Karakorum Highway

At the end of our journey through Pakistan, I want to tell you again about this impressive country.
As described in my last post, the Pakistanis are incredibly hospitable.
We are still overwhelmed by what we were able to experience!
People trust each other and assume the best. Why don't we learn from that in Germany??
During our trip, we were constantly invited to stay with people we met in taxis or to eat and drink. Every second vehicle that picked us up while hitchhiking stopped, like a food truck that had just finished its food shopping.
Everyone wants to share the things they have, whether it's bread, fries, tea - it's amazing! They are willing to give because they know others will give too. I wish we had more of this unity in our interactions.

Concerning safety:
We felt very safe during our trip so far and did not have any negative experiences. The police treated us kindly and wanted to ensure our safety at all times.

What have we done in the last few days?
We made it on the Karakorum Highway!
Here we became aware that the resources of the country are limited and people think very practically.
The first 300km of the highway are relatively poorly maintained. At one point, we had to wait 5 hours because the road had collapsed. Due to monsoon rains, huge rocks regularly fall onto the roads. We were able to witness firsthand how a excavator was called and within 2 hours the road was repaired! In Germany, that would possibly take half a year.

During the wait, the Pakistanis provided us with ice cream, mangoes, etc. The people were really great and it was fun to experience. However, it was a significant experience for me: the road is relatively unsafe at this point. It took us 22 hours to cover 300km, due to frequent stops and road blockages.

In contrast, the following 300km were much more relaxed! This section was built jointly by Pakistan and China and is better maintained, with significantly fewer rockslides.

In addition to time on the road, we spent a lot of time in the mountains hiking. In the area, the Himalayas, Hindukush, and Karakorum converge. We were able to admire two of the highest mountains in the world, K2 and Nanga Parbat. The nature is incredibly impressive!
In the Naltar Valley, we hiked along the river, saw glaciers and several lakes, and stopped at a local place for a Chai (THE drink in Pakistan :))

July is special in Pakistan, a holy month. Many festivals took place, which is why the border was closed and we had to leave for China a day earlier (the road was blocked due to the festival).
Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun in Pakistan, already missing the hospitality, the lively and positive attitude of the people, and the fact that they share everything with each other!

Off to Xinjiang in China!