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summer cocktail
Beat the heat in Isloo and beyond
When the air conditioner is barely doing its job and your
hometown starts feeling like a scene out of a heat infested zombie
movie, a lot of people gaze towards the greener, cooler pastures
of Islamabad and beyond. Summer will witness mass migrations,
especially from Karachi where the rains have been coming down
heavily, bringing all life (especially nocturnal) to a standstill.
With the mercury rising, the rains falling and the electricity
out, it looks like this summer will witness an outburst of vacationers
moving up north. But in case you're unfamiliar with the usual
outdoor hot spots thronged by the young and restless of Islamabad,
here's a lowdown you'll find useful.
By Maria Tirmizi
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Rawal
Lake
To beat the heat, there's nothing like a bit of frolicking in the
waters. And what better way to do that than by jet skiing in Rawal
Lake? It's a totally new thing for the kids here since Rawal Lake
Promenade hasn't even officially inaugurated yet and people are already
rushing to the place, with fun private/rented jet skiing soaking down
the last bit of your clothing!
Fairy Meadows
A relatively long journey ahead of Islamabad, Fairy Meadows is a breathtakingly
beautiful spot almost two hours before Gilgit and it's one of the
most popular student camp sites around. What's fun about the place
is the fact that the villagers speak Spanish, Chinese, English and
what not (courtesy the foreigners from all over the world who visit
the place just to view Nanga Parbat nearby). The villagers own their
private jeeps, camps and wooden cabins and they don't allow you to
take your own car since a very dangerous track leads to Fairy Meadows.
You hire a jeep to Tato village from where it's a two-hour walk to
Fairy Meadows so being fit for the adventure is advisable |
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Isloo
trails
A lot of kids hike down the Islamabad countryside to enjoy a bit of
the peaceful, friendly outdoors. Greenery, cool weather and long conversations
with friends are helpful to kill a long, dreary evening. There are
different walking tracks around Islamabad for this purpose, with the
one in E8, Naval Complex being especially pleasant. They're all heavily
shaded by the thick hilly foliage and it isn't uncommon to walk past
wild monkeys and occasionally, snakes so precaution is necessary.
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Murree
Hills
People who get to Islamabad often always drive further up towards
Murree. The beautiful weather is one thing, but the chair lifts are
a hoot too. The sign reading 'sit at your own risk' and the creaking
chairs make your heart sink, but that's what makes Pakistani rides
so much scarier than all those giant roller coasters abroad right?
Shakarparian
Famous for its trees planted by visiting dignitaries, Shakarparian
is also a hot hangout outdoor spot. It's a cool, green location, visited
by hikers and also for long, peaceful drives with your significant
other. A lot of people make a stop at the various khokhas for chai
and samosay. If it's drizzling, the chai and samosay somehow taste
even better. |
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Daman -e-Koh
People with family, including children often decide against going
all the way up to Pir Suhawa and settle for Daman-e-Koh instead.
It's the same route but you go only half way up. It's only 10 minutes
from Islamabad, and you find a bit more restrained crowd just enjoying
the view of the city at various picnic spots. It's highly recommended
for people who can't stomach the twists and turns of the road that
goes further up to Pir Suhawa. Vacationers with motion sickness
should definitely go prepared.
Kaghan
This trip needs to be planned carefully but a vacation in Kaghan
promises to be memorable. The landscape drastically changes from
green and peaceful to rugged and dangerous. The rivers get rough
and the roads treacherous so this is not advisable for the faint
hearted. But Kaghan is spectacular in summer once the snow thaws
out and the glaciers start loosening up. Sliding and skidding on
them is just one of the most enjoyable pastimes in Kaghan. There
are numerous baghichas waiting for ripe plums, apples and peaches
to be picked out. Locals do provide the paraphernalia for fresh
water trout fishing. The hikes are challenging and invigorating
and when night falls and the full moon shines mysteriously, a distant
cry of a wild wolf makes the perfect backdrop for horror stories
around a campfire. One couldn't ask for a better holiday in Pakistan.
Avoid venturing out in August though as that's when the monsoon
rains hit the north and the roads succumb to landslides and the
floods threaten to wipe out everything in their path.
Pir Suhawa
When things get a bit dull in Isloo, you often find the young heading
off to Pir Suhawa, a 25 minutes drive atop the Margallah Hills.
The drive is in itself a relaxing experience, with a small road
winding up the hill through the green foliage of trees. And for
the ones with a wilder streak, it's a bit of high-sped (not recommended)
zoom up the hills, with loud music and the cool breeze in your hair.
You find many young guys stopping on the way to Pir Suhawa for a
bit of late night barbecuing, chilling out and enjoying the view
of Islamabad from up above. When you reach the spot, you head off
straight to the famous Khokha, known for its parathay and chicken.
A new restaurant called Munal has opened up too, livening up the
place even more. It serves desi food and on weekends, you can hardly
find a place to sit.
Photography: Pir Suhawa, Blue Berry Hut in E8 and
Islamabad country side by Hassan M Khan, Daman-e-Koh and Shakarparian's
newly inaugurated Pakistan Monument by Hanif Khattak, Fairy Meadows
and jet skiing on Rawal Lake by Ghazalee Khanzada
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