So the story on 4rth day evening was that when we reached Aliabad, we were double minded due to situation of petrol. We were not able to decide either to stay in Karimabad/Aliabad OR go to Hooper Valley. After some discussion, we decided to go to Hooper. Called Shakeel and asked him to bring bread etc for tomorrow morning as we have decided to go to Hooper Valley.
We were waiting for Shakeel and Azfar, when a group of visitors from Lahore met us they were coming back from hooper, they draw such an image of valley, that we again became double minded. Here I made a wrong decision (Later proved) and decided to go ahead and cross AttaAbad Lake. We all headed forward, reached there about 7:40pm. It was dark all there and we started looking for boat to cross the lake. It was available only on booking. We were not willing to pay for boat as sole booking and started waiting for other passengers, it was dark and no one was there as passenger for next half hour. Boat men also said us that it will be good for us if we come back in the morning, since in the dark, we may have some accident.
Anyways, we were left with only choice to return back.
<b>I knew, if we returned now, seeing the petrol situation we will not be coming back.</b> I gathered all my thoughts and possibilities. While coming here, I saw some FWO's camps. So I decided to get some help from there and try to camp in their compound because all this area was wild wilderness with stones only. Coming back, I went to FWO and had some conversation with the military personnel there. He said that here chines are working so it is hard for you to get permission and further there was no officer there at the moment who can grant that kind of permission. SO we left there and few Kms ahead there was another FWO camp, same reply was from there. Army personnel there told me that some 25 Km back there is main camp and you should try there and according to him, we could stay there, can have food and were safe.
When we reached there, I again told all the story to person there, he took me to some Sobedaar, he listened to me and again took me to another officer, a Major. He also refused and asked us to return back to Aliabad and come tomorrow. I told him again about our situation of Petrol and the distance we covered to visit Khanjeraab. But in-vain, it was not within his capacity to allow us, according to him.
Now we headed back to Aliabad, found a person near Ganesh Bridge from our city Sialkot and having a hotel there, asked him about some help, highly disappointed from him too.
We tried to find some hotel to stay in Karimabad, but all were full because of petrol situation. A group of visitors from Wazirabad met us and they were also looking for some place to stay, they exchanged contacts with us and decided if anyone finds some hotel, will update other. It was almost 11:30 by then. At about 12, they called us, telling that they found some hostel and we could also find a room there. We all headed towards their location and stayed there for night.
In this whole saga, I must show you the great face of locals. If you are on KKH and heading towards AttaAbad, then there is a road which leaves KKH and leads you towards Karimabad (before Ganesh Bridge). Just on that point there is a general store(probably the last store in that lane and just in front of the crossing for Karimabad. He seeing us running here and there for residence and finding nothing, offered us to stay in his room, below his shop and he will not take any rent from us. We were very thankful to him but problem was of bikes, we had no place for parking there. He even called his fellows and told them about our situation, they all started looking for some help. He even gave us the key for his room and told us that some one will help you for parking and if don't, you can park outside as crime ratio is nill in that area. He also advised us that took your petrol from tanks and put it inside the room, rest you are safe.
He was a man with an awesome helping attitude, where, no one was helping us or was helpless. Anyways, we had an arrangement by Wazirabadi guys, after taking key from him. So we returned him the key and thanked him cordially for his help.
<font color="red"><b> I will request all the visitors going and passing from there, if you find that shop, just remind him the incident and thank him on our behalf. I believe it will promote a +ve attitude between visitors and locals</b></font>
Anyways, the decision of not going to Hooper Valley, cost us much fatigue that night