Day 14 - Paiju to Jula

We get started on another long hiking day. Today the plan calls for a hike from Paiju to Jula, where we had lunch on our second day up, bypassing our camp at Sam Tsok. Another good 8 hour hike. The sun is out again and it starts getting hot early.

A bridge over the Braldu after Paiju, but we do not cross this one.

Anisa has made a friend of the white pony, which she named "Burraf." She was always excited when she got to lead him. We had taken all of the packs off the pony so that he would be ready to carry a human load, in case someone couldn't finish the hike.

Anisa and her favorite pony. This day there were actually about four people who were in danger of needing the pony. Anisa had been feeling bad the previous day, Matthew's blood pressure dropped to unhealthy levels through this day, Adil was feeling sick and not eating well, along with having raw feet, and Erin was suffering from sun poisoning.

As we were walking, two Pakistan Army helicopters flew into the valley over our heads.

They flew in, then flew out again a couple of hours later. Hopefully they weren't needed to carry trekkers in distress.

Iza and Misha make their way across the log bridge, going back the other way. All the obstacles which had seemed slightly frightening on the way up no longer seemed quite so scary. After what we had been through up on the glacier, everything else seemed so tame.

But porters and staff still make their way across with much more gusto.

There was a large lizard that crossed our path, and I tried to get a picture, but my camera was too slow to start up. All I got was a shot of the rocks he was hiding under. Adil apparently saw a much larger, less scared lizard that led them along the path for a while.

Erin ended up needing the pony, due to sun poisoning. She was all covered up to avoid further sun exposure, and we even gave her our rainbow parasol to further shelter her. I imagine riding the pony was a little scarier than walking the trail yourself, as you were subject to the footing whims of a pack animal, rather than your own two feet.

Murad adjusts his pack. We were supposed to stop for lunch that day just past one of the army bases. Unfortunately, the Greeks had taken our lunch spot and had their tent erected to give them shade, so we had to move on and find another spot, which ended up being another hour onwards. But none of us knew where it was, so we just kept walking with the hope that lunch would sprout from the desert like a mirage.

Looking south from our camp site at Jula.

The toilets at Jula and the British camp on the right.

Our tent and the slopes above Jula.

Murad liked to show off, how carrying the two huge bags was no problem at all. He would pick it up, and jump around in cartoonish fashion. To be fair, none of us probably could have done that, and he definitely kept us entertained.

Ayub, Murad and one of the porters help us set up one of the tents at Jula.

Adil tries to care for his battered, hamburger feet in the cold stream at Jula. Rich had been doing a good job taking care of everyone's feet, but despite his best effort, Adil's feet were just too delicate.

Dad comes into camp with a dripping hat to keep him cool. The last bit of the hike was over relatively flat terrain, probably the tamest walking of the trip, but it was still out in the open under the hot sun.

Matthew had to slow down his pace for most of the day as his blood pressure started crashing. He still made it into camp safe and sound, if a bit late. A little adjustment to his medications and he was faring much better the next day.

360-degree panorama of the camp site at Jula. We came into the side-valley that housed the camp from the right, where this tributary runs into the Braldu, and the bridge is further to the left.