Tuesday – wend & today Thursday 6th July sees me finally roll into Islamabad international airport making my way painfully to my Irish shores…. Painful in a whole lot of levels. Starting the non stop journey from base camp seen my feet firstly have to endure 95km straight through to Askole blisters like small lakes on my soles and bruises in my toe nails, from there it was on to awaiting jeeps for a 10hr transit taking to the land sliding rough roads to Skardu ,the only consolation being we’re off our feet and on our asses, “not donkeys” but then again i did spot a few lazy Sherpa in need of four legged assistance, a photo to embarrassing for these high altitude giants. The following morning 5am its was off to the littlest Skardu airport to try an sneak a flight out under the troublesome Skardu cloud base, failing miserably as no flights had flown for four days now leaving locals and Mountaineers stranded. Nothing for it but to endure that bus ride back through the KKH under armed escort dodging the Taliban , but it was a nightmare as to meet flight deadlines in Islamabad it involved a straight non stop ride. What a disaster 6ft 3″ & 41 hours straigh t on roads you just couldn’t explain left my ass by the time we roles into Islamabad airport like a “clowns mouth”. Red and sore from the prolonged seating it’s now to the skies and the focused motivation Sharon and the kids at arrivals in Dublin airport … Islamabad to Dubai and onto Dublin. Those smiles and hugs a welcomed delight, from cold glacier floor on the Baltero valley….. My ass I don’t think it’s ever going to speak to me again… Lol Jason
