Home Bound

After pushing all the 500 lbs of luggage through the magical portal home - a'la Harry Potter we will retire back to the hotel pool - a highlight of their London trip as well as the massive toy store Hamleys on Regent street. We checkout at 12:00 for a trek of the luggage 9 pack on the Hoppa bus back to airport - this is in itself a morning workout. More pictures pending on the return home.

Cheers.

London Apple Store

Woo Hoo - Free internet at the London Apple Store and a quick blog - are feet are tired after a days hike in London - we are catching up on our blog. I will write about the day at the hotel

Karachi Airport - Outbound - Mar 23

We are through all security at Karachi Airport on the outbound for Muscat-> London. Final airport purchases complete - with bargaining. Yes everyone still thinks Amir and Khalil are girls for inspection lines. -oh well Khalil will look like a rock star in the UK.

Racks - we will call you tonight Thursday from London for a possible Saturday Lunch with Girls.

Sad goodbyes and pictures this morning as we took our 2 car + 1 van (luggage) caravan to the airport. 9 -pieces of 50 lbs luggage + carry on - heavy liftin'

I will refind my family and leave the free 20m internet connection. -- Cheers
Birthday in the airplane !!!!!

Karachi Mar 21

We have totally shopped out , the boys are done with bazzars. We spent a few days in lower Karachi - Defence - a more modern upscale district with Gelato and coffee places Many icecreams were indulged. We are now packing for home and checking the scale for weight. We are off to London on Thursday were Khalils hair will be more in style. Tommorrow we do final packing and take audience in the afternoon for those wishing to see us off. Aisha will be sad to leave all her family - so many and so generous and hospitable. I have given up picture attachement as the internet is too slow. I will arrange a slide show with chai and somosas when we return home. We have all - except Khalil - had a few days of ill health - on and off - water? - food - heat - eating - who nows - we will get to London for some different food. - more boring.
Maybe tommorrow I can buy the drum I wanted - I may just head back to a market and haggle the seller down to 800 rupees - We shall see. We will reconnect in London - cheerio .

Karachi Mar 14

We have been here a few days staying with family, Everybody here wants us to eat - and eat - and eat - 4 meals a day - and dinner usually at 9-10pm. We are not used to this regime. The kids and I have taken some tours of the Karachi, visting some muesems, mosques, tombs and the waterfront. Aisha and her mother have been doing the tea circuit visting cousins and aunties. We have stayed a one aunts house but will have to do some two night stays with other aunties to balance the Karma. The boys are absolutely done with jewellery, shoe and fabric shops and are Jonesing for some boy toy shops with electronics or gadgets or toys. Alas this is a country of fabric and jewelery and shoes and they are done until London or home. Our plan is still to leave Karachi on the 23rd March for 2 nights in London. This will translate into 1 full day to visit the sites and 2 half days to manage airport and luggage. We will have to workout the expedited London tour. Aisha and Hanna may meet up with friends for Lunch so we will play it by ear. Are their any other white guys in Pakistan this month?- because I have not seen one since we have travelled from North to South. Not a tourist hot-spot. Speaking of hotspots, Pakistan's internet in still slow - tarifed by the government so that the average house with high speed might have 64k - slow - businesses might have 128K - wow - not a tech issue - just a government tarif issue. I also cannot reach my own blog as the government has temporarily blocked the blog websites due to the cartoon issue. I can post but not read comments or see the blog. I will have to wait until London to get 'fully' back online. We are in seista mode waiting to eat again - out for dinner - tonight. When tommorrow the tea circuit will continue. The kids are now addicted to chai and soda and we will try to ween them off slowly. Also I have concluded that my boys have the longest hair of any boys in Pakistan - something I will rectify when we are at home. The roadside -'straight razor' haircuit for 20 ruppees is not an option. Cheers...

Desert Mar 7

To the Desert (Mar 7)

At 8:00 am we load the 10 suitcases on top of the van and head south to the Cholistan Desert. The camp party had left the day earlier to setup and we were destined to arrive at sunset of that evening. Our driver, Maneer did an excellent job at dodging the procession of trucks on route. En route we stopped in Multan so Aisha could see if she could find the famous blue and white Multan tiles. We stopped near a downtown market and further into a tomb like store from which we could purchase the wares of Multan. Unfortunately we could on by pots and cups - the tiles seemed to be reserved only for the walls of the nearby buildings. After a haggle with a gem seller over some unpolished rubies and emeralds we boarded the van further south. We headed further south and then east 40km into the Cholistan Desert. The desert in this area is not Sahara like but scruby with some 30' dunes. As we neared the camp we say in the distance the Derawar Fort and 400 year old structure of the Abasssi family. Near the fort are some beautiful tombs and and the local village. Of course every pocket of the country has a 10x10 village store with pop, snacks and cigs.Our camp was already setup - Cooking/sleeping tent for the crew. Small tent for the guide. Eating tent and three sleeping tents. We stowed the carrying-on luggage and were shortly served an excellent dinner of soup, roti, meat, desert - excellent cook - very Raj style - it made us feel rather British!!. As our dinner came to an end a camp fire was built and a local trio of villagers with drum and 2 stringed instrument began to sing and dance local Choli and Punjabi song. The boys and I joined in the dance - quite the cultural meld. The desert , the song, the wind. - we will get to the wind later!! The boys in one tent and the girls in another we crashed to sleep. In the morning breakfast was served - Raj style again. In the morning the wind had picked up and , at times, great clouds of sand and dust would fill our teeth with grit. After lunch they had brought 3 fully dressed camels for a desert safari. Aisha did not think she and the camel would do well so she took the picture and passed on the ride. Amir and myself, Khalil and Hanna and our guide Ahmed mounted the 3 camels and headed away from camp towards the dunes. We spend about 3 hours with the camels, first traveling away from camp then continuing in a circle again over the dunes. A got to 'steer' the camels but when we were 'driving' they seemed to take the opportunity to eat the brushes rather then get on with the moving. My butt was sore so I walked ahead back to the camp. Me and the desert looming Derawar Fort coming closer back into view. Sweet!!! After lunch we played cricket with the local Choli. After a rest we took the walk to the tombs and Derawar Fort itself for a history lesson and a drink and a wash on the sand at the Mosque's open well.As evening appoached the wind had returned and and as we were eating dinner a lite rain fell. Our eating tent was slapping well in the gale and Khalil was concerned that it might blow over - 'It's OK Khalil - this is a strong tent' I said, calming him that all was well. Mean while I went to check the tents. The third tent that I had emptied, with the busted zipper had caught the wind and had started to pull from the ground. I shouted back (in the dark) to the crew - who rushed to help be grab the tent as it moved by. We had finished tearing down that tent when a blue flashing light came from the other tent - It was also coming undone. In the meantime the kids had retreated to the van and were witnessing the destruction by wind and man of our camp. After the second sleeping tent had come down the eating tent was at it's last peg. This was hard to dismantle as the gale++ wind and sand pushed west. With all our stuff back in the van and half the camp flattened I had to say that Khalil was correct about the wind. One of the sleeping tents was still standing and suggestions were made about the 6 of us sleep therein. I new that Hanna would have nothing to do with this so we needed a plan B. A local villager would had helped us at camp, Mugkthar, offered that we could sleep at his house. We loader the sleeping pads and bags over top of the distressed children and drove to the village, 2min, His room was a stone floor and walls beautifully decoracted with metal pots and chine teacups. Warm, dry and sprawled with cots for our pleasure. Within 20min all were cozy and warm in bed away from the storm. Breakfast would be served at 4:00 am for our long drive further south tommorrow. Certainly a full featured desert experience!!After we left in the morning we debated the stop in Moenjo Daro. We figured that we were dirty enough and tired enough that we could bypass the ruins - it had also started light rain and we didn't need any more mud. The Pakistani mud and rain had turned the van black with a creasy mud. We determined we would drive straight through to Karachi. 16 hours later and 1 oil change we arrived in Karachi. We brought our dirty faces and bodies into the warmth of our familes home in Karachi. Kids shortly to bed and I and Aisha with hot showers to sooth us t o bed. We will spend the next 2 weeks in Karachi - laying low - going to markets - minor adventured only. We shall see.

Return to Lahore

Tour of Lahore (Mar 5)

Our new guide Ahmed arrives at 8:30 and we are off for a tour of Lahore, at site seeing tour showcasing all the beautiful sites of this city. First stop Lahore Museum – it has some of the oldest artifacts of the Asian subcontinent. Our tour was brief but interesting, of course with the requisite stop at the gift shop for some prints and souvenirs. The Lahore Fort was next, an imposing structure in the center of the city, adjacent to the old walls of the city. A 1600 century Mogul structure for kings and queens with plenty of room to lounge about and be served.

We also stopped at two mosques – beautiful – by chance it was time for prayer and I took the opportunity to do so in a great historic structure. Upon prayer completion the Imam did as our guide about the Islamic-ness of this visitors – But he assured them that we were Muslim and that all was OK. I was dressed in Shalwar Kamees but the boys, in their Gap, looked questionable.
After the last mosque- in the old city – zipped across for fresh Keema Naan fresh from the tandor in the open market – 7 Naan and sodas 250ruppees 5$ - Fresh tasty deal. The days journey allowed us to see many of the British influences building and styles of the city. Before going back out for dinner that evening and on the way home from the Lahore visit we asked the driver to stop and get some kites so we could fly them in Bassant – The famous Lahore Kite festival. After we arrived home we could already see that 100’s of kites already aloft. Actually official Bassant was moved to next week due to GW bush again, but 100’s, maybe 1000’s were already flying. The fun of the Bassant is to try to cut down others kites as the kite string is coated with a fine glass. The practice is somewhat dangerous as you can imagine several 1000 kites and line cris-cros-ing the sky. By the time we had arrived home we already had 3 stray kites on the roof. Rather then take our new ones we laced up the victums – added some tape and put them aloft again. In a few minutes we were aloft and within several more our neighbors had cut us down from their adjacent roof. Cheers from the 10 adults and children on the adjacent roofs. We strung up another stray and were a loft again – this time we were able to cut down a victum. The third kite we flew achieved great height but again able local flyers were able to cut our line and our kite flew to another far away roof top to be flown again. The time ticked closer to dinner and we left for ‘The Village’ a fine local restaurant style after a market. Buffet style service with all the Pakistani specialties that you can eat all prepared fresh in a hot self serve market. Extreme service by the dozens of waiters and supervisors and managers - especially to the white guy. Full from the meal we did however visit ‘Food Street’ – for a look – each night the street is cordoned off and dozens of food vendors ply their wares including street smart restaurant staff you entice you with their menu as they walk by. Too full to eat – of course – we may try this option tomorrow. We head home – tired again for the night.

Washing – Resting (Mar 6)
As tomorrow at 7:00am we leave for a 10-hour drive to the Cholistan desert we need to rest and sleep and wash some clothes. I head off to Mobines office in Lahore to finish blogging and get another several thousand rupees for the trip south from the ATM. I am sure we will not have Internet until Karachi so stay tuned for further recounts as we emerge from the 40degree desert.

North to Nathia Gali

North to Nathia Gali (Mar 2)
It is decided that we should leave Lahore today rather than wait until tomorrow due to the fact that GW Bush is arriving in Islamabad and their may be a general strike in the whole country that may affect travel. I can't see how any force can affect travel, but we take the advice an head for the North. On the motorway north we see villages which range from small brick/wood houses to complexes of brick and wood building interconnected. The motorways have rest stops to allow us to break and snack.


Our first planned stop is at the Salt Mines - a 2000 year old complex, now with tourist facility. Amazing caves of natural salt water and crystal salt. Lick the walls of the slat mines and make a wish. Nice spot. A snack brought from home was enjoyed and we are back on the road.
In Katas we stop a the ruins of a Hindu Temple. More ruins to explore than time allowed.

We pass Rawalpindi and through Islamabad - a beautiful modern-ish city. We stop for an oil change and a 1/2 hours market stop. After ice cream and soda are consumed and and a failed shoe shopping expedition we are off up the hills.

Next we travel further north into the hills of Muree and towards our hotel in Naithia Gali. We have taken the classical Pakistani honk and pass driving model and added sharp hair pin turns and sporadic guard-rail-less areas for a winding assent 8000 ft. I am glued to the windows but the drive of the day has made the other passengers sleep - how can how sleep through this view.

We arrive at the Hotel, not knowing what to expect. The Elite Hotel is, of course, located on a hill side. Several 3 story brick building house 6 large rooms and a common room per floor. Not luxary, but more than excellent on these scales. The temperature of about 8 deg and the building ar not heated. Extra comforters and warm bodies provide warm.

The sun as risen for the day and we are warming up - We will go the main house for breakfast shortly and debate the days trek- higher into the mountain. Nanny and Auntie will probably stay lower, but we will all try to bypass the minor snow and climb another 500m to the top of the highest peak in the area. It is said that on a clear day you can see the summit of Nanga Parbat - a darn high mountain - We will see what we can do - I certainly beats Pakenham - We will ensure to bring the Humm to make our mark in Almonte travel circles.

109-166

Hike in Lower Himalayas

Hike in Lower Himalayas (Mar 3)

Today we awoke to the hillside Azan of the call to pray. The hotel rooms where cold but we were cozy in bed. After breakfast we were off to the Hike. Mt. Mushkapuri, second highest peak in the area. The drive to the hike entrance was brief and continued winding. The prospects for the full summit hike of 2hrs to the top could not be reached due to further snow, however we did get to a nice rest stop with view. We also planted the 2nd official geocache in Pakistan - Cache-Mir. We will see how many global geocacher can find the find. Back to the hotel for lunch.

Today is the general strike in Pakistan in protest of the cartoon and of the visit of GW Bush. Limited road transport is reported in major Pakistani cities and as well in the hills.We are encouraged by our guide to stay off the roads. There are few open shops, just convenience style and we take his advice and spend the afternoon in the hotel just hanging. We watch village kids play cricket on a hillside road - which is challenging since half the hits of the bat make the ball roll down the hill, strategically placed kids solve this problem.
Aisha and her mother have been charmed by 3 local boys who have invited them back to their mud shack. They brought cookies and cups for the family - Nanny went back later and gave the moms, two familes, each 500 rupees. The sun outside is warmer than the rooms which are still heatless - We just called for a heater which is another 300 rupees but since we are slightly unsure of the billing arrangements and the cash on hand we pass on the heater and pull the heavy comforters closer. ATM machines are not a feature of mountain villages. Our supper is pending and the Kids tea fix is also coming. We will have an early sleep today so we can leave by 8:30 back to Islamabad and back to Lahore. Some of the pictures are on the camcorder and are not yet online – too much technology.

Back to Lahore (Mar 4)
As old GW Bush was still lingering in Islamabad they had declared in a ‘Red Zone’ and as such all traffic in and out was restricted so our planned trip to the Al-Fasil Mosque was kyboshed. We took the planned round trip route, however, back around Islamabad via Abbottabad and Taxila were we stopped to bargin for some mortar/pestal pottery. The return trip was long and the kids slept most of the way. We did stop at a large reservoir for a pit stop which did have some nice views. Of course once returning home we freshened up and shuttled off to dinner with family friends for a mega-course meal. The boys were still dogged and slept on the way to dinner, after dinner and on the way back in the car. The tour continues – tomorrow we tour Lahore sites with Guide

Day 2 Lahore

Day 2 Lahore
A day of visiting - another day of driving - the driving is better than a carnival ride. Of course all the relatives that we visit want us to stay or atleast feed us very well. We are all eating quite heartily and having no ill effects. Of course it is still bottled water all around. The ladies went fabric shopping and the boys and I let loose on the market. I made my first Pakistani purchase - 7up - 50 rupees. I am now ready to barter at the market - not!!
Of course everyone stares at the white guy a kids with long hair - too long - but I just brave forward and enjoy the market. I have yet to find something that I really want to buy - but that will come.

That evening I am told we need to go out to the tailor (9:00pm) - ok - I join along in the small car - Aisha/Me/Nanny in the back - Driver in front and grandma with small child in the passenger seat - belts.carseat not required. The tailor is busy so we will return another day - Mean time the suggestion of snack enters and we stop at the tikka stand for a late night takeout snack of roti and tikka (flame broiled savory meat on a stick).