Fairy Meadow - Part 3

There's an amazing amount of things you could do at Fairy Meadow: peaks to climb, and valleys to walk in. I could have easily spent a week or two here and done something different everyday. But having done the monster walk up to Fairy Meadow, and then the Base Camp trip, all I really wanted was an easy day.

Nanga Parbat and the Raikot Glacier – it's terminal face in full view:



Broad View Hotel:



Khaliq very kindly offered to take me on an easy walk, and show me a part of the meadows that few visitors see. One side of the meadows is open for tourists – but the other side is reserved for the village – and as this is where the women come to tend the fields, and the children to play – it's usually off limits to outsiders.

At the village we met his cousin and Khaliq's five year old son and set off for the walk through the Alpine forests. The way was easy – although steep in places – and finally we came to a small plateau where we sat in the sunshine and enjoyed the stunning view.

Khaliq with his son and cousin:



For an hour or so we discussed our faith, finding so much common ground in the things we believe. It turns out that Khaliq's cousin is able to recite the entire Koran from memory, starting at any point – and it was incredible to listen to him singing words from the Holy Koran, which Khaliq would then translate.

When we got back to the village we sat on the polo field watching life go by. And as we sat, Khaliq shared with me what village life is like here. It really is an amazing place – the way of life here hasn't changed much since people first came to live here. Certainly tourism is a new development – and it's brought some benefits like electricity - but it's not had an impact on the way people live.

After lunch, some of the men from the village gathered, and we drank tea and continued our discussion on religion. I had so many questions for them, and they for me, and again, we found so much common ground. Where differences arose they were so concerned to not cause any offense that they would take great care to explain what they believed. It was an incredible time – one which I can't put into words.

I'd decided to walk back to Jhel that night – the top of the jeep track - to cut the long descent down the next day. It was only when the sun was starting to set that one of them reminded me of this, and I realized we'd been talking for three or four hours.

I'd enjoyed my time so much at Fairy Meadow that I had to drag myself away. I said goodbye to the men of the village – going round three of four times until the good-byes had been said. And then I walked with Khaliq down the tiny track that leads away from the village.

My last memory of Fairy Meadow is walking the dusty track around the corner of a bend that hides Fairy Meadow from view, and then, sweeping around the mountain until Fairy Meadow comes back into view for the final time. Standing at the bend where I'd said goodbye Khaliq stood waving.

One day I'd like to return to Fairy Meadow – Insha'Allah.

My bags at a “rest stop” on the way down: