Paiyu Camp, Karakorum range, northern Pakistan.
In this post I'll show you hard daily life of porters at camp in Baltoro valley.
These people have a very uncommon strength. They walk with huge heavy on shoulder, without a comfortable bag like us, just with a wooden backpack and some ropes (despite now it is deny to carry a too much heavy bag).
At the camp, they prepares tents, cooks, feeds the mules and many other things.
They wear the same clothes, and they usually sleep outside, under a blanket, or under red plastic tents held on stones.
Here we are the beginning of Baltoro valley. This valley is long and very large.
They are generally very young. They don't have the same job opportunities of our western countries, so typical jobs are porters, drivers, cookers and mechanician.
Some of them can become guide or start mountaineering career, or open an own agency to take people in these places, organizing trekking or mountaineering expedition.
Weather was very hot, so we rest for lunch inside a small house made of stones:
Here our guide Akbar crossing a river on a improvised bridge:
They walk very fast, and they take often a break, sitting on some big stone:
Finally, we arrived at the camp!
First thing to do is to boil water to cook, to drink and to prepare tea:
Here they were filling the stove with fuel:
Other porters coming at the camp.
Unpacking stuff:
Some typical activity: preparing the iron 'shoes' for the mules! Sometimes they called them 'Balti shoes' as a joke (this region name is Baltistan):
The mules are finally free:
Washing plates:
Sometimes someone makes as gift to them a pair of boots to walk better, and all the time they sell them for money, keeping on old shoes, and repairing them with rubber and fire:
Here they were cooking some delicious meat dish for us...
... and the soup:
Night has came. No electricity here, and it is better in my opinion: phone without signal and civilization faraway permits to feel a great peace and quiet, and the star are more visible. This is a truer life, in touch with nature and natural rhythms.
They usually cooks for themselves 'chapati', made by whole-wheat flour, mixed into dough with water, oil and optionally salt. They cooked it on a stones or a cooking pan:
After this photographic shooting, the offer me a chapati, very crispy and delicious! These people are very kind and hospitable, really!
We don't use alarm clock, the sun wakes us up.
Some clouds at sunrise, but weather will be good.
Preparing to leave the camp...
... towards a new adventurous day!
Pictures taken with Sony Alpha 7iii and Nikon D800.
10/11 august 2022.
