Trek to Nanga Parbat Base Camp & Camp 1 - Pakistan. September 2009

Starting at 6:30 am from Fairy Meadows (3, 300 meters), me, Phil and our guide Mohammed trekked up to base camp (4,100 meters) in time for lunch. Decided to push onto camp 1 (4,500 meters), then back down to Fairy Meadows. 12 hours, 1,200 meters up and back down - a long, tough, exhausting and rewarding day.


View of Nanga Parbat summit (8,125 meters)

Mohammed

View back down the valley

Phil at Base Camp (4,100m)

Glaciers running off the massif.

Camp 1 (4,500m)

Karakorum Highway, Northern Areas - Pakistan. August 2009

Karakorum PeaksA landslide blocks the highway, the first of many...

Passu Village

The Karakorum Highway, Xinjiang Province - China. August 2009

Lake Karakul

Propaganda & Military Intimidation in Kashgar, Xinjiang Province - China. August 2009.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8136144.stm

Kashgar, Xinjiang Province - China. August 2009

Emin Minaret, Turpan, Xinjiang Province - China. August 2009

Ruined city of Jiaohe, Xinjiang Province - China. August 2009

Mogao Caves, Gansu Province - China. August 2009

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/440

Jiayuguan Fort, Gansu Province - China. August 2009

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiayuguan_(pass)

The fort represents western tip of the Great Wall. All ancient traders coming from the west via the silk road had to pass through the fort, protecting China from the roaming bandits of the lawless, desert badlands.

Labrang Monastery, Xiahe - China. August 2009.

Smouldering incense, Kumbum Monastery, China - August 2009