I'm back after a break...coming up is day 4.
Day 4 started out later than usual for the family. We were up at Fajar and spent some time outside enjoying the cold weather, the rain and passing clouds...the kids had decided to trek to Mushkpuri top, the highest peak (9243 ft above sea level) in the Galiyaat area.
After breakfast of the usual paratha, anda, halwa, purees and karak chai, the kids were off for a drop to the start of the trek in a Suzuki pickup that we hired from right outside the nashta place. The elders decided to take a tour of Nathiagali by car. It is always a pleasure driving up and down the hilly roads with the windows down, enjoying the crisp breeze, the fresh air, and the moist clouds that you drive through, the drizzle…and the desi tunes playing in the background. A wonderful, memorable mix!
The kids returned from the Mushkpuri trek, totally exhausted. It rained, the track was slippery, their clothes and shoes were covered in mud, the umbrellas didn’t help to shield them from the rain and it was freezing cold...all that aside, we got mixed reactions from each but was worth the effort as the views from the top are just amazing. Anyway, no more outdoors today so we are ordering room service for a late lunch.
The whole gang took the afternoon easy...after maghrib we headed back to the bazaar for some last minute shopping, some Kashmiri chai and fries. With the late lunch, no one was in the mood for dinner.
On return to our hotel, we decided to sit outside and enjoy the weather and the starry night. Believe me when i tell you that the sky was lit up with stars and they seemed so much closer than they appear in Karachi. Subhan Allah!
In sha Allah tomorrow we head back to Islamabad for an overnight stop.
