Here I am again in at AUH. Couldn't get into the business lounge this time, seems you're supposed to have a gold card or something and this is MJ's first trip on Etihad, so no dice. Whatever. At least I followed him through the fast-track security line for fancy people instead of waiting in the epically long line for the plebes. Anyway, this airport is like a smaller DXB. I continue to be mystified at the lack of movie theaters in airports. I'd have spent $20 to see a decent movie.
The second day up north was just amazing, I don't even know where to start. We saw a 250kW micro-hydel, flew all over the place in a helicopter, visited a shop where women are making beautiful furniture, and climbed to the top of a 1000-year-old Buddhist fort. And other stuff. Ate a traditional Burushaski meal (that being the language spoken by most people in Hunza) at a little cafe at the foot of the fort. Hunza deserves vastly more tourism than it gets. It's stunningly beautiful, people are welcoming and hospitable, and it's relatively safe. There just needs to be a better road. And, well, Pakistan needs to get its shit together.
Adding to the pleasantness of the trip was that we had a good group of people to travel with. In particular I really like Malik, the head of AK Rural Support Prog. He's from Aliabad, where a group of men from the village played music for us and danced and then presented us with handmade wool vests and caps. Oh, and they made us dance, too. Mirza and me, that is. There is video but I will see it destroyed before it ever sees the light of day.
Last night we went over to dinner at Karim A's house. His wife and their help had cooked up a huge amount of delicious Indian and Pakistani food and I ate a bit too much. And then we went back to the hotel, I packed, slept for 45 minutes, and then left for the airport. I tried to stay awake for the ISB-AUH leg but failed about halfway through and ended up sleeping for more than an hour. Here's hoping for a repeat (and longer) performance on the upcoming flight. We board in an hour or so.
The second day up north was just amazing, I don't even know where to start. We saw a 250kW micro-hydel, flew all over the place in a helicopter, visited a shop where women are making beautiful furniture, and climbed to the top of a 1000-year-old Buddhist fort. And other stuff. Ate a traditional Burushaski meal (that being the language spoken by most people in Hunza) at a little cafe at the foot of the fort. Hunza deserves vastly more tourism than it gets. It's stunningly beautiful, people are welcoming and hospitable, and it's relatively safe. There just needs to be a better road. And, well, Pakistan needs to get its shit together.
Adding to the pleasantness of the trip was that we had a good group of people to travel with. In particular I really like Malik, the head of AK Rural Support Prog. He's from Aliabad, where a group of men from the village played music for us and danced and then presented us with handmade wool vests and caps. Oh, and they made us dance, too. Mirza and me, that is. There is video but I will see it destroyed before it ever sees the light of day.
Last night we went over to dinner at Karim A's house. His wife and their help had cooked up a huge amount of delicious Indian and Pakistani food and I ate a bit too much. And then we went back to the hotel, I packed, slept for 45 minutes, and then left for the airport. I tried to stay awake for the ISB-AUH leg but failed about halfway through and ended up sleeping for more than an hour. Here's hoping for a repeat (and longer) performance on the upcoming flight. We board in an hour or so.
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