Saischo to Skardu

I slept without the tent cover almost like sleeping in the open. It was my best sleep of the trip, I slept at 9:30pm and woke up at 6:30 am (what a luxury). Everyone made a dash for Hushe, it was early in the day and it was an easy walk so we did the 11km in about 2 1/2 hours.

Hushe is a beautiful village, old stone and mud houses (all with satellite dishes though); small streets and kids running around, they all say Hi and then blush and run away.

We didn't stay very long, we had a ride so we were on our way to Skardu. We passed through absolutely beautiful villages with terraced fields. Its apricot season almost every roof top is covered with apricots. In some villages the wheat harvest has started and entire families are busy in the fields; harvesting and sifiting is all done by hand. Its like going back in time, the only visible sign of modern life is the satelite dish it seems like everyone has one.

We leave this world behind as we start travelling on paved roads, we pass a stone desert next to a river which seemed like the oddest combination. We had lunch in Khaplu at a Pakistani/Chinese fast food restaurant which only serves daal/vegies and meat. This is a common theme, long menus and no selection.

Getting close to Skardu we are stopped by an Ashura march. Ashura is commemorated by the Shitte's on the marterdom of Hussain (Muhammads grandson). The usual day is 10th of muharaam which in 2008 falls in Feburary. The Shitte fervor is so strong in this area that they decided to have a redo in summer so they can feel the pain that Hussain went through since his battle was fought in the summer of karbala (in Iraq).

So, we waited with patience for a few hours until finally our driver was able to convince the crowds that we were going to miss a flight if we stayed any longer.