Traveling Memoir of AUAC trip.

Locations: Naran, Kaghan, Shogran, Lulu sar Lake, Babu Sar Top, Saiful Maluk Lake.
16th to 19th June 2012

Waqas Siddique (President AUAC)

Traveling Memoir
Air University Adventure Club (AUAC) arranged a 4 day thrilling trip to Naran, Kaghan, Shogran, Babusar Top, Lulu Sar Lake and Saif ul Maluk Lake for the group of over 99 students, faculty members and staff of Air University as per schedule. In this trip AUAC invited the guest students from Multan campus and that batch comprised of 30 students and 2 faculty members along with them. The presence of family members of Vice Chancellor, Registrar and faculty staff made this trip more enjoyable. The group started its journey with the name of Allah almighty and left the university at 8:30 am on Saturday 16 June 2012 in 3 buses and 1 hiace. After 3 hours of drive the convoy stopped at Green Valley Hotel Abotabad for refreshment break at 11:10pm, then the group continued northwards, passing through the towns and lush green hills of Balakot and arrieved at PTDC hotel for lunch break at 2:20pm. After having a lavish lunch the convoy moved toward its ultimate destination through Kawai, Paras, Jared, Mahandri and Kaghan, the convoy reached the city of Naran (elevation 8200ft) around 7:00pm.

Sayyam Hights was selected as the base camp for the trip as it was one of the luxurious hotel of Naran. After offloading the luggage, hot tea was served in the lawn and chilled breeze welcomed all

the participants of this trip. Allocation of rooms was a tough job to manage but all the AUAC team members accommodate everyone efficiently to their desired rooms with all facilities. Next morning Sunday 17 June 2012, with the whistles of AUAC team members try to wake up every one for the breakfast as everybody was tired last night, it took some extra efforts to lead everyone to the breakfast table. But somehow everyone had a nice breakfast at 7:30-8:20am and got ready for the next adventurous journey to Babu Sar Top in jeep rally formation.

Jeeps were loaded with eatables like juices, biscuits, 1.25ltr water bottles, potato chips and stuff. After filling up with diesel, all the jeeps left Sayyam Hights at 9:45am. Jeep track was so thrilling and amazing that most of the students were capturing the beauty of nature with their cameras. Lush green mountains with white snow top had made everyone hypnotized and compel them to praise Allah almighty who gave us such beautiful Pakistan. As much as the jeep convoy was progressing, thrill and suspense had been increased in all the participants to discover more and more. Mighty mountains and glaciers with full bright sunny day clear the vision and adrenaline rushing scenes of nature made everyone to be like an eagle and fly high to the mountains. Finally the convoy stopped at Babu Sar Top at 1:15pm. Chilled breeze and the patches of snow gave us a delight welcome with the bouquet of wild flowers and decorated with lush green grass all around us.

There everybody clicked some photographs and had a great acquaintance with dry environment. After half an hour, tea boy performed his job and we left Babu Sar Top with spreading joyful emotions in the air at 2:15pm. Then all the drivers shifted gears to 4x4 configuration and we left for the next destination at 2:15pm and arrived at Lulu Sar Lake at 3:05pm and had a lunch break. 4:30pm over there. We left the lake with awesome experience and rushed back to Sayyam Hights at 7:20pm. All the students were sharing their thoughts and experiences with one another till dinner at 10:00pm.

Outdoor dinner with the Bar B Que touch was served, appetizing smell of chicken on burning coals spread all around in the valley. After finish with the dinner, we had a bone fire scene in the cold night. AUAC team hosted the bone fire with the dazzling idea of song and dance competition between

Islamabad campus and Multan campus students. Both of the teams performed very well and made that night memorable.

Day 3 was started with new thrills and new discoveries. Everybody had the breakfast on 7:30-8:15am and rushed to their respective jeeps for Saiful Maluk Lake adventure. All the jeeps settle up and heading towards a new location with surprising and eye catching sceneries with the blend of crystal clear water. Finally we arrived Saiful Maluk Lake at 10:15am. With the eyes wide open and breath taking view of the lake made everyone mesmerize. Then we met with a BABA G, who offered us to hear some mythical famous folk tales about this lake. Everybody took a deep interest and we made a circle around Baba G and he started. First few minutes were like jokes!! But as much as he continued, all of us try to visualize the scene and got lost in the story.

Some students were on the walk and some were busy in video and photography. There was a patch of snow, and locals made it a snow slide and they had leather bags for Rs.10 for one slide. People can lie down on that bag and enjoyed the slide at full speed. Sir Asif Bhatti and Sir Amjad took two separate groups of students and took a round trip of the lake. Students enjoyed the company of both of them and crack many jokes. After the walk around the lake, Tea and Pakoraas were waiting for us at Lake View hotel on desi sitting style. There is an un deny able fact that, whatever you eat in those areas you will definitely like it and always remember that taste forever no matter how these thing are cooked but everyone like it. Anyways, we left Saiful Maluk with a promise to come back again at 12:45pm and reached to our base camp (Sayyam Hights) at 2:00pm. A little bit tired but delighted, had a lavish lunch in the hotel and again ready for a new destination called Shogran. All of us packed the luggage and waved goodbye to Sayyam Hights who treated us very well with their efficient services and comfortable accommodation. All the students again on board and left the hotel at 3:20pm and arrive Shogran, Hotel Tourist Inn and Pine Park Hotel at 7:20pm and dinner at 10:15pm. The very next day, as it was the last day of the trip. Our last destination was Seri Paya. As the name of the place is quite strange, but it gave us one of the best sights we had our seen on this trip. Here mountains were covered with green grass and very few pine trees. Grazing mules and cows were giving an epic scene and wild flora boosted the refreshing sight.

As we were run out of time because we had to come to Islamabad with in a time frame, we limit our activities over there and head back to the hotel Pine Park at 12:40pm. Quickly we got in to the buses and started our journey back towards Islamabad. On the way, AUAC team arranged the lunch at PTDC hotel. After that lunch at 3:30pm, we resumed our journey and reached safe and sound to Islamabad at around 8:15pm. Finally discovering all those places, group photos, videos and singing songs on the top of the hills would be remember forever. All the good memories of this trip and soul meditation will definitely prepare everyone to take new challenges of life coming ahead.