Expedition:
Pakistan
Athlete:
Hervé Barmasse , January 20 / February 2, 2010
The Pakistani Winter, and his porters Shimshal
Shimshal Valley , January 20, 2010
Unlike summer, when the corn fields, trees and green lawns against the brown earth and rock dry, now everything is gray like a movie in black and white. It's cold and also at low altitudes above 1600 meters is totally ghiacciato.Noi creep along in our jeep to Shimshal on a bumpy, bumpy road that was literally torn from the mountain by the force of will of its inhabitants, more than 23 years of hard work with a shovel and pickax. This spectacular adventure off-road alone justifies a trip to Pakistan. 
We creep along in our jeep to Shimshal on a bumpy, bumpy road that was literally torn the mountain by the force of will of its inhabitants, more than 23 years of hard work with a shovel and pickax. This spectacular adventure off-road alone justifies a trip to Pakistan.
In the village there is no running water, no telephones or televisions. Only a few families have installed small solar panels that provide light for three hours at a time during the long winter nights. There are doctors and the nearest hospital is in Gulmit, where a primary care physician oversees all emergencies, without the use of "sophisticated" medical care. The community is very united and the people help each other like one big family. Any problem is a problem and not Shimshal for one person.
potatoes, rice, chapatti, dal, peas and beans are preciously rationed to make sure that we are not left without supplies before the next refueling. Once in a while you get to eat the meat of goat or yak. Unlike summer, there are chickens because it would not survive the harsh temperatures of winter months. The yak is also a feature of Shimshal. It 'rare to see these animals in Pakistan, but in Shimshal Valley, along the border with China, Liev thousands of them in the desert.
The temperature during the five winter months, is consistently less than 12 below zero to minus 20, and even sitting near the wood stove it rarely gets more than 5 degrees. The impression I get is that this country during the winter waits patiently for the summer in the same way my ancestors did in the Alps, 150 years ago. In the village of Shimshal
more than 40 people have climbed a mountain of 8000 meters and Rajab Shan, the only Pakistani to have climbed all 8000 meter peaks of the Karakorum was born here. E 'considered a hero in all of Pakistan.
In the village there is no running water, no telephones or televisions. Only a few families have installed small solar panels that provide light for three hours at a time during the long winter nights. There are doctors and the nearest hospital is in Gulmit, where a primary care physician oversees all emergencies, without the use of "sophisticated" medical care. The community is very united and the people help each other like one big family. Any problem is a problem and not Shimshal for one person.
potatoes, rice, chapatti, dal, peas and beans are preciously rationed to make sure that we are not left without supplies before the next refueling. Once in a while you get to eat the meat of goat or yak. Unlike summer, there are chickens because it would not survive the harsh temperatures of winter months. The yak is also a feature of Shimshal. It 'rare to see these animals in Pakistan, but in Shimshal Valley, along the border with China, Liev thousands of them in the desert.
The temperature during the five winter months, is consistently less than 12 below zero to minus 20, and even sitting near the wood stove it rarely gets more than 5 degrees. The impression I get is that this country during the winter waits patiently for the summer in the same way my ancestors did in the Alps, 150 years ago. In the village of Shimshal
more than 40 people have climbed a mountain of 8000 meters and Rajab Shan, the only Pakistani to have climbed all 8000 meter peaks of the Karakorum was born here. E 'considered a hero in all of Pakistan.
Near death.
Shimshal Valley, January 22, 2010.
cubic meters of rock go over my head like bullets. I cling to my ice picks, the last piece of protection placed several feet beneath my feet. I can not help but look up and hope they will not be achieved. I see an avalanche of snow and debris coming toward me. My gaze turns to stone. I clutch the picks even closer, lower your head and wait for the impact that will sweep away to my death.
I have often heard that when you are certain you are about to die, you see your life flash before you as a movie ... None of this is true. At that moment, I had only one thought: you must live. With fierce determination of those who struggle for survival, I can avoid the avalanche. For a moment all is silent, all is quiet. The silence was soon broken by cries my partner for me to come down as soon as possible. I look up and see a huge piece of rock the size of a car, coming towards me.
Now I'm sure. Now it's finally over.
My body is paralyzed. The sense of clarity, I had until then disappears. I get as close as I possibly can for the wall of ice, holding the picks as hard as I can and, with eyes closed, waiting for the shot. Something touches me, I hit snow. I open my eyes and take a few steps down.
The nightmare is over. I'm still alive.
I put a screw in a layer of ice on my arms to the left and descend quickly to my partner that the maternal instinct with me and guide me to the cave which protected them. I can not stay still. The adrenaline permeates my body and, despite everything, I keep a cheeky attitude. In front of the astonished eyes of my friends, I act as if nothing had happened. They definitely should, rightly, think I'm crazy. Several minutes pass and I am overwhelmed by a sense of emptiness. In silence, confused, I make my way to Shimshal.
Shimshal Valley, January 22, 2010.
cubic meters of rock go over my head like bullets. I cling to my ice picks, the last piece of protection placed several feet beneath my feet. I can not help but look up and hope they will not be achieved. I see an avalanche of snow and debris coming toward me. My gaze turns to stone. I clutch the picks even closer, lower your head and wait for the impact that will sweep away to my death.
I have often heard that when you are certain you are about to die, you see your life flash before you as a movie ... None of this is true. At that moment, I had only one thought: you must live. With fierce determination of those who struggle for survival, I can avoid the avalanche. For a moment all is silent, all is quiet. The silence was soon broken by cries my partner for me to come down as soon as possible. I look up and see a huge piece of rock the size of a car, coming towards me.
Now I'm sure. Now it's finally over.
My body is paralyzed. The sense of clarity, I had until then disappears. I get as close as I possibly can for the wall of ice, holding the picks as hard as I can and, with eyes closed, waiting for the shot. Something touches me, I hit snow. I open my eyes and take a few steps down.
The nightmare is over. I'm still alive.
I put a screw in a layer of ice on my arms to the left and descend quickly to my partner that the maternal instinct with me and guide me to the cave which protected them. I can not stay still. The adrenaline permeates my body and, despite everything, I keep a cheeky attitude. In front of the astonished eyes of my friends, I act as if nothing had happened. They definitely should, rightly, think I'm crazy. Several minutes pass and I am overwhelmed by a sense of emptiness. In silence, confused, I make my way to Shimshal.
HERVE 'BARME SARA' GUEST OF OUR OFFICE IN THE COMING MONTHS
new post caival 
0 comments:
Post a Comment