Islamabad - Gateway to the North

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Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan and is a 90 minute airplane ride north of Karachi. It is a new city and was conceived and designed as the capital in the 1960's. Before this the capital was Karachi. Karachi remains the business and commercial center. Interesting to note that "abad" means settlement or gathering place. Many towns and villages in Paksitan end with abad! I had the opportunity to explore Islamabad on the afternoon of the 28th. A guide and driver from the hotel were provided. Islamabad is a very green city with many parks. Quite the contrast to Karachi. The Faisal Mosque is a distinctive landmark and I had the opportunity to offer a prayer barefoot in the women's section. To my surprise the marble floors were hot in the sunshine -- I always thought marble was cool to the touch!!! Transport vehicles seem to be defining my journey these days. I am quite taken with the smaller decorated buses called Suzukis found in Islamabad -- you got it because they are the make Suzuki! Islamabad is also the gateway to the Northern Regions. We had two plans to get me to Gilgit. The first was to fly -- one hour flight. But if the weather was not good -- plans to drive were in place -- 12 hours! In fact Mir the driver collected me at the hotel at 7 am, deposited me at the airport and waited to get the confirmation that the plane arrived safely in Gilgit. Frequently the planes take off and are then turned around. So Mir would be waiting for me if this was the case and then we would drive to Gilgit. Fortunately the force was with me and the plane was flying and landing the morning of the 29th. Mind you the adventurer in me was intrigued with the 12 hour journey on steep mountain roads...maybe we would arrange for me to drive on my journey back!

A young lad delivered my airplane ticket to the hotel the evening of the 28th and informed me that I would be travelling in a Pakistani Airforce Plane. Some of you may recall that I have a fondness for pilots especially military pilots. Needless to say I was very excited about this impending adventure! Now the question was "what kind of plane?"

Can you say a Hercules C-130?!!! Quite the experience! Apparently Pakistan International Airlines (the domestic carrier) -- PIA for short, had been flying Faulkners (not sure I have this name right) into the region but due to a fatal crash several months back they grounded these planes and have made arrangements with the Pakistan Airforce to fly into the North. Safety first! And much appreciated!

Again quite the experience of contrasts! Picture this: lovely air hostesses working the military aircraft equiped with 80 red mesh jumpseats and wires hanging everywhere! The hostesses even provide you with a lunch box and a newspaper -- though it is extremely difficult to read for the lack of light -- no arm rest console here to turn the light on! There are also weird noises and bangs. I watched the airforce personnel to see if they were disturbed by any of them....figuring if they weren't worried - neither should I.

And safely we did land an hour later -- one of the smoothest landings I've ever experienced! We disembarked and what a view! We were in the heart of a mountain valley and did I ever feel at home. The landscape so reminded me of the Canadian rockies. For the first time in the past 3 months I missed my home land!

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Photos

Islamabad
..the green city!