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Published: February 12th 2023
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So how does the prospect of spending 15 nights in Pakistan sound in the overall scheme of things? To this mindset, it appeared easy enough to work itself into the mix, even if the pre-departure visa requirement proved to be a slightly discouraging factor. In any event, the first node on this route happened to be the hillside town of Gilgit which involved a scenic flight to end all others from Islamabad airport. Memories of just less than one full day spent in Gilgit were rendered immortal by being a spectator at a local polo match, a sport which the Pakistanis appear to take incredibly seriously. The next day involved an epic drive from Gilgit to the town of Skardu along roads of varying quality, where the scenic view along the way remained constantly impressive and even touched upon the life-affirming at times. Arrival in Skardu was greeted with a pre-booked hotel which turned out to be a complete dud, so was quickly switched to a place more habitable, and destined to be the base for 3 nights. The hiring of a car plus driver for the following day was an inspired choice, as the landscape revealed its teeth even more
majestically, and the variety of tourist options along the way proves that this was a travel experience unlike so very many others. A visit to Shiga fortress completed the set, but since a brief spell of illness put paid to a second successive day with a driver, it was seen as a necessity to pick up in time for the morning flight to Islamabad, the nation's capital city. Islamabad is clearly the most planned city in the whole nation, and is divided into various sectors, proving that city planning was taken really seriously here. For my money though, it felt a lot like it was an ordinary-looking crown with two gleaming jewels encrusted into it, namely the huge and imposing Faisal mosque, and the photogenic Pakistan national monument, both of which warranted a visit for the experiences they yielded. A half-day trip to neighbouring Rawalpindi proved to be a commercial extension of Islamabad, and some evidence that Islamabad's Centaurus mall is easily the most upscale shopping spot in the entire area. Next on the route was the eagerly-anticipated cultural capital city of Lahore, and the expectation here was that the best of urban Pakistan would reveal itself in all its
elemental glory. Thankfully, it did not disappoint, and the cultural aspects shone through like none other, from the tower Minar E Pakistan to the ravishing splendour of Badshahi Mosque, and the vast expanse of Lahore fort, all sewn together by some urban fabric which suggested that this was indeed Pakistan's definitive sightseeing city. A visit to an outlying water park, Sozo, was a refreshing episode to combat the searing heat, and a day spent at Shalimar Gardens rounded off with a sundowner at a rooftop restaurant at the end of Food Street with 'impossibly perfect' evening views of the cultural and iconic landmarks made me realize that Karachi, up next, didn't need to offer anything of any note whatsoever to still be able to class Pakistan as a great travel experience. Karachi is the nation's largest urban zone, and comes across as something of a conundrum, with places of striking beauty nestling alongside urban decay, the sum total of its parts making for the kind of experience which real travellers usually tend to revel in. My overall verdict put the sheer splendour of Mohatta palace at the top of the tree, even though this majestic building was closed to the
public on the day of visiting, and the option of seeing if the interior was a match for the outstanding exterior was off the cards. A flash tour of the rest of Karachi's highlights was worked into the equation, and the national museum, Clifton Beach, the Maritime museum and more besides were ticked off the list, for the overall verdict to be reached that Karachi had plenty of key reference points to qualify it as a fitting way to round off a 15-night stay in Pakistan. On the whole then, the trip was destined to completely scotch the myth that this nation is riddled with hazards and political instability, but in actual fact, being in amongst a highly hospitable society gave a wholly different impression, which suggested that the trip by now had taken shape, and was on its way to galvanizing into an episode characterized by lucky discoveries, terrific visuals and the chance to come across people in society which would totally turn perceptions around as per how their nation is portrayed in the media. For the money invested in the whole episode, I was having rewards thrown my way in abundance - lucky me!
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