As I prepare to bid adieu to a land that boasts “Hospitality is our culture,” I cannot help but reflect on what I learned, what I saw, the people I met and the culture I experienced.
Traveling on winding mountain roads is an experience in itself. You don’t know whether to admire the beauty or to be terrified at the dangerous drop when you see the edge of the road. Then suddenly you see a car heading straight for yours and there is barely any space to let each other pass easily. Add to that an incline and you automatically fear your car sliding backwards. Your driver, however, is calm as a cucumber. He pleasantly rolls down the window smiling as he greets the other driver and says a few words. Someone immediately jumps out and grabs a big rock and swiftly places it behind the back wheel enabling the car to stop from skidding backwards. Then the two cars pass each other within inches of each other happily wishing each other safe travels.
The car continues on its way until it approaches a little town. Traffic increases but the roads don’t widen. Doosh! There is momentary silence and then both drivers step out to see what damage was done as the two cars grazed each other. Both know who was at fault and both agree it can happen. They shake hands forgiving each other for any trouble caused and both continue on their journeys neither losing their patience nor their smiles. The passengers look on in wonder at the human connection. The next morning the driver tells us that the father of the other driver who hit our car came over to his home to apologize and insure there is no ill will between them. This is Baltistan.
We leave for our excursion and at our next destination our tour guide gives us a little background on this land and these peoples. He explains the ethos of their culture. Honesty and pure hearts. The Baltis believe in a day of honest hard work. What they don’t believe in is begging and they definitely don’t appreciate outsiders polluting the young and old minds of their people. If you really cannot resist the urge to give a kind gesture to the adorable smiling children who wave at you as you pass by, then what they would welcome is a gift of school supplies. Rather than giving them a pack of biscuits or a chocolate bar, reinforcing the value and importance of their education goes a long way in the minds of the Balti people.
As a parting anecdote, the tour guide tells us the story of the lost mobile phone. Upon finding any lost thing, the Balti people will make sure the lost property finds its way back to its rightful owner. The honesty vine gets active and every possible hotel, guest house, and air bnb is scoped until the rightful owner is found. The one who finds the owner is appreciated and rewarded in honor.
This is what this land is about. When you are at the top of the world, you truly top the charts when it comes to being model humans. This was my second time visiting these people and their land and just like the first time, I look forward to visiting again. So until next time I say farewell Baltistan.
Very well description of Balti People. Nice photos as well.
Heartwarming ! 🩷