Khanpur Dam, a hub of water sports for a day-trip

It was a pleasant morning in November 2019 when we were going to leave Lahore. It was about 7'O clock and waiting for other people in our group. After waiting for 30 minutes, our bus was ready to leave for the Khanpur Dam. We were much excited and started to gossip with each other. There was a lot of noise on the bus when the bus driver started music to suppress the noise. Immediately, everyone started to enjoy the music. The bus was turning toward Lahore-Islamabad Motorway to access the final destination. The driver stopped the music as we were crossing from the Motorway Interchange.

After crossing the Motorway Interchange, a few of us started to dance. Bilal was dancing to the rhythm of music with other group members. All of us were enjoying that fantastic event and participating somehow with them. "Change music, change!"; Bilal called the bus driver. He had changed the music to a Punjabi song. Then he started to dance alone, and others clapped to the music. We were feeling hungry as we had not taken breakfast in the morning due to starting our tour early in the morning. We had instructed the bus driver to stop the bus at the next service area on the Motorway. It was near 9 pm when our bus stopped at Sukhekhi Motorway Service Area. We had ordered tea and sandwiches from the tuck-shop. As tea would ready, some of us were exploring the interchange near the tuck-shop and taking photographs. As tea was there, someone called all of us, and the next moment we were enjoying hot tea with a sandwich.

After 30 minutes, the bus was running again on the Motorway toward the Khanpur Dam. "Everyone has to tell a joke or sing a song", Zeeshan said. Zeeshan was one of the favorites in our group. Zeeshan had to start to tell a joke. He told a joke in a very realistic way. Everyone started to laugh and clapped on that. He called the name of our group member, and then he had to tell a joke. It was an activity that gave us a wave of laughter. A few of us also sang some songs from the latest movies. After that activity, all of us wanted to relax, so the bus driver played a piece of light music again. Our group leader distributed some snacks and coke to all of us. Chilled coke and crispy snacks with music gave much delicious taste. It also restored our body energy in the way needed for our next adventures.

From Sangjani Paswal Toll Plazaal Interchange, the bus turned left on the Taxila Road. Finally, our journey started toward the Khanpur Dam. It was around half past twelve when the site of the Khanpur Dam was on our right side. The sun's rays reflected from the silver waters of the Khanpur Lake in front of lush green mountains. Few visitors enjoyed boating deep in the lake, whereas others remained there. All of us were taking photographs with our mobile phone cameras. Few of us also had digital cameras. Then the bus turned on its right side toward Khanpur Lake and stopped after a few meters. We jumped out of the bus and moved toward the lake hurriedly.

Mr. Yunis Habib was already there to welcome us, as we had booked our lunch there. He was the owner of a local restaurant on the other side of Khanpur Dam Lake. We had to use a streamer to go to the other side of the lake. That location was near the Khanpur Dam. There were streamers to take us to the opposite side. We had to wear life jackets and board on the streamers. Steamers were running over the shining waters of the lake. A pressure of pleasant air pushed us, whereas we held our seat handles tightly. Shining waves of water cutting from the streamers moved outward on the back of the streamers. Touching the waves gave a wonderfully unique effect.

After five minutes, we were on the other side of the lake. We took off the life jackets and were standing there. As Mr. Yunis called us for a welcome drink; then we moved toward the restaurant. He had presented chilled juice of different flavors. Mr. Yunis gave us a complete plan for activities in Khanpur Lake. The welcome drink refreshed and made us ready for the adventures over there.

The first activity in the Khanpur Dam was boating. We had to put on the life jackets again. It was a small boat with six seats. Boats were running over the silver waters toward the shades of the mountain range on the dam side. The Khanpur Dam is just in front of us in the center of the mountain range with lush green rows of trees. Waves spread on the back of boats cut the waves produced by the others. We were moving just near the mountain range on the dam side. Sun was shining warmly, but still, the weather was much pleasant. Air after touching the lake water gave a cooling effect and made the weather much splendid. It became much excitement when a boat crossed our boat and threw waves of cold water on us. All of these had been recorded in my camera, as I was already making a video on that side.

After coming back, we were ready to swim in the lake. Actually, it was just taking a bath instead of swimming. I jumped from a 10 to 15 feet high platform. In the next movement, I was in the cold water. Due to the life jacket, I was floating over the lake. They jumped into the water one by one. Then we floated over the water with colorful life jackets. I was just like multi-colored balloons spreading over the surface. It was a memorable activity for us to swim in the Khanpur Dam Lake. “Does somebody have any ball?”, Waseem asked from the lake. Next movement, one of the members threw a ball toward us. Then we divided ourselves into two groups and started to play a water ball game. One team tried to snatch the ball and wanted to throw it opposite site to get a mark. After 30 minutes, we were tired and got out of the lake. At the same time, Mr. Yunis called us for lunch.

Lunch was fantastic and was just like a small buffet. The dining hall was spacious and comfortable seats were arranged in an organized way. Therefore, everyone got food in a disciplined manner on his plate. The food was delicious and hygienic. Mr. Yonis offered us two local dishes of Haripur. Those had a unique taste that we had never tasted before. On the table, he told us the story related to the construction of the Khanpur dam. He also told us about the importance of Khanpur Dam and its water for the area. Then he explained further activities still to be performed.

Before starting our next water game, we preferred trekking along the lake. There were several restaurants and water game clubs. Those clubs offered various water sports activities such as swimming, surfing, parasailing, paragliding, jet ski, cliff diving, sofa tube, etc. From the trek, we moved down toward the lake. It was a magnificent view of scattered stones where lake water touched the ground. We sat on those stones for a while to enjoy the rising waves of the lake inside those stones. The water was a little bit warm there, but we felt its coldness as a new wave came toward us. As the boat crossed from that place, the water raised to half of the stones. The weather was charming there, but we had to go for the next activity to perform. The next activity was jet ski in the lake using a water scooter. It was not easy, so most of us refused to do this. It looked more difficult but safe to perform. Few with me agreed to run a water scooter. It had one seat for the driver, whereas the instructor was sitting behind the driver. A rob fixed with a water scooter for soft tube or water tube activity. I had put on the life jackets and set my grip on the scooter handle. “Ready!”, the instructor asked. Then with a jerk, the scooter was floating on the surface of the silver waters of Khanpur Lake. Fear vanished immediately as the scooter started to move smoothly on the water. It pushed the water back and generated high waves in the water. Running a scooter in a circular path was the real twist. He took two consecutive turns and then moved straight toward the endpoint. It was the memory of my life indeed. Those who did not like to perform jet ski, were ready to use sofa tubes. They were on two seater sofa tube, which was attached to a water scooter with a rob. A sofa tube filled with air remained on the water surface. It was like a jet ski but much safer due to the air-filled sofa tube. There were two people on each sofa tube. The scooter started and the soft tube pulled behind it. It was amazing as you were lying on the bed floating on water. Due to the air-filled sofa tube, there was an extra pull on the water surface. It was much safer, but you could feel it as turning the opposite side on a turn.

Mr. Yunis instructed us to move toward the small ascend area, where we had to perform a paragliding activity. It was not real paragliding, but you could enjoy the taste of paragliding in the air. The gliding instrument was fixed with a rob to a water scooter. One or two people could use gliding equipment at the same time. I signaled the instructor as I got ready. I had to run a few steps as the boat moved as instructed by the instructor. In the next movement, I was in the air just like a bird. I can see the broad view of Khanpur Lake and Dam. It was an easy task as the scooter pulled the glider with the tied rob, just like a kite with thread in one's hands. I could easily use my camera to get beautiful pictures of the surrounding mountain range as well as the location of the dam. I can see a few of my other group members flowing behind me. The floating of colorful gliders in the sky was a scene that I could never forget.

It was about 5 pm. The sun was nearly touching the line above the mountain range in front of us. Hot tea was served in the restaurant in a very sophisticated manner with some cakes and snacks. Each sip of tea restored the energy in our body and eliminated all of the tiredness. All of us were discussing all of the activities performed today and making fun of each other. After taking tea, we got a group photo, including Mr. Yunis. It was a fantastic tour and made that day a memorable day. We would be thankful to Mr. Yunis, who had planned all activities for us and offered us delicious lunch and tea. Around 5:45, we sat on the bus again to start our back journey to Lahore. Within a few minutes, the bus slowly ran toward the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway. Sun went behind the mountain range, but its bright reddish light made a boundary above the range. As the bus started to increase its speed, our eyes were going to shut down. While moving toward Lahore, we were dreaming of all of the enjoyments in the Khanpur Dam.