baba (old man) of the porters. He said he was 56, and had a 6 month old daughter by his 18 year old wife (his third). This day, he was the fastest of the porters.

Day 18. Walked to Honbrook 3970m and back

The richly irrigated fields of Honbrook

Day 19. Walked to Masherbrum base camp 4280m and back

The guide book describes the walk from Hushe to the Masherbrum base camp and back as a five-day trek, but I decided it would make a good last day (after all, I didn't have to walk again for the next four weeks). Sarwar came with me, and we hired a local Hushe man as a guide, who was happy for the exercise since he was leaving next day to serve as a high altitude porter on Nanga Parbat with Messner.

The Hushe man and Sarwar having lunch at the Masherbrum base camp

When we returned, our cook (right) and Shukru (helper and porter) were all spruced up, so I took their photo.

Day 20. By jeep to Skardu

On the afternoon of our return to Skardu, the usual windstorm was especially strong and menacing, but our luck held, and we were able to fly back to Islamabad the following morning.

Start.

© 2000 J.S. Milne.