It was a herd of yaks that had stopped our car from moving further. The animals appeared from nowhere in the opposite direction and seized our vehicle. For a moment, it felt like we were a big rock trying to lift its chest out of the river while facing the sharp current. They were so many….countless….and Khobaib was relieved when we saw a few glimpses of the brown road. It wasn’t a road. It was a track for man-made vehicles to pass through the “Land of Giants”.

This unanticipated warm welcome from a wild herd of black and brown yaks was overwhelming. The hosts had left quite an impression on us with hopes to see some more wildernesses ahead in our journey.

I like rain. I like to walk in the rain. I like to play in the rain. It makes me wild. It reminds me of youth. It takes me into the past where I see a careless boy playing football with his friends. I see him making noise, screaming and diving into the mud to add to the fun and joy of the moment. But I don’t know why I don’t like rain when I am travelling. It takes away my freedom to move. It takes away my ability to relax in the tranquillity of nature.

It really became cold after the warm welcome. A few drops of rain appeared on the screen and my first reaction was a loud prayer sent towards the heavens for a peaceful night. They say that prayers come true when you are travelling. It was just a shower of clouds that turned the light brown of the road into a darker shade. The greenery around the road had become greener and the flowers looked brighter than ever. The smell of sand in the air touched deep corners of our souls. I lowered the window to allow the fresh air touch to my cheeks. For a few seconds, I closed my eyes as if I were waiting for these moments my entire life. It was really peaceful and calming after a long journey.

Though appropriate words can never be found to introduce nature, I must not take this preface too far and must come out of the depths of the beauty of Deosai Plains. Khobaib is always good with distances: “Seven more kilometres,” he said.

“We should not stay”, said Asim.

“We must, that’s the fun part”, I said.

“Brother Khboib, it will be very cold” he murmured after seeing strong opposition from me.

And it was cold that night. Poor Asim shivered badly in the first part. He was at first in the corner of the tent until I offered him to move to the middle. I really don’t know how he spent the rest of the night because I was myself somewhere else with the fairies of Sheosar Lake in my dreams.

Yes, Sheosar Lake…. At about sunset, we arrived at the lake after covering 7 kilometres. It was huge, silver, beautiful - and somewhat scary. I think the moon gave it that quality. It was full that night, with some wisps of clouds still floating over our heads.

I don’t know why, but I always feel comfortable with Khobaib. I never even try to challenge his judgments about where to camp, what to eat, and when to drive or not. He is a good big brother. He parked the jeep right at the spot where we were supposed to camp. I unhesitatingly jumped out of the car and opened the boot to take out the tent and other things for a perfect night in the wilderness.

By the time Khobaib and I finished erecting the tent, Asim and Muqadas had fried potatoes for all of us. Freezing cold weather, four men, one little frying pan and a few potatoes to fill their big appetites... in front of the beautiful Sheosar Lake must have been a sweet remembrance for the moon gazing down at the weary travellers below in the silent night.

Sheosar Lake is a lake situated in Deosai Plains, Northern Areas of Pakistan. The lake is at an elevation of 4,142 m (13,589 feet). Its approximate length is reported to be 2.3 km (1.4 miles), width 1.8 km (1.2 miles) and average depth of 40 m (131 feet).

Nature changes colours, and Sheosar Lake was not ordinary either. The morning brought some new colours to exhibit. I had never witnessed such an encounter of lush green and blue until then. The flavours of silence and peace of millions of colourful flowers on the surrounding hills, the dew drops on the grass, and the warmth of the sunlight filled my heart. It was really an amazing sight.

Sheosar Lake is like a bowl and the hills are its walls, protecting it from being exposed from far away. It snows in Deosai Plains during winter. It thus becomes a source of water for Sheosar Lake in summer when the hills melt to display colourful beds of millions of flowers. Wild in nature, these flowers die as soon as the summer is at its peak, hence reminding us of all of the promises that nature makes to us, by saying, “The Spring will come again”.

I don’t know what their names were, but I have their colours, shapes and smells embossed in my mind. Pink, yellow, purple, blue, red and white were everywhere.

It was silent until Khobaib and I decided to take a walk. We took our hiking sticks, the camera and, if I remember correctly, my jungle survival knife in case we encountered an angry bear. To my great surprise, I heard a sharp scream. “Halt!” I told myself. We were a few hundred meters away from a beaver standing on top of a little heap of sand, warning his fellows who were unaware of the new arrivals. He warned them, as it was his duty as a guard. He became stiff, alarmed and maybe angry. We had disturbed their routine. I could see little beavers running back into their holes after having their privacy invaded. He screamed again, maybe to make sure that we don’t come near them and then he disappeared somewhere under the surface. That was a sweet surprise for me to see them up close, but the excitement was also mixed with fear that they would perhaps attack us too. So we stayed away and let them do their work.

As we walked, I realized that my pants and shoes have become wet because of the dew drops that fell on the grass at night. Dewdrops are like a message from the moon. They come all the way from the heavens to the earth to freshen the morning. They are the diamonds of the grass and the freshness of the air. They float on the breeze and touch our souls. You feel them in your feet, but they lift you above the earth. And I am not exaggerating…!

It was time to brush my teeth like a good boy. I walked down the hill from our tent to the edge of the lake. As I brushed my teeth, I saw ducks swimming calmly and diving in the water for fish. How come they were so quiet? Maybe they didn’t like our intrusion either. To my delight, the little fishes on the edges were happy. At last, a warm welcome in cold water. Packs and packs of little fish said “Good Morning” in a very fishy way. I found it very pleasant and wished I could have one of their parents as breakfast…!

One thing that adds to the beauty of this lake is Nanga Parbat (the second highest peak in Pakistan. It is also known as the “Killer Mountain”, as it has swallowed a few mountain climbers). It’s very far away from this lake that lies in the background with its awesome beauty lending austerity to the place. It reflects right into the lake and makes an effort to brighten the shadows of the hills in the foreground.

A trip to Deosai Plains is of course incomplete without staying here, at Sheosar Lake. For many, one can’t justify the tour without experiencing the beauty for at least one night. You can walk around the hills. Be careful of the bears though, they visit the lake sometimes, but precautions can make your experience worthwhile. The entry ticket to the 64 kilometres long Deosai Plains is not too much. Your vehicle’s full tank will make your journey free of worries. As an alternative, you can also rent a jeep and leave the driving up to the driver who also serves as a guide. As always, my message would be to visit “Mairay Dais Kay Rung” (colours of my land) and enjoy and promote its beauty.

Muji

April, 2008