On way to Shandur Pass

6th July.
We left Gilgit yesterday intending to take 2 days to get to Shandur Pass for the polo comp. The valleys we climbed through were exquisite each seeming to better than the previous one. The little bit of flat land there is was planted with wheat, barley, potatoes and other vegetable crops while stone fruit trees grew everywhere. The river was cleaner from the last of the melting snows. Such beauty is hard to describe, the air is so clean and clear. It's also getting thinner as the VW is finding out. We stopped the night at the Tourist Assn Motel at Phandur with views looking down the valley one way and a beautiful lake on our other side. All for $2 including the use of a hot shower. Our first one in 4 days, perhaps they thought we needed it.
The polo starts on the 7th and as t wasn't much point getting there a day early we decided to camp alongside a river for the night if a spot seemed suitable. Our first effort to get off the road was a disaster with the low clearance proving a fault for the first time. We had to be towed out. Along the road a short distance was a camp for the fisheries inspector who checks the trout licences. It was perfect and a bit of company in case of trouble though the Pakistanis in this area are the most friendly generous people you can imagine. It is quite embarrassing as we have little to offer them in return. We had just levelled the van when we were presented with a smoked trout for lunch. Much better than a cheese & gherkin sandwich and another was brought over for our tea a little later. Two cars have pulled up in the last hour with keen fishermen heading over to the river. Might get another for tomorrow if we're lucky. The wind is cool but the sun still as a bite in it even at 3,000 metres.
Ths morning at Gilgit we awoke to find a large Nissan bus had pulled up next to us in the camp site. It was one of three vehicles owned by a group of New Zealanders who had just come through China and were heading like us, to France for the Rugby. Those bloody New Zealanders are a weird mob