Part I: Trip to AJK, June 2009 (updated)

Saran Tourist Lodges AJK Tourism Department

NOTE:

As this year there is no going #North or even #Punjab for me so I planned to update my old blogs from June 2009, when for the first time I visited to Azad Jammu Kashmir's few cities including Muzaffarabad, Saran, Shaheed gali etc. These posts are re-edited and images are finally added (fortunately I found the old folder). Hope you'll love these posts, Part I & Part II, as for me this journey is as fresh as yesterday... Let's go down the memory lane with #Hudanama ka Safarnama!

Originally posted on 25-6-2009

Day 1: 21-06-09

By the grace of Allah Pak (as Reema puts it), when people belonging to the lush green wheat producing lands of Punjab, specifically people of my "Beloved City: Lahore", are were facing the scorching heat, making thermostat dwindle around 40 degrees, I am was privileged, suddenly by luck and by chance, as I am was shivering in the temperature almost below 10 degrees in a place called SARAN, near the shrine of PEER CHANASI, at Azad Jammu Kashmir Tourism department's rest house situated at the ridge of the mountain, up on the road from Muzaffarabad, AJK.

Start of the Journey MotorWay to Islamabad, 21st June, 2009

Starting our journey from Lahore around 9:30 am and then continuously driving through the Motor Way to Islamabad. We grabbed pizzas from a bakery at Bara-Koh main bazar, which we gulped down at a stop-area on Express Highway. We by-passed Murree. On the snake-y road towards Neelum river we stopped at a spring type small water fall and got refreshed. 

Spring-Waterfall, best way to get refreshed from fatigue of long journey

I love dipping my feet in chilled water

and we spotted tadpoles, lols

Then we continued our journey watching the glorious Neelum River, entering to the new territory via bridge joining Punjab to Muzaffarabad. Connecting Pakistan with AJK.

Neelum River, a furious beauty flowing down all the way from Kashmir to Pakistan

Beautiful views, lush greenery and tough roads promised! :p

Entering into Muzaffarabad through the connecting bridge.

On our way up to Saran, after by-passing Muzaffarabad, we stopped at a lonely DHABBA, enjoyed hot pakoraz and hot tea, while viewing high mountains, some covered with snow and some showing the barren marks of landslides and the wounds made by the earthquake of 08-10-05. On looking down into the deep valley we could see a silent but living city Muzaffarabad lay quietly and a wild-spirited Neelum River flowing through the city, which apparently seemed like a lazy snake from the height of almost 6,000 ft above the sea level. My Uncle, the one who planned this family trip, pointed a place down in the valley where the two big giant rivers JEHLUM and NEELAM were meeting at the place called DO MAEL. He had been to this place many times.

Reciting all the safety assuring ayats of The Holy Quran, turning the cutting edges of the dangerously narrow roads, we finally reached the top, after total of 8 hours tiring journey, around 7pm. We were dead tired, but as we stepped out of the car; Zooom!!! goes all the feeling of tiredness as we saw the breath taking scenic view and our beautiful accommodation, the Saran Lodges of AJK Tourism Department. Have a look!

AJK Tourism Saran Lodges 

Simply Breath Taking!

We all could breathe the healthy pure fresh air and watch over the lush greenery opening to the horizon with the Romantic scene of the sunset, sky changing colors every second and thermostat falling down and down till we started shivering in the month of June. The sky was very gracefully changing the colors from yellow, shining white to crimson reds scarlet and then transitioning into the darker shades of the color palette; finally sleeping in the Black of night. The scenery, like Chinese paintings, had layers of mountains dark to fumy shades of grey, mauve and purple. Oh I can still imagine it all, fresh in my memory!

We unpacked, wore our shawls/sweaters, selected the seperate rooms for ladies and gents, as that night the accommodation was only for us, so yippy we could do all ini-mini-miny-mo!

After a while we all went out for a stroll.

A look into the valley and the Horizon

The Sunset on the edge!

I was quietly sitting on the edge of the little pasture with huge mountains at the back and the valley with wide-arms open, laying deep down there like a beautiful seductress. The twinkling lights of the city--- showing life, and on the mountains, here and there, lights started blinking as if all stars have stepped down from the heaven above to grace the scene. I think the sky didn't mind sharing them as it had ample numbers of diamonds itself, glued in the galaxies. I was lost in the scenic beauty but reality bit me with the teeth rattling cold and just CHILL, CHILL.

The beauty!

A lane towards solitude

Ok I am pretty much obsessed with feet, that's my bro

I really enjoyed a multi-dimensional satisfaction and contentment, for soul: deep profound, for eyes: the color palette of nature and for heart: it was all contentment. Spiritual food was served and I was full!
That evening we were all disparately praying Pakistan to win T/20 World Cup 09', the long awaited victory for the nation. I really prayed for the team to win back home an honor for depressed nation wanting some National victory to cheer and to be proud of. I only watched the last overs thanks to load shedding, praying for the nation more than the team--- and finally it happened--- PAKISTAN WON. So ALHAMDULILLAH we had a super duper treat, but the CHILL--- lolz!!!

Lala! Shahid Afridi last overs

Our boyses went mad! when Pakistan won T/20 2009

We could hear the Muzaffarabad city all twinkling with lights down the valley cheering with fireworks, aerial firing and celebrating OUR long waited and most needed victory. We were cheering alone at the height of 7540 ft above sea-level as no signals and even no nearby neighbor, only we, the stars, the darkness and CHILL of JUNE.
The night was even magical as we could clearly see clusters of stars in the skies and down the valley the city was brimming with electrical lights.... 

To be continued....

Note: All the images in this post are #Hudanama's personal property thus the images and the contentr cannot be copied, reproduced or used in any way. For permission or details email; hudanamas@gmail.com

Images are taken with Nokia N95 :)