***"Hey, everyone.
I hope you all are doing fine. Today, I'm here to share the story of our trip, which was pending for the last 5 semesters of my university life. Our trip plan was canceled many times, but finally, the day came, and our fellow CR told us that we have to visit somewhere, so we planned accordingly. The place we decided on is a piece of heaven on earth, that is Shogran valley.
**where is shogran **
Now, some of you might wonder where this place is.
Let me tell you about Shogran valley. The word 'Shogran' means "Forest in the Sky". This valley is located in the northern areas of Pakistan, lying in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the city named Mansehra. This valley is a hill station at a height of 2,362 meters (7,749 ft) above sea level. It is the best place for tourist attractions in both seasons, summer and winter.
***Start of the journey by xain
Early in the morning, before sunrise, all of my classmates gathered at our pick-up point. After waiting for a few minutes, our bus š arrived. As all of us were excited, we rushed toward our bus and departed for our wonderful journey.
***xain following route
Moving through the beautiful Capital of Pakistan named Islamabad, we headed toward Peshawar (the Capital of the state Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) motorway š£ļø which was our route. After that, we got on another route known as Hazara motorway that is famous for its beautiful tunnels. We crossed 3 tunnels, and that was a new experience for me.
***The most awaited 15-minute stay for xain
This stay was mandatory for me š¬ as I forgot to tell you one thing. On that day before the journey, I drank 1 litre of water because I got up early in the morning. So when our bus was on the Hazara motorway, it was a challenging thing for me to tackle the pressure that was worse than blood pressure. I had to wait for 1 hour because the next stop was too many kilometers ahead. In my 22 years of life, I had never experienced such a challenge. At last, my countdown was over, and I took a deep breath š« ahhh...
***Xain having breakfast at Balakot
Later we headed toward Balakot city where we had a delicious breakfast. After that, we experienced risky mountain cuts where there was a deep valley on one side of the road. We were all screaming š, and thanks to God, we reached safely at a specific point from where the bus couldn't head further because of steeper and inclined roads which led to the valley. From there, we took jeeps (4Ć4) that were the only vehicles that could go through those tracks.
***Xain At Shogran valley.
At last, the wait was over, and we reached there safely. Our hostel was already booked so we unloaded our luggage š§³. The surface was so slippery, and I forgot to bring my snowshoes, so I rented a pair of shoes from the nearest shop. After that, we had a photoshoot and many more enjoyments like throwing snow on each other, enjoying an evening meal with delicious soup, and having a bonfire š„. After that, we played truth and dare, and afterward, bed šļø was waiting for us to have dreams š.
***Xain accomplishing plans of 2nd day
The next day, I woke up early in the morning š to witness the beauty of nature. Cold wind was blowing, but I didn't let it discourage me. I hiked for almost 800 meters above the hill to have a clearer view of the surrounding hills. Actually, the snow was dry, so I had a firm grip, and with my stick, I was able to reach there, and the glimpse of those views can't be defined in words.
***Xain enjoying last few minutes
After spending some time, I came back and found my fellows were also out of their rooms, so we called for breakfast š„, and I joined them.
***Welcome back home
After having a lot of fun, we left for our university and safely reached. It was really a wonderful experience of my life."
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