28/6/09 - 150 km+ Gizer valley - towards Shandur pass

After breakfast they helped us up a bit higher - their donkeys carried the gliders. We took off about 1130. I immediately got a good climb up to base (about 5700m) and did a little tour around the surrounding mountains whilst I waited for Romain. Unfortunately, though, he bombed out.

The plan had been to proceed to Nanga Parbat, but I could see it in the distance, already totally over-developed. I changed tack, and headed down the Ghizer valley, west towards Chitral. The flight was a dream. I had a very slight headwind, but base rose to 6300m and I just creamed along through some of the most spectacular scenary this planet has to offer. In terms of paragliding, it worked textbook style: south-east faces in the morning, turning to south-west, and finally west.

NOTE: Unfortunately I didn't get to download my track before making 2 more flights of 5.5 and 6 hours. These 2 flights erased the memory of my GPS - so no track to upload.Bummer!

After 7 hours flying, I landed in a small village called Handarap. I should have looked for a place to top-land, but I was tired and wanted to buy some food. I was instantly surrounded by the entire village. They helped me pack, and took me to a house where a man had a room. They were amazingly friendly, and gave me tea, dhal and biscuits. The owner came and chatted with me for a while later. I felt it was time to get the modelling balloons out for his children, and made some mishapen dogs!

They gave me a comfortable space in a spare room in his house, and I slept perfectly until the call to prayer at 4:30 am.