outlook traveller - the traveller guide

A trek to the Baltoro glacier in PakistanEver considered travelling to northern Pakistan? Go on a trek to the Karakoram (K2) Base Camp and take in the sights of the stunning Baltoro glacierAfter eight das of !iping s!eat off m "ro!s# $ finall reached Concordia# a "leak collection of tents in the Karakoram% $ !as hoping for a life&defining vie! of K2# the remote# savage# second highest peak on the planet% $nstead $ encountered an uncaring# enveloping cloud and a frost !ind% 'he rocks on the glacier !ere too cold to sit on# "ut neither our porters nor our tents !ere visi"le% (o# !ith the crack and rum"le from avalanches on )#***m peaks hidden " clouds# $ !aited%'he odds !ere against a trek to K2 Base Camp% As a +( citi,en# $ e-pected to circumvent Pakistan.s mortal fear of an $ndian !alking around on the !rong side of the (iachen Glacier% /o!ever# after (EA0 'eam (i- dispatched A""otta"ad.s infamous resident in 2*11# +( citi,ens appling for visas !ere "eing treated !ith even more suspicion%'here !ere logistical deterrents to the trip too2a notoriousl unpredicta"le 34&minute flight from $slama"ad to (kardu# having a 5eep on stand" for the 2*&hour road 5ourne instead# and finding a trust!orth team of porters !ho !ould "e our onl source of food# !ater and safet for t!o !eeks% 'here !ere also crucial pschological deterrents6 !as it safe to travel to northern Pakistan? Could $ reall take three !eeks off from !ork?Could $ even do it? 7ho !ould 5oin me on m decades&long dream to see K2?Earl e-plorations in the 7estern Ghats had led to treks in the /imalaa# !alking through rhododendron forests along !ell&trodden trails% 8ue to its inaccessi"ilit# fierce reputation# and the landmark&studded route# K2 Base Camp had al!as felt like the pinnacle of trekking achievement%After a 5eep&trek to /un,a in northern Pakistan# /illa (m !ife) thre! me a challenge6 9$f ou.re serious a"out training# and $ don.t mean 5ust ling in a s!imming pool# $.ll come !ith ou%:7ith this conditional green light# plans "egan to creak into realit% $ "egan to run up and do!n thestairs% (omeho!# the Pakistani consulate in ;e!