Friday 4th June - Panthankot

Arrived Friday lunchtime in Panthakot by bus from Dhramshala. Again a 3 hour public bus journey (cost 100 rupee). A quick word on buses; sit as close to the front as possible otherwise you will have a very bumpy ride at the back - shock absorbers are a problem here. It's best to sit directly behind the driver. If you sit on the bench seatfacing the driver then 100% guaranteed you will regret it. You can pay on the bus which makes things easier than than finding the ticket office. The buses stop where and when they want to collect passengers, and no sooner that your foot has entered the bus the driver is on his way again.If the door is open (no air conditioning) you risk falling out.
I found myself completely wedged on the bench seat. Woman especially will find anywhere to sit; and if it means stamping on your legs and feet; they will do it. So after 3 hours being stuck to sweaty passengers we arrived in Panthakot. Panthakot being a dusty town, a transport hub with the usual pollution, noise problems.
Found a reasonably good hotel to clean up, wash some clothes before taking camera to explore the immediate area, although temperature was in the 40's the light was bad; so returned to hotel to rest.

An hour later, as always the electricity cuts out in the room (this is normal here, you never know how long you will have either light, or air conditioning). Anyhow, went downstairs, and realised that a violent storm was directly above us, incredible wind; violent flashes of lightening. As I went out of the front doors the scene of debris flying down the side street was a god warning not to risk descending the sheltered steps into the side street. There is one born every minute! As I stood watching the events a man in his early 50's descended the steps, smiled at me, and on his first footstep into the street he was violently hit by a sheet of corrugated iron travelling at lighening speed. He was lucky not to be decapitated! The sheet of metal hit him in a downward motion, cutting his face, and hands. Hence, he made a rapid re-entry into the hotel and was rushed to hospital.
Moral of the story. Use your brain, and if there is a violent storm stay well under cover. These early monsoon tornadoes are killers, mainly due to all the un attached building materials that have been unsecured on the roof tops during the previous months.

But I love the auto rickshaws in Panthakot, they look like they come from the Wacky Races animated cartoons from the early 1970's.

Pathankot.......................dust, dust, and more dust; not to forget all the dogs, horses, and cows that roam the streets.