A laborious transfer of money !

In July 2007, we were getting ready to leave for Biafo Hispar, an amount of money had been sent to us by Western Union. Everything should have been fine ... We were in Skardu Karakoram Hotel, just opposite to the "Bank of Pakistan." Above the entrance was a majestic yellow and black sign with the Western Union symbol. The morning I went to cashier to get the money, I figured out they didn’t take care of this type of transfers. The panel was just there to look pretty! Fortunately, they told me where to withdraw our money, the post office at the other end of the city. I went down immediately.

I omitted a news event. The Revolt of the Red Mosque, the curfew that followed forced all the banks in Islamabad to remain closed for several days. It was impossible to complete the transaction. I tried to figure out a solution but in 2 days we had to go with our whole team coming especially from Hispar and staying a few more days could have started to undermine our walk. Nothing to do, I was offered to come back two days later, it would probably get better ... Inch Allah

News was turning to red, as well as our morale. Our guides and porters arrived, and we would not have enough money to pay them. The morning of the day we had to leave, I tried again. Back to the post office, I explained the situation to my interlocutor, and a miracle happened. Concerned about my business he went through Karachi to do the transaction. I only missed a photocopy of my passport. I went out to make it and the first copy place I went to was unfortunately closed. I went on during 10 minutes to find another one in the middle of the crowd. Someone smiled at me, telling me "No electricity”! I was going mad, all the elements lined up against us. After 20 minutes of wandering I finally found a photocopier connected to truck batteries. I came back and what would usually take 15 to 20 minutes in Pakistan took us an hour and a half. A few hours later we were on the way towards Askole, al abdullilah!