Day 4 (17-07-2018) (Note: I shall compare the “planned tour Vs Reality on Ground”, so that it could be evident that how the things planned get change at the time of practical implementation , especially the distances and kilometers )
Our planned day 4 timings and schedule of exploration was as under:
Rama Meadows to Minimarg
As in our planned tour we had to be in Skardu on Day4, but we had changed the plan and spent night in Rama and thereafter in the morning of Day 4, we decided to go to Bruzil Top, Minimarg and Rainbow lake. Therefore, here the plan changed totally. But again it was depending upon the permission as we did not inform and reserved the book in advance.
Now, our assumed distances and time calculation for reaching Minimarg was as under:
Rama Meadows to Astore (53min 13.7km), (Astore to chillam cowki 55min, 44km--------- chillam chowki to burzil pass 22min, 18km). However, one person mentioned in pakwheel thread that he reached in 3.5 hours jeep drive. So we have to keep this in mind too---------(burzil pass to minimarg 34min, 16km) , and stay night in minimarg army mess and then in morning on next morning 8:00am, we shall visit rainbow lake.
The actual reality on ground is as under (We dropped Skardu portion and planned to go to Minimarg):
So, here comes the hazardous, intrepid and nerve testing story of day 4. As I got up early morning for offering prayer, I noticed strange noise outside adjacent to the entrance side of the camp. It was a continuous noise, which gave me hunch of some animal. It was complete silence outside. I kept it hearing and, then decided to look for it. I slightly started opening the entrance of my camp and you cannot believe what I came across. As I opened, it was a bull face with horns in front of me, my goodness. It startled me at that moment. I closed the zipper of camp and then slightly tried to notice what the bull is doing here, and you know what, it was a bad thing to be noticed. The bull basically put off the cherry shopper from bike and was enjoying in taking breakfast of cherries So, the lesson that we learnt, not to place any edible stuff near your camp, because the animals search for food, and, we noticed more bulls around our camp.
We placed clean water in bottles with us, so did ablution and offered prayer. It was an exquisite, picturesque and hypnotic morning in Rama Meadows. The stupefying greenery, the snow covered mountains, soul-refreshing breeze, birds tweeting, the pin drop silence and the phenomenal music of nearby water stream, this all enforced you to think about, are you really leaving this place shortly, as it really compel you to think as you are out of the world. My wife also got up and we enjoyed a cup of tea (2 for 50 Rs) in Rama Meadows, which was memorable, really. People were sleeping and missed this pleasant morning.
Soon after, we started removing our camps and initiated our packing, so that we could timely reach to Astore, and could plan further for Minimarg. Meanwhile that Gilgit family (husband and wife) came to us and wished us safe journey. They were very friendly and considerate. They offered us to come to Gilgit, enjoy the beauty of Gilgit, and, stay at their place. Finally, we left Rama Meadows around 7:25am. It was not a good feeling to leave Rama but while thinking about our next milestones, we kept ourselves engaged and motivated. We reached Astore around 8:25am while enjoying on way of Rama.
We had our breakfast in same Madina Green Palace Hotel 5 parathas, 2 omlets, 4 tea. Meanwhile my wife was in contact with brother who is Major in Pak Army in order to get permission for visiting Minimarg. We have been told that, such permission has to be taken in advance. Somehow, my brother in law shared a delightful news, for getting permission to visit Minimarg. He has also confirmed the reservations for night stay in Minimarg. We had to check out the hotel. The owner of Madina hotel was very considerate, and, we had a total bill of 3650/ for two night bookings (1000*2), one dinner (1200) and two breakfasts. Soon after, we started our packing, which, took some time.
Meanwhile we came across a group of persons, who came from Minimarg and Skardu in Jeep. We discussed about the roads and trek, specially, of Minimarg. At that moment, different kind of thoughts were appearing in our minds. We were also thinking to hire jeep from here and visit Minimarg and Deosai in that by keeping our bikes in that jeep, as that was large size jeep. We have no idea about Burzil and Minimarg trek, so were feeling being nervous and confused. The local people told about that there are hotels in Chillam, so you can also park your bikes there and can hire jeep from there too. On the other part, the weather forecast of Astore was alarming us by depicting rain in Astore around 2:00pm. After discussing with each other and local people, we finally concluded to move on bikes towards chillam in first instance.Remember, you have to discuss such things in detail if you have family with you, and especially, if you are on bike because you always have precarious and hazardous thoughts in mind.
We left Astore at 12:00pm. It took us time to leave Astore. The clouds started covering the sky in Astore. We also purchased Scom sim from Astore, which costed 400Rs. We had left a Petrol pump in Astore main city, but people told that we should get petrol in Gorigot. The road was not bad. On one side, it was as usual River Indus, and on other side, there were mountains of Astor. After some time, we reached Gorigot and filled our petrol tanks (520Rs. my bike) and, we filled a 5litre Petrol Can too, in 500Rs. We proceeded our journey. Soon after, we entered into a mesmerized and picturesque area, i.e. the way towards chillam. One thing I must tell, the way towards Chillam is absolutely spell bound, especially, the river stream initially started on your left side and then it remained on your right side. It is difficult to explain in words. I had not seen such colour of water so far, the one, which I experienced
while going towards Chillam. It was having, a kind of turquoise plus dark bluish look, and was so refreshing for eyes to experience it, unexplainable. I wished to have camping near this site. The road was smooth, but at some places, there were bad patches. As, Chillam Chowki was approaching near, the nature was coming closer to you. It was stunning beauty and was a spectacular experience to ride bike there. A road in stupefying landscape, surrounded by lush green mountains, soul-refreshing breeze, with turquoise and bluish water alongside, spell bound. Nevertheless, we reached Chillam Chowki around 2:30pm. We also had short stays on the way for taking pictures.
There was a small market in chillam chowki, having daily used groceries. One shop has vptcl PCO facility, as there are no signals in chillam chowki even for Scom for security basis. You can find washroom in that market. You can further find fishing rods there and some other tourists stuff like, hiking sticks etc. There were few hotels too. A bike/car maintenance shop is also there, but not that much professional the way you find in cities.
Now, the next task is to confirm the verification on chillam Army check post. It is a mild time consuming, as you have to get the clarifications to move further. I guess, this activity took half an hour. We spent some time in market, got fresh, and then moved towards Burzil Top at 3:25pm. The road towards Burzil top was not in good shape, broken one, and it was under construction process. You will find army personnel and labour on the road, which felt us little better not to be isolated in that area. At some place, we had to wait for some time, so that Crain could clear the way for us. As soon as, we started moving towards Bruzil, the exquisite beauty of the Burzil enforced us to forget about chillam experience, mind-blowing beauty. The temperature also started increasing as we had started ascending towards Burzil. We had to cross 2-3 water streams on way towards Burzil, in which one stream was little dangerous and deep one, having big stones and broken part of road. The second person had to cross it on feet. Unfortunately, we could not remember to take pictures of those streams.
Some bikes were coming from Burzil, and they replied in negative that you people cannot go,especially you cannot ride bike with pillion riding towards Burzil from Minimarg, as there were more steady ascends on return. It was not a good thing to hear, but we kept moving, and yes, there were few sharp steady ascends where one person on other bike has crossed that patch on feet. There bike was creating some problems, I had to break up my speed and had to stop and wait for them, I guess which had created a big problem (it is coming shortly in story). Meanwhile, one of friend boarded in a car to reach Bruzil as there bike was creating some issues. Nonetheless, we had crossed majority of the route and now we reached to the final big ascend leading toward Army check post on Burzil. It was little visible from there. We started ascending but after covering some distance, our second bike got heat up and again had to stop in midway at side of the road. I went down and then pushed his bike to move ahead to some distance.
Meanwhile, I asked wife to cover some distance on feet at least some part of this broken ascend road. Now the worst part of the day happened, really hazardous and annoying one, which I was talking earlier. As soon I started my bike and gave raise, the raise became free, i.e. its wire had broken. My friend crossed me now, and I was like, wait bhae sb, now it is my turn. He parked his bike a head where there was a little plain area and came back, and confirmed that the raise wire was broken. Now, the third time, I found myself in lethal situation. The first one was in Chillas, the second one was at Rama Lake glacier point when downpour started and this was the third one and majorly disastrous one. We did not keep the backup raise wire, which, I even asked my friends to purchase in Rawalpindi, but they assumed that the current wire would last as we recently changed it, so no need to carry that. The time was about 4:30pm, we were few meters before Burzil top. It was very nerves spoiling situation. The evening shades were eminent to notice on mountains, claiming the approaching of darkness and sunset very soon. Normally, the darkness felt in hilly areas very soon, as sun hide itself behind mountains. I was little relax for not being alone with family under such circumstance, as my friends were with me, so had some good needed support which they provided to me and my family throughout this expedition. Just imagine the menacing situation i.e. evening time was approaching in hilly area like Burzil, the temperature started to increase wildly, the majority of the labour winded up their work and went away, you are on bike with family on a broken road surrounded by mountains, and your bike went out of order. ……… It took us half an hour more to find out some solution, my wife along with kid started moving towards Burzil top as it was few meters away, but still on feet, it might take half an hour.
Nevertheless, there was a Toyota sedan reached to us, upon chitchat with him, we came to notice, his duty was to load the construction material from top, and then had to drop at the desired location. And it was his last shift of day for which he was going to Burzil top. Subsequently, my group member asked me to move into that car with wife, kid, and reach to check post. Meanwhile, he will lock my bike at the side of the road, and will bring his bike to top, or might bring my bike to check post in car. Actually, it was still ascend, that is why feeling difficulty to take it to check post on feet. The person told that, nothing would happen to your bike, you could park here. So we moved into the car which I guess took 10-15 minutes to reach Burzil due to ascend and broken road. We also found our other group member on the way waiting for us, the one who moved into car earlier. So I asked him
to go back and help the other member. We reached Burzil roughly at 5:30pm. The army personal on the check post were extremely helpful, friendly and concerned one. One person even asked me that, no one ever dare to come here on bike with family and you brought your family even your small kid over here on bike. We were discussing all the solutions with the army personal. Moreover, we noticed that our bikes reached to top. The sedan person took a technical person from check post and he did some kind of a temporary solution through which bike started working at least to reach Bruzil Top.
We all, were at Burzil top now, and were finding the solution. One solution was to move back to Chillam in that same sedan car by keeping bikes on its back. The second solution was to send one person to Chillam and tried to arrange a jeep in which we could move to Minimarg. Everyone was agreed upon the later solution. One person crossed the Chowki and was going down to Chillam, so we sent one person in his car as he was agreed upon that by seeing us in trouble. He was very considerate too. He further told that we can get jeep from Chillam, so the army personal also contacted through their hotlines in Minimarg as well as in Chillam. It was really a kind of chaos created at Burzil top. Finally, the army personals updated us that we shall get the jeep.
In the mean time mean time, we took some pictures of Bruzil top and moved inside the barracks of army personals, where they used to spend night. They had one room as guest room and we went there. Our shoes and socks were wet due to those water streams crossing. We forgot to wear shoe cover there. This was really freezing me specially. My kid slept away. The inside temperature was bearable. The Sun set away, the darkness captured everything and the whole area. There were two beds in guest room, attached washroom with provision of hot water. We got fresh, and meanwhile an army soldier entered with tea and biscuits. Oh, you cannot imagine the condition of excitement to see tea at that time, on Burzil top in extreme cold with such tiresome and tense situation. The army soldier name was Mr. Khavar, and he was such a wonderful person for words. His hospitality was unforgettable. The tea refreshed us. In the meantime, after offering prayer, we were anxiously waiting for our friend to reach us timely so that we could move further as it was getting late now. Whenever, we heard any noise of car outside, we thought it to be our friend. It was a tensed situation with confused thoughts, as our member would have succeeded in hiring jeep or not.
Anyways, our group member reached at 7:15pm in jeep he also brought bike raise cable from Chillam. We were thinking about to pack up and to move towards Minimarg but we noticed brother khaver entered into room with food. How can we say thanks to these brave soldiers of Pak army? , who not only, are performing their duty under such extreme weather while defending their country, and meanwhile with such wonderful hospitality. It was mutton curry mixed with potatoes served with hot chapattis. That was scrumptious and lip smacking. It is hard to forget that dinner on such place with such hospitality. We forced him to sit with us and joined us as he was reluctant and was just standing near us in case of any requirement. Nevertheless, we finished our dinner and moved towards jeep for departure to Minimarg. We thanked brother Khavar and other army soldiers for their deep concerns and generosity. We had parked our bikes at Burzil top.
We started our rest of the journey towards Minimarg around 8:00pm. It was dark, and we hardly found any transport on the route. There were sharp descends which we noticed. It was a little relax part of journey, as we were just sitting, not driving or riding. You can notice the Minimarg valley from top after covering some distance due to the lights showing signs of inhabitants. We reached Minimarg around 9:25pm. We had to confirm our booking in army rest house again at Minimarg. It took us some time to confirm the reservation. We had one reservation in Artillery mess and one in Army rest house. There was some distance between artillery mess and army rest house. We dropped our friends in artillery mess and then moved to army rest house. It was a superb VIP sort of room. After offering prayer, it was time to move to bed now, as it was a tensed and hectic day.
So that was the end of day 4......