[Travel]Trapped by flooding disaster in a remote valley that Pakistan forgot

By Nick Fischer | Bloomberg.com

It wasn’t a bad place to be marooned — stark mountainsides, stunning snowcapped peaks, picturesque villages, terraced farms and waterfalls. We savored the simple, satisfying local cuisine of chapatti, daal, lentils and cheeses. There was consolation in the golden sunrises or pink sunsets strafing the glaciers and the peaceful isolation.

Just enough supplies trickled in to keep a semblance of normality, without the noise and traffic.

Our time running short, we somehow managed to make it back to the Chinese border through a patchwork of vans, hiking, and the inevitable ferry ride. The boat’s captain quoted us an outrageously high fare compared to the other passengers.

“Why are the others only paying 100 rupees ($1.17)?” demanded one of my companions.

“We’re displaced people,” murmured someone in the crowd.

Fair enough. We bargained down and still paid a premium.

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