Travel guide


The Baltoro Glacier, at 62 kilometers long, is one of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions[1]. It is located in Baltistan, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, and runs through part of the Karakorammountain range. The Baltoro Muztagh lies to the north and east of the glacier, while the Masherbrum Mountains lie to the south. At 8,611 m (28,251 ft), K2 is the highest mountain in the region, and three others within 20 km top 8,000 m.
he glacier gives rise to the Shigar River, which is a tributary of the Indus River. Several large tributary glaciers feed the main Baltoro glacier, including the Godwin Austen Glacier, flowing south from K2; the Abruzzi and the various Gasherbrum Glaciers, flowing from the Gasherbrum group of peaks; the Vigne Glacier, flowing from Chogolisa, and the Yermandendu Glacier, flowing from Masherbrum. The confluence of the main Baltoro Glacier with the Godwin Austen Glacier is known as Concordia; this location and K2 base camp are popular trekking destinations.
    
Baltoro Glacier
Baltoro glacier from air.jpg
The Baltoro glacier from the air, looking east
TypeMountain glacier
LocationKarakoram range, BaltistanPakistan
Coordinates35°44′11″N 76°22′51″ECoordinates35°44′11″N 76°22′51″E
Length62 kilometres (39 mi)
The trough of this glacier is very wide. Small valley glaciers form icefalls where they meet the trunk glacier. The sidewalls vary from very steep to precipitous. The glacier has carved striations on the surrounding country rocks. Moving ice has formed depressions, which serve as basins for numerous glacial lakes.
The glacier can be approached via the important Balti town of Skardu.







Wall of Sindh, like wall of china
Rani kot, Sindh, Pakistan                                                                                 
                                
History 
The original purpose and architects of Ranikot Fort are unknown. Some archaeologists attribute it to Arabs, or possibly built by a Persian noble under the Abbasids by Imran Bin Musa Barmaki who was the Governorof Sindh in 836 CE. Others have suggested a much earlier period of construction attributing to at times theSassanians Persians and at times to the Greeks. Despite the fact that a prehistoric site of Amri is nearby, there is no trace of any old city inside the fort and the present structure has little evidence of prehistoric origins.

Archaeologists point to 17th century CE as its time of first construction but now Sindh archaeologistsagree that some of the present structure was reconstructed by Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur and his brotherMir Murad Ali in 1812 CE at a cost of 1.2 million rupees (Sindh Gazetteer, 677).
Fort Ranikot is located in Lakki Mountains of the Kirthar range to the west of the mighty River Indus at a distance of about 30 kilometers from the present day town of Sann. A mountainous ridge, Karo Takkar(Black Hill), running north to south, forms its western boundary and the 'Lundi Hills' forms its eastern boundary. Mohan Nai, a rain-stream enters the fort from its rarely used western 'Mohan Gate', where it is guarded by a small fortification, changes its name to 'Reni' or 'Rani Nai' or rain-stream and gives the fort its name. Ranikot is thus the 'fort of a rain stream' - Rani. It runs through it, tumbles in a series of turquoise pools to irrigate fields and leaves the fort from its most used 'Sann Gate' on the eastern side. It then travels about 33 kilometers more to enter the Lion River - Indus.


Most of the twenty six kilometers long wall is made of natural cliffs and mountains which at places rise as high as two thousand feet above sea level! Only about8.25 km portions of its wall are man-made, built with yellow sandstone. This was first measured on foot by Badar Abro along with local guide Sadiq Gabol. As one enters the fort, one can find hills, valleys, streams, ditches, ponds, pools, fossils, building structure, bastions, watchtowers, ammunition depots, fortresses - all inside Ranikot, adding more to its beauty and mystery. A spring emerging from an underground water source near the Mohan Gate is named as 'Parryen jo Tarr' (the spring of fairies).
According to a tale told by the local inhabitants, fairies come from far and wide on the Ponam Nights (full moon) to take bath at this spring near 'Karo Jabal'! Splashing sounds of water falling on the rocks can be heard at another spring, Waggun jo Tarr or "the Crocodile Spring", named so as crocodiles once lived there.
Within Ranikot, there are two more fortresses - Meeri and Shergarh, both have 5 bastions each. Meerikot takes its name from the word 'Mir' meaning top (for instance the top of a hill, chief of any Baloch tribe, etc.).M.H Panhwar (a Sindhologist) disagrees upon the name's history being related to Mirs of Sindh "Of two forts inside the main Rani Kot fort, the lower one is called Miri and is a word used in Seistan for small fortress. It has nothing to do with Mirs of Sindh" he writes. Both the main Ranikot and the inner Meerikot have similar entrances - curved, angulated with a safe tortuous path. From the military point of view, Meerikot is located at a very safe and central place in the very heart of the Ranikot with residential arrangements including a water-well.
Talpur Mirs used Meerikot as their fortified residence. One can explore ruins of the court, harem, guest rooms, and soldiers quarters inside it. Its 1435 feet long wall has five bastions. Every structure in the Ranikot has its own uniqueness and beauty. Looking up from Meerikot one can find another fortified citadel - Shergarh (Abode of Lions) built with whitish stone, it too has five bastions. Though its location at 1480 feet above the sea level makes this fortress a unique structure, it also makes it equally difficult for supply of water, which can only be had from the brooks and rain streams, hundreds of feet below.The steep climb up to Shergarh gives a commanding view down over the whole fort and its entrance and exit points. On a clear day one can even see Indus, 37 kilometers away to the east.
Beside the Mohan Gate and the Sann Gate, there are two more gates, rather pseudo gates. One is towards the side of ancient town of Amri. This 'gate' is called the 'Amri Gate'. Certainly it takes its name from the prehistoric ruins of Amri, but it must have taken this name much later than the times of Amri as the fort itself doesn't appears to be as old as the Amri itself. In fact there is a bridge over rain stream 'Toming Dhoro' exiting from the fort called 'Budhi Mori'. The breach in fort wall due to the river stream has been referred as a gate. Similarly, the Shahpir Gate to the south also appears to be a pseudo gate taking its name from a limestone rock with a rough shape of foot imprinted on it. The sacred footprint supposedly belongs to Hazrat Ali or some other religious personality and is venerated by locals. It seems to be a later breach in the fort wall instead of a formal gate because one can't find any bastion or watchtower or their remains at the site, needed to guard any formal entrance or exit points.




Beside the Mohan Gate and the Sann Gate, there are two more gates, rather pseudo gates. One is towards the side of ancient town of Amri. This 'gate' is called the 'Amri Gate'. Certainly it takes its name from the prehistoric ruins of Amri, but it must have taken this name much later than the times of Amri as the fort itself doesn't appears to be as old as the Amri itself. In fact there is a bridge over rain stream 'Toming Dhoro' exiting from the fort called 'Budhi Mori'. The breach in fort wall due to the river stream has been referred as a gate. Similarly, the Shahpir Gate to the south also appears to be a pseudo gate taking its name from a limestone rock with a rough shape of foot imprinted on it. The sacred footprint supposedly belongs to Hazrat Ali or some other religious personality and is venerated by locals. It seems to be a later breach in the fort wall instead of a formal gate because one can't find any bastion or watchtower or their remains at the site, needed to guard any formal entrance or exit points.
A mosque found in the fort appears to be a later modification of a watchtower or a later construction. Scattered animal skeletons and prehistoric fossils can be found on the top of Lundi Hills. One of the three graveyards has about four hundred graves made of Chowkundi like sandstone with engraved motifs of sunflowers and peacocks. Whether we can call them as theriomorphic and phytomorphic motifs is an open question. Another one appears to be a graveyard of Arabs. The third one, about a mile away from the Sann Gate, had sixteen or seventeen graves earlier but now there are only four graves. The local inhabitants call it the Roman's graveyard.






Introducing Suriname,south america

Suriname, the self-proclaimed ‘beating heart of the Amazon,’ is just that: a warm, dense convergence of rivers that thumps with the lively rhythm of ethnic diversity. From Paramaribo, the country’s effervescent Dutch-colonial capital, to the fathomless jungles of the interior, smiling descendants of escaped African slaves, Dutch and British colonialists, Indian, Indonesian and Chinese indentured laborers and Amerindians offer a genuine welcome to their tiny country. You get the best of both worlds here: a city that’s chock-full of restaurants, shopping venues and night spots and an untamed jungle utterly away from the things of man. It’s not easy to get around this river-heavy, forest-dense country and the mix of languages can make it hard to communicate, sometimes even for Dutch speakers. Don’t forget that a meeting of culinary traditions means the food here is as spicy and lush as the country itself.




Vietnam Travel
While living in Vietnam I found there frequently wasn't much information or decent photos of places to visit off the beaten track available on the internet - it may be easy to find information on towns on the Sinh Cafe routes but beyond that places were often something of a mystery.

It also seemed that many of the guides I came across didn't express the sheer beauty of the country, with dry descriptions and little information beyond where to sleep. I want to try and correct that with this blog and travel guide - although it is still early days - and plan to cover plenty of the hidden locations that make Vietnam so special.



Still, I'm not a fountain of all knowlege by any means, and I would welcome anyone who is so inclined to send in their own stories, tips and advice to the website to help it grow into an authoritative guide on travel in Vietnam. Similarly if you have questions about your upcoming visit please make contact and I'll do my best to offer any tips I can think of.


In the meantime, start reading about the wonderful destinations we do cover!


Con Dao

Da Lat

Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City

Hoi An

Hue

Mui Ne - Phan Thiet

Nha Trang

Vung Tau




Brazil Travel
Brazil is the biggest country in South America. It borders every other country of the continent except Chile and Ecuador.


Brazil is very much a country of contrasts. When someone hears the word Brazil, one thinks of the great Amazon forest, fantastic beaches, great soccer players, Carnival time - and that's all. Well, Brazil, the most important country in South America, certainly has MUCH more to offer - warm people, great cities with everything from slums to high technology, a wide range of weather patterns, an awesome mixture of cultures and races - and much more!
The most visited places in Brazil includes Fernando de Noronha Island, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (the two bustling megacities of the south-east), the more relaxed city of Salvador in the northeast, or the old colonial towns of Ouro Preto and Olinda. For natural beauty, try a visit to Iguacu Falls. If you have the chance the best time to visit is Carnival.
 

There is nothing in the whole wide world like Carnival in Rio. Brasilia, the capital city of the country, is known by its great architecture. It is a planned city.

The most up-and-coming resort in Brazil is now the small friendly Praia de Pipa, in the NE of the country; serviced by international airports at Natal and Recife, this small town is popular with both Brazilians and foreign tourists. The laid back attitude of the open and friendly locals make this a welcome change to some of the more recognised but less safe and inviting destinations.

In Southern Brazil you can visit the state of Santa Catarina, which is visited every year by people who prefer not too crowded spots like major cities or places where all tourists go. Small beaches like Mariscal, Garopaba, Taquaras or Estaleiro beach are not too far away from medium size cities, so they provide all necessary structure, but at the same time still conserve their natural enchantments. Praia do Pinho (close to Balneario Camboriu - the most important touristic spot in southern Brazil) is the paradise for naturists as it is the first official nude beach in Brazil (http://www.praiadopinho.com.br). Many options of adventure activities such as rafting, diving, fishing, trekking are aso available in this beautiful region.




Pakistan Travel Guide

Pakistan encapsulates great variety, from hidden bazaars in the narrow streets of Rawalpindi to architecture that rivals the Taj Mahal in Lahore. It is a land enriched by friendly people and magnificent landscapes. Opportunity for adventure is as high as its mighty mountain ranges, with watersports, mountaineering and trekking all popular and rewarding activities.



Abbottabad

Abbottabad is my native city also known as city of schools and city of pines all over the Pakistan and the city is located in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan and is the third-largest city in the province after Peshawar and Mardan





Gwadar travel

Gwadar is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, on the Arabian Sea.The Gwadar Port was built on a turnkey basis by China and signifies an enlarging Chinese footprint in a critically important area. Opened in spring 2007 by then Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, in the presence of Chinese Communications Minister Li Shenglin, Gwadar Port is now being expanded into a naval base with Chinese technical and financial assistance. Gwadar Port became operational in 2008, with the first ship to dock bringing 52000 tonnes of wheat from Canada. Minister of Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol officially inaugurated the port on 21 December 2008. China has acknowledged that Gwadar’s strategic value is no less than that of the Karakoram Highway, which helped cement the China-Pakistan nexus. In addition to Gwadar serving as a potential Chinese naval anchor, Beijing is also interested in turning it into an energy-transport hub by building an oil pipeline from Gwadar into Chinese-ruled Xinjiang. The planned pipeline will carry crude oil sourced from Arab and African states. Such transport by pipeline will cut freight costs and also help insulate the Chinese imports from interdiction by hostile naval forces in case of any major war.If you want a flight to pakistan there are number of travel agents provides these services.


Ziarat travel

Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat District. It is located at 30°22'47N 67°43'38E with an altitude of 2543 metres (8346 feet) and is a famous holiday resort of Balochistan and nearly every trip from Karachi to Quetta stops at Ziarat. Ziarat (literally ziarat is an Islamic shrine) was the summer residence of the chief commissioner of Baluchistan, and sanatorium for the European troops at Quetta: 8850 ft. above the sea and 33 m. by cart-road from the railway. There is a good water supply, and the hills around are well-wooded and picturesque.The local dish of Ziarat is saji. More tourists visit the place in summer.

Quetta

Quetta is the largest city and the provincial of the Balochistan of Pakistan. It is an important marketing and communications centre for Pakistan with neighboring Iran and Afghanistan. The environment of Quetta is very pleasant as compare to other parts of the country. People all over the Pakistan go to Quetta in winter for visiting it’s natural places. Quetta is the capital of Baluchistan, which is the largest province in Pakistan. Most of it is desert, and the Baluchi's look like true desert-dwellers: they have baggy trousers, big moustaches and they love their freedom.
Quetta can rightly be called the fruit basket of Pakistan. Plums, peaches, pomegranates, apricots, apples, guavas (locally called zaitoon), some unique varieties of melon like "Garma" and "Sarda" and cherries, pistachios and almonds are all grown in abundance. Some pistachios also grow in Qila Saif Ullah also. Saffron grows very well on mountains around 5000 ft (1524 metres) high. It is being cultivated on a commercial scale here. Tulip is an indigenous flower of Pakistan. The yellow and red varieties of tulip grow wild around Quetta.

Lakes

God Almighty Allah has blessed Pakistan with natural beauty in abundant. There are many picturesque locations which can be included in the world’s most beautiful places. Among them are some symbolic and the prettiest lakes in this country which include Ansoo Lake, Lake Saif ul Malook and Broghil Lake. These post photos were taken by Hassan Zakki.
                                       Peripheral, peat-lined lake adjacent to Karumbar Lake in the upper Karumbar Valley, Northern Areas, Pakistan (elevation 4,150 meters [13,615 feet]). Background: Karakoram and Hindukush mountains
                        
                                  Broghil Lake on the divide between Chitral and Ghizer Districts in Northern Pakistan. Background: Hindu Raj Cordillera.

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the financial capital of Pakistan and the capital of the province of Sindh. It is the twentieth largest city of the world in terms of metropolitan population, and is Pakistan's premier centre of banking, industry, and trade. Karachi is also the home of Pakistan's largest corporations that are involved in textiles, shipping, automotive industry, entertainment, arts, fashion, advertising, publishing, software development and medical research. It also serves as a major hub of higher education in South Asia, and the wider Islamic World.

Karachi enjoys its prominent position due to its geographical location on a bay, making it the financial capital of the country. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It was the original capital of Pakistan until the construction of Islamabad, and is the location of the Port of Karachi, Port Bin Qasim, one of the region's largest and busiest ports. The city's population has increased dramatically after the Partition of British India forced hundreds of thousands of refugees from India to settle in the city. Since independence from Britain in 1947, the city's vibrant economy has attracted migrants from all over Pakistan, surrounding countries such as Iran, Tajikistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and further beyond. Despite a history of political turmoil, the city continues to attract those seeking prosperity and has shown consistent growth.
                                                                 Clifton beach Karachi

Muree travel

                                                                     View of Muree
Murree city is a popular hill station and a summer resort, especially for the residents of Islamabad, and for the cities of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Murree is also the administrative centre of Murree Tehsil, which is a sub-division of Rawalpindi district and includes the Murree hills.

Ansoo Lake

There are many beautiful lakes in pakistan one of them is Ansoo Lake is a high-altitude lake (elevation 16,490 feet or 5027 metres) in the Kaghan Valley near Malika-e-Parbat (Queen of Mountains) in the Himalayan range.It can be reached by a difficult trek from Saiful Mulook Lake . The name comes from its drop-like shape (the Urdu word Ansoo means tear). The lake is said to have been discovered in 1993 by Pakistan Air Force pilots who were flying low above the area. Earlier, the lake was not even known to the locals.
                                                                        Ansoo Lake

                                                                       Ansoo Lake

                                                                         Ansoo Lake

Swat

Swat is a valley and an administrative district in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan located 160 km/100 miles from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The capital of Swat is Saidu Sharif, but the main town in the Swat valley is Mingora.The high mountains, green meadows, and clear lakes, it is a place of great natural beauty that was formerly popular with tourists. However, most of the area was captured by the Taliban insurgency in December 2008 and is now too dangerous for tourism. It was a princely state (see State of Swat) in the NWFP until it was dissolved in 1969. Swat is sometimes called the Switzerland of Pakistan because of its geography.
                                                                 Dudipatsar lake in Swat

                                                                      View of Swat

K-2 travel

Pakistan have many natural places and mountains.The second highest mountain on the earth is called K-2(God One Austin).The peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft), K2 is part of the Karakoram segment of the Himalayan range, and is located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.


                                                                      Islamabad


Gilgit travel

Gilgit is the capital city of the Northern Areas, Pakistan and a tehsil (headquarters) of Gilgit District. Its ancient name was Sargin which later on came to be known as Gilit and it is still called Gilit or Sargin-Gilit by local people, in the Burushaski language, it is named Geelt. Ghallata is considered its name in ancient Sanskrit literature. Gilgit city is one of the two major hubs on the Northern Areas for all mountaineering expeditions of Karakoram to the peaks of the Himalayas, the other hub being Skardu.


Lake Saif-ul-Malook

Pakistan have many natural places one of the them Lake Saif-ul-Malook, the lake is popular to all over the world due to its beauty. The lake is situated in Kaghan which is one of the most beautiful valleys of Pakistan




Pakistan is the most beautiful country of Asia. It has its own unique culture and vivid environment as compared to the other Asian countries. I feel proud of being a Pakistani, so I am writing this blog which will be helpful in exploring the whole country, for those persons who are enthusiastic to visit Pakistan.

veiw of Pakistan

  veiw of Pakistan


  veiw of Pakistan