Thu.13th Aug. Day 13. Concordia

Up at 3.00 am for a 3.30 start playing on the ice. We were meant to try and get across a river towards K2 but it was a bit more tricky than anticipated so we backed off and did a different walk later in the day.

Karim guided 4 of us up the Baltoro towards the Vigne Glacier. Spectacular views.

Karim, K2 and me.

Wed.12th Aug. Day 12. Gore 2 to Concordia ( 4600 m. - 15091 ft.)

The glacier was becoming less chaotic but more icy.
We got the best views of Mustagh Tower - 7273 m., 23862 ft. - first climbed in 1956 by Joe Brown et al.
As we approached Concordia, K2 slowly came into view past Marble Peak. At last we could see the whole Abruzzi Ridge.
Time for the tourist photos.
First of a series of fine sunsets and sunrises.

Tue.11th Aug. Day 11. Urdokas to Gore 2 ( 4500 m. - 14764 ft.)

First view in the morning was of the Gasherbrum Group with 2 mountains over 8000 m. This was our only glimpse of G1 or Hidden Peak ( 8068 m., 26470 ft.)
We got better and better views of Masherbrum, originally K1 and 22nd highest in the world at 7821 m., 25660 ft.
Porters and Gasherbrums.
Masherbrum from our camp at Gore 2.
Sunset on Gasherbrum IV.

Mon.10th Aug. Day 10. Liligo to Urdokas ( 4011 m. - 13160 ft.)

A beautiful morning. Greeted by views of the Cathedral Group and Lobsang Spires beyond.
As we moved up the valley we got this view of Broad Peak - originally K3 - 12th highest at 8051 m., 26414 ft.
At Urdokas looking back down the Baltoro with Mt. Paiju, Uli Biafo Towers and Trango Towers.
The camp site at Urdokas, several hundred feet above the glacier on terraces laid out by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1909.
Our porters. Trango group behind.
Evening light.

Sun.9th Aug. Day 9. Paiju to Liligo (3715 m. - 12188 ft.)

An hour's walk brought us to the Baltoro Glacier, a massive torrent pouring out of a cave at the base of it's snout.
The ice is covered by a layer of rubble and the whole place is chaotic and hard going.
Superb view of the Trango Towers group - Nameless Tower on the left and Great Trango in the middle.
Looking back at Paiju Peak - 6600 m., 21653 ft.
Ibrahim, Karim, myself, Iqbal (Karim's brother), Pakoor behind. Ibrahim & Iqbal were High Altitude Porters and had summited Gasherbrum 1 (Hidden Peak - 11th highest at 8068 m., 26470 ft.) a few days before.
Carlos Soria. 72 year old Spanish climber had also summited G1 - his 9th 8000er.

Sat.8th Aug. Day 8. Paiju - acclimatization day

A climb 1000 ft straight up the hillside to gain a bit of height, then back down to rest. All part of the build up.
The rock was crumbly and unstable scree.
We got our first view of the snout of the Baltoro Glacier - and an idea of how far we had to go.
In the afternoon I was able to meet Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner. She is an Austrian mountaineer who has climbed 12 of the 14 8,000ers. She has 'only' K2 and Everest to go but sadly had just failed on this, her 2nd attempt, on K2. It's 8611 m. and she got to 8300 before chest high loose snow stopped her.
The goat today was presented as liver and kidneys on a bed of chips. Superb !

Fri.7th Aug. Day 7. Panmah River to Paiju ( 3368 m. - 11050 ft.)

A good day's walk in early rain reaching Paiju Camp. Here there were proper toilets with a sensational view of Trango Towers.
- the view from the throne.
The pink tents blended in nicely.
Then it was 'Goodbye little goat' and 'Hello goat curry'.(Photos with spurting blood deliberately omitted)

Thu.6th Aug. Day 6. Korophon to Panmah River campsite.

Another easy day of about 3 hours. The track had in places been blasted out of the cliff face.
Zafar, Karim & Iqbal
Myself & Carl. Bakhor Das - 5810 m., 19061 ft. - behind.

Wed.5th Aug. Day 5. Askole to Korophon ( 3109 m. - 10200 ft.)

We begin walking - only about 3 hours today.
First glimpse of higher mountains - these are the lower Uli Biafo group from the west.
We camp in a shady spot just below the terminal moraine of the Biafo glacier.The river emerging from the glacier is fearsome at this tail-end of summer. The tiny bridge is fun to bounce across.

Tue.4th Aug. Day 4. Skardu to Askole ( 3048 m. - 10000 ft.)

We were loaded into 3 Mark 1 Toyota Landcruisers of early 70s vintage and set off for the mortifyingly scary track through the Braldu Gorge. Many suspension bridges and 1000 foot drops a mere inches from the car tyres.
Nigel, John & myself.

We arrived in Askole to be greeted by our bright pink tents for our first night under canvas.

Cricket game with the porters and local kids.(Carl in to bat)

Mon.3rd Aug. Day 3. Islamabad to Skardu (2316 m. - 7600 ft)

The 45 minute flight from Benazir Bhutto International Airport to Skardu ends on a desert landing strip with no terminal building visible. The 8 of us plus Carl were met and taken to the very pretty 'K2 Motel, Skardu' with it's gardens overlooking the River Indus.
Most of us walked into Skardu town - 'Welcome to Beautiful Baltistan' and past the Polo Ground.



Myself, Mohammed & Paul.

A few of us reached the Indus Motel where we met Mohammed Nazir, representative of The Central Asia Institute.
This is the organisation begun by Greg Mortensen and featured in his book '3 Cups of Tea'. They have now built 94 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Sun. 2nd Aug. Day 2. Rawalpindi

Spent the day in Saddr Bazar in my newly aquired shalwar khameez. The rest of the trekkers arrived from England.
Our Trek Leader is Carl from Hartlepool - excellent 'Geordie' accent.
First of many superb curries in the evening.

Glorious Pakistan

Have now been in Pakistan for over 24 hours. Already have had a couple of excellent curries and bought a Shalwar Khameez to complete my disguise.
Will be away for the next 3 weeks then I'll be posting many splendid photos of Baltistan and K2.

Such is the wonder of modern technology that I've been able to post this using my iPhone. BFN

HEIGHTENED TERROR THREAT

The BRITISH are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats in Islamabad and have raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross".
Brits have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance". The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.

The FRENCH government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender". The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France 's white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country's military capability.

It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. ITALY has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing". Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides".

The GERMANS also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose".

BELGIANS, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels ..

The SPANISH are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

The USA meanwhile is carrying out pre-emptive strikes on all of their allies, just in case.

And at a local level...
NEW ZEALAND has also raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA!". Due to continuing defence cutbacks (the airforce being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "Shut, I hope Austrulia will come end riscue us". In the event of invasion, New Zealanders will be asked to gather together in a strategic defensive position called "Bondi".

AUSTRALIA, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be right, mate". Three more escalation levels remain: "Crikey!", "I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend" and "The barbie is cancelled".
There has not been a situation yet that has warranted the used of the final escalation level.

Major Incendiary Action in Ashgrove

This evening we heard a bit of noise outside and joined the mayhem as a house at the end of our street went up in flames.

Fortunately, the people were away but the house is totally destroyed and the next door place severely damaged.

Britain's favourite drink? - Quite right!

Paula & I just watched the 6th & final episode of 'Oz & James Drink to Britain', wherein Oz Clark and James May (from Top Gear) travel round the UK in a Rolls Royce convertible, towing a caravan.

They drink beer, cider, whisky, wine - the lot, but ultimately end up deciding that THE drink which encapsulates and most represents modern Britain, remains THE CUP OF TEA !!!

Here, here.

Watch it if you can. It makes you gag for a pint! - ( that's real beer, of course, not that pissy apology for ale known as 'lager')

So that was June?

Don't know what happened to it.

We've had some surprisingly wet weather in Brisbane, but Jake just spent the last week in the Northern Territory in Kakadu - an expedition for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh - and he had perfect weather.

Bit of a lull in the training but I'll be in Islamabad in 4 weeks and 4 days time and off to K2 basecamp.

Is it just me, but wasn't Michael Jackson a bit strange?

Great comment on the Facebook page of a friend of my Cousin Phil's daughter;

Jessica. "boreeed'

Friend. "Get round to rivington ave, apparently ur dads doing an embarrassingly bad yet hilariously funny moonwalk tribute?!?! x"

The Training !

Massive landmark - I'm now down to 69.9 kg - Broken the 70 kg. barrier !

Otherwise the last 4 weeks have been limited by the usual early winter head-cold and the heaviest rainfall in 20 years. Plenty of flooding in and around Brisbane, so running & cycling have been off.