world nomads | polo in gilgit

It was our final day of our three week stay in the wonderful Pakistan mountains, and our guesthouse owner came to tell us about a polo game on in town. We ditched all other plans and made our way, with the bustling crowds, to the Aga Khan Polo Ground. It was a crisp Autumn day, with the match taking place under the soaring snow-capped peaks of the Karakorum mountains. An entirely male crowd of thousands squeezed into what could be, at a stretch, described as a stadium. There are no seats, and the steeply banked stands require people to hold on to each other to get the best view. It is quite a terrifying and exhilarating sight as the horses charge directly at you, throwing up swirls of dust as they screech to a halt, while the polo players wildly swing their mallets, and we duck out of harm's way.