http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Pakistan en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:12:11 BST Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:12:11 BST Back in India for the last time for a while anyway. You know it's an Indian train your on when someone pathetically bangs a drum waves a model cobra at you and wants money someone else goes up and down the train selling only combs all day polyester slacks are the height of fashion there aren't nearly enough seats for all the men are intimatley embracing each other.On to Calcutta or Kolkott http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-300935.html So after trekking over the Pakora Pass we spent about 4 days living with a family from Pakora recovering from the rigours of walking.Unfortunately that meant that only 7 days were left until the polo tournament started. The idea of walking all the way to Shandur therefore went out of the window and was instead replaced with well let's just see how far we get and then get on a bus when we run http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-298715.html So sitting in Karimabad it's easy to start dreaming about the world of adventures that awaits in Pakistan. Getting off your arse to actually do them is however a different story. K'bad is just such a nice place and the people are so great that you just never want to leave.Nonetheless over an evening of Hunza Water the local alcohol of choice made from Mulberries and locally picked medicinal http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-298674.html AsiagtgtChinagtgtGuangyuan PassAsiagtgtChinagtgtWuduAsiagtgtChinagtgtLinxiaAsiagtgtChinagtgtXiaheAsiagtgtChinagtgtTakkarAsiagtgtChinagtgtJiayuguanAsiagtgtChinagtgtKashgarAsiagtgtPakistangtgtKashmirgtgtPasuAsiagtgtPakistangtgtKashmirgtgtKarakoramAsiagtgtPakistangtgtDera Ghazi KhanAsiagtgtPakistangtgtQuet http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Quetta/blog-296426.html pakistan was not a country that we planned to visit on this trip. it was merely a path we decided to take enroute to india. all in all this trip was to take in the spectacular karakoram highway. however the very postive introduction we had from Naz our pakistani saviour we decided to stay abit longer and check out the sights of pakistan. soon enough we realised that most pakistanis had a hea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-288325.html apologies for the muted silence the last few wks. for the uninformed ive long left china hmm abt a mth ago or smth. since then ive traversed pakistani sovereign territory and now am in india. in pakistan theres a nationwide power shortage and internet there is dialup so thats abt as potent a concoction you'd need to really get wired. pakistan....is truly beautiful. nothing like how the media w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Gilgit/blog-288323.html So luckily I managed to secure a 3 month visa extension which means I can now stay here until early September.Pakistan continues to be a fantastic place to visit. Not just the mountains and scenery but more the people and the culture.An exampleLast week I made the 4 hour round trip to Gilgit to get my visa extension. In most countries I have been to such a day would be a complete waste of time http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-286024.html Here's a load more photos http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Lahore/blog-284393.html MONDAY 2nd June.At 1700 we left Amritsar for Wagha to observe the Ceremony of the Border Closure. Just before the Indian and Pakistani Armies conduct this amazing spectacle of national pride the squads of soldiers parade up and down with much posturing and sillywalks whilst the audiences on both sides shout encouragement. On the Indian side the Sergeant Major shouts Hindustan and the aud http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Lahore/blog-284368.html Lahore Pakistan Photos http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Punjab/Lahore/blog-284106.html Thursday 5 JuneVentured out in my salwarkameez. Certainly a lot cooler but it is still hot in the 40'sC. Visited a few more bazaars. The roads were very busy as some routes were closed for some reason possibly visiting VIP's other than usI'm just going for a dip in the pool but I will try to get to the business centre later to upload some photos. It started to rain shortly after I got to the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Punjab/Lahore/blog-284003.html Tuesday 3 JuneCrossed over from India to Pakistan at Wagha. It looks quite different this morning so quiet without the crowds. It is a bit of a palaver getting passports checked filling out departure forms going through customs before walking across the border to get passports checked again go through customs etc. At least there were no queues. We were driven to our hotel in Lahore The Pearl http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Lahore/blog-283643.html Hello againDespite what they might have you believe internet access in Pakistan aint that difficult to arrange. So expect blogs aplentyAnyway god what a few days I've had. From Minapin backpacker central to Passu probably the first place that most people rest in Pakistan after entering the country from China and heading down the Karakoram Highway. Billed in the guidebook as the place to go http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/blog-283616.html Hi everyone.Itrsquos been a veryy long since Irsquove updated this blog last. Sorry for thathellip Irsquoll try to be better with it in the futureCurrently Irsquom on the plane from Islamabad to Bangkok. From where Irsquoll continue on to Sydney and Adelaide will be home between 21st and 29th of May and trying to somehow put a blog togetherhellip Some of the text has been written http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Azad-Kashmir/blog-279558.html Pakistan Zindabad Long live Pakistan we all chanted as the Pakistani border guards marched back and forth swinging their feet up to touch their hats and then stamping them down with a loud slap on the pavement all the while glaring at their Indian counterparts on the other side of the border gate. These guys are picked for their height and strength and look very intimidating marching around pu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Lahore/blog-279512.html So the film crew that was in town organised a night of traditional Hunza dancing in order that they could film it for their documentary. All the westerners in town were invited as guests. The sword dancing was particularly cool. All sounds fine. Until that part of the evening when they ask the tourists to dance. Now I know that only a few of you have actually seen me dance but I'm sure the rest http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Minapin/blog-278855.html So today I went for my first proper trek in Pakistan an 8 hour trip up to 3200 metres to be surrounded by some of the most majestic and magnificent mountain scenery I have ever seen. The guidebook calls it easy. Whether it was the heat the lack of water the lack of acclimatisation or the fact that I'm still fat and unfit who knows. But anyway I didn't find it easy. over 750 metres of vertical http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Northern-Areas/Karimabad/blog-278345.html Hi everyoneHope all of yoursquore doing well. This time itrsquos just a short update and some pictures. Irsquove managed to catch a flue and currently am spending my time in bed in Muzaffarabad feeling miserable and bored out of my mindhellip I hate being sick Few days ago I came ldquoback to civilizationrdquo after spending 10 days up in the valley. In a small town called Kel http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Azad-Kashmir/Neelum-Valley/blog-264280.html Seagulls and bare midriffs.Irsquove made many mistakes in my life.The latest one was based on the assumption that the weather in Holland and England would be mild since the temperature was going up in Pakistan. That proved to be a wrong assumption.When in September 2006 we started our trip towards the East in the revamped Land Rover we left behind our ldquoEuropeanrdquo camper the Renault http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Islamabad/blog-261873.html Hi everyone itrsquos been almost 3 weeks since Irsquove arrived to Kashmir. And the longer Irsquom here the more I like ithellip The country the people the culture the food the challenge the whole experiencehellip My Achievements by now Learning to eat with my hand without getting souses to run down all the way to my elbow Remembering to switch on the Hot water Gazer before I g http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Azad-Kashmir/Muzaffarabad/blog-258637.html Hi everyone for those who in connection with the resent events in Pakistan are worried about me for the time being the area where I'm hasn't been touched by the wave of violence. So I'm safe and sound... I've had a good working week. And today though initially we wanted to go for a walk we had to cancel it. Because the temperature rised to about 25 degrees C. So walking up and down the hill http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/blog-256257.html I moved out of my last guest house this morning because their dogs on the property bark a lot at night several people at breakfest complained about this. The hosts were good about it they even found me a new place about a mile away much better a remote tv ac quiet. Went to the mall again to purchase a phone card left for another game drive at a local place about 20 miles north of the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/blog-256127.html Hi everyone just a very short update As you see I finaly reached Pakistan. Currently I'm still in Muzaffarabad where the organization has got their main office.I'm glad that I overcame my initial fear about coming to the country. People whom I've encountered over here are very friendly And Muzaffarabad itself is quite a relaxed place...Here are some photos from my exploration walk on Sat http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/blog-254985.html February 24 IslamabadItrsquos after the elections and after the results have been published. Only 30 to 40 took part and scores of women were prevented from voting although that is their constitutional right. It seems that in other parts of the country not everything went as peacefully as it did here but even with that as a consideration it all went a lot less problematic than expected. Of http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/Islamabad/blog-249154.html