Road to Shimshal
Mar 25, 2010
Shimshal Village is three-hour-distance off Karakoram Highway, leading eastward up along the Shimshal River.
As we went up, the road became steeper and the riverside view turn into a deep-cleft valley. After 15 minutes from Passu, the stream was calm and shallow. I saw some sandbanks here and there.(photo②)
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After 45 minutes, we came across the second bridge. (photo③) The width of the river was getting narrower and the stream was getting wilder.
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Picture of ⑥ represents the view from a suspension bridge. Now the river was seen between chasm of a valley.
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By that time, we had to drive on an extremely rough and dusty road. The road was somehow cleared and widened for a vehicle by crashing down rocky wall. It might be a tough work to make a road in such a place but it still needs a lot of repair.
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Can you see the jeep running in the cloud of dust ? (photo⑩) I passed this road in 2006 and 2007. I was praying to arrive safely as we met dust storms.
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After a while, we got to a flat area. The jeep stopped in the place where a red, white, blue flag stood. An offertory box was set up in saint’s structure there.
We prayed for our trips safety.
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I thought that the road to Shimshal that was cut in the rock, might have been carved out of sacrifices of lots people along its history.
(Editor・Elena Akari /English translator･T Utida /Photo･Writer Sisso ）
