Day 156 Tuesday 20 February 2007 Gilgit, Pakistan

We sleep in and almost miss breakfast, before venturing out to explore the city and buy some essentials - money and toothpaste. Gilgit is a bit drab as it's grey and overcast and the snow clad mountains are hidden in the mist. It's the main town and administrative centre of the Northern Area, once a lawless and semi autonomous area with dozens of languages and tribes but now thanks to the KKH an integral part of Pakistan. We are not sure whether it's a result of the current spate of bombings or because of the simmering tensions in the Gilgit area but the town is full of soldiers and police – we don’t know whether to feel safe or scared but its a little like a Swiss Bagdad with pickups cruising around, machine guns at the ready, soldiers in sandbagged bunkers on every corner and every second vehicle is either police or army. Still everyone waves, smiles and seems very cheerful, including the polo team out for an afternoon canter (they dont use goats heads apparently any longer but apart from that and having 6 people there arent any other rules).

Nevertheless after shopping and banking we decide not to hang around, not that there’s any reason one would anyway. We drive westwards up the Gilgit valley which is largely barren scree with a beautiful opal coloured stream where people are fishing for trout. Lining the lower slopes and valley floor are orchards enclosed by dry stone walls with irrigation channels bringing water down from the glaciers. Apart from the occasional pink and white blossom, its very desolate and we decide not to continue westwards into Afghanistan this afternoon, but head back to the hotel for another movie and an early night.

Distance today 76km; Total distance 23,274km