Travel Diaries – Pakistan : Getting Started

This post, as the name suggests, is a backgrounder to GET YOU STARTED. It’s going to be hilarious, though, cause I’m already chuckling with all the wild thoughts bubbling in my head!

From finding the right company, to packing the right things; if you’re going to travel across Pakistan, you cannot not read this post!

• Company Matters!

The crucial most element if you wish to explore Pakistan, or any place in the world, for that matter, is to

Find the Right People! 

This condition is the most essential if you really wish to ‘partaaay’. A fun trip can only come to fruition if you travel with the people you get along with. Many a times, normal/’balanced’ people  lose their normalcy, while on a road trip!

Yes, they turn into zombies, especially when suffering from sleeplessness or hunger pangs!

So it is absolutely important that you KNOW the people you’re travelling with so that you can carry surplus goods for their, you know, NEEDS!

Here is a short list of personality types who are a NO NO for a road trip, especially across Pakistan! 

1) The NEUROTIC (defined as a person who freaks out at the sight of dhabba food; who HAS to have chai (tea) through a straw as the cups are too dirty; whose nose wrinkles up at the slightest of inconveniences (read: bumpy roads and unwashed fruits); the list is endless!)

The neurotics are a big nuisance to the happiness of a crowd! They prefer things in a certain discipline and if events don’t fall as per their accord, they just get upset, bringing down everyone’s spirit. 

However, the good part about the neurotics is that they keep the other team members on their toes! They are a great laughing stock and sometimes cute too!

Keep these types to a minimum in your group. Lets say 1 in 6!

If You’re a Neurotic Reading this Post:

You’ll think you’ll have a kick-ass time on this trip; trust me, you won’t. From bathrooms to food, the road across Pakistan, dear friend, is challenging. Unless you’re willing to brace it up or gracefully live up to the challenges, opt out!

Don’t say I didn’t warn you! You’ll have to travel with the not-so-hygienic friends and will have to share your beddings with your room mates, be prepared or don’t complain!

2) The BRAND FREAK (defined as a person who only sees chips as LAYS, softdrink as PEPSI/COKE, water as NESTLE/AQUAFINA, shoes as NIKE/ADIDAS, coffee as STARBUCKS; you know what I mean, right?) 

These people are of no harm, really. It’s their consumer preference and well, good for them! But when they’re on a trip with you. Oh no no.

Be prepared to stop at random shops just to search for a special brand of drink/tea because the ordinary roadside goodies are an obvious insult to the brand freak’s heightened sense of individualism!

Take a detour, if you must! If you cannot fetch them their superior product, you will witness a monster in the making.

…and ladies and gentlemen, please note that brands in Pakistan are only restricted to the cities (there are also branded stores in Mardan btw), so if you are a brand freak expecting to hog on your favourite peri bites up on those frozen mountains: GET YOUR EXPECTATIONS STRAIGHT!

More personality types to be added in this POST! Keep reading 😀

to be continued 🙂 ❤

Travel Diaries – Pakistan

I seldom pen down my memories on this blog due to time/thought constraints or simply because transforming experiences into words is a taxing ordeal. I regret my lack of blogging skills; one thing I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life. Anyhow, I came back here to record my experiences across Pakistan – my homeland; a country I have explored so often, it is a shame, I am not a tour guide.

The country is beautiful. You’ve read about it; and if you’re as fortunate as I am, witnessed the beauty first hand, many a times. This blog is not about it. So stay rest assured. I am not going to tell you ‘Oh my! So and so was so Ohsome!’, nor will you find me saying ‘You absolutely Have To do Such and Such to feel on cloud 9’. No dearies. This blog post is not about me. It’s about you! I am going to write about how YOU can visit pakistan and the budget you need for it!

It surprises me why we keep on neglecting the beautiful experiences that this country has to offer.

Why Don’t You Travel People? UP NORTH! Doublay Doublay Doublay!

No matter how mainstream that sounds, judge me all you want, I wouldn’t mind this destination, even fora special occasion like a honeymoon! Don’t give me the ‘its unaffordable for many’ excuse, cause it’s not! Travel by bus, by road, by train or by plane! This is one destination that suits all budgets and fantasies.

‘The unsafe-est spot on earth’, you’re thinking, well death is just the next great adventure, ain’t it? And I kid you not, the kind of security and helpfulness that you’ll meet on your way will make you awed by what Pakistanis have to offer.

To elaborate the above point further:

I will give you a detailed cost break up, for everything! From tickets to food to petrol to car rentals to accommodation to all the locations one should stop over!

Pictures will be posted along with this post to keep you visualizing your next vacation!

Safety precautions and all the things you’d need to pack (quite an expert at this, since we packed on a 5 hour notice)

and ALSO, the shopping details and what to buy with tentative prices!

It’s already making me excited but it’s a huge commitment, so I’ll take it slow!

One post at a time, sharing with you the travelogue from Sindh to Punjab and to Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa!

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Please Be Seated and Fasten Your Seat Belts.

Random Reflections

I am but a keera (insect) of my God.

He taught me how to crawl through the ground and climb on those walls and to struggle when ever I fall, only to make me grateful and appreciative of all that I have and all that I cannot.

He made this world as a learning ground so that I can interact, observe and learn to evolve. I am grateful for all the blessings, the hardships, the climbs and the falls.

That renewed motivation to start over, that, is God. That flicker of hope and desire when you feel on top, that, is God. The emotion of failure and loneliness when you fall into dark dungeons and bottomless pits, that, is God. The most private inner thoughts when you speak with the ‘YOU’, are all but a reflection of Him alone.

Listen. Listen to Him speak. It is a beautiful communion.

Give yourself away and let Him take hold of your rocking boat because He is the Master of Destiny, the Master of Stormy Seas and He shall unveil to you the truths of life. They may be beautiful or ugly, bitter or sweet, but you have to learn through them all, the art of evolution – to become a better, stronger, giving, loving Human Being. To improve the lives of those in, and beyond, your circumference of reach. To touch and inspire those lives like an alchemist turns objects into gold.

Allow Him to take you, where you can never imagine to be, highs or lows. Yes, it will feel like you’re ‘giving up’ on life, you will yearn for greater control and you would resist, hesitate and struggle in the beginning, but only those who swim in the flow know the beauty of free waters. It, trust me, is the most elating, powerful feeling. The feeling of falling down to the hands of someone you dearly trust and have faith in.

The moment you learn to give yourself away, is the moment you find the treasures of your self :).

Love, Please, Love.

We are born pure and beautiful. Our souls only know the art of loving and giving. What we simply seek for is sincere love in return and sometimes, not even that, we just give love to feel whole. Just observe a child and you will know that this holds true.

A child, unpolluted by the negativity of the world, is always hungry for love. He makes innocent attempts to get his love recognised and expresses the sea of emotions in ways that simply touch your heart and leave you drenched with ecstasy for a long long time. My ten year old cousin, Shaheer, recently bought a nail paint for me with his own money that he had saved from his meagre daily-school-meal allowances. I have been earning a decent sum of money for quite a few months but not even once did I consider giving any gift to this little lovely cousin of mine and despite the fact that I love him dearly, the thought of doing something for him never crossed my mind.

Not only had he bought the nail paint for me, but he had taken notice of all the colours that I’d had on my dresser so that he could get me the one that I did not have.

I was so touched by his thoughtfulness and the effort that he had put into saving that money and choosing what to give me, that I simply cannot explain. Not only did I feel immensely loved, I also felt immensely embarrassed and ashamed.

It seems and, so have I observed, that in growing up we have stopped being the loving people we would be as children. I still remember doing the smallest of gestures for my older cousins just to get their appreciation and love. I am sure all of you have a memory of an older cousin treating you unfairly or a rude comment of an adult that was too brutal for your heart back then.

In the fear of mistreatment, based on past experiences, we have just stopped being the nice people we innately are. Too scared to be misused, we have shut the healthy emotions off. They have been buried underneath layers of dark soil and we are too scared to unravel them, to feel again, to want again, to love again. Ironically, in protecting ourselves from hurt, we breed a cycle of negativity by limiting people from the love that they should be receiving from us.

Shaheer made me realise how giving without expectations is the best feeling in the world. I still remember his beaming eyes when he handed me my little nail paint and how embarrassed he had felt when I had crushed him into a big beary hug. For a moment I was really scared for him. He is such a beautiful, open hearted, loving boy and I am scared his love will be misused but I keep telling myself that love has a power of its own. It doesn’t need to be protected. It needs to be tested and tried and only once you learn to love without the fear of getting hurt, do you really conquer the art of love. He needs to go through it too and I hope with the right guidance and encouragement, he will never stop loving unconditionally.

P.s. Always keep on doing the tiny, littlest of things for the people you love. You do not need to be bound by an occasion or a date. Any tiny thoughtful gesture can really make someone’s day and can be cherished for life :). Think of someone you love the most and just do something sweet and meaningful.

I still remember a game I would play with my siblings when we were in the age group of 10-15. We would stay up all night and clean the house to give our mum a surprise in the morning. From sweeping and mopping, to washing dishes and cleaning bathrooms, we would clean up everything. We would then tie a ribbon outside her room, with a pair of scissors and a love letter placed on a side table, so that she could cut the ribbon and feel like she was entering into a new house. She would always be delighted and we would love to see her cut the ribbon. Somewhere in growing up and getting busy we stopped playing that game at all. With too much domestic help, the activity started to seem meaningless. Now, however, I think otherwise :). The purpose was never to clean, it was to make my mum feel that we cared for her and I am definitely going to do something similar for her, just like them old times :).

To my dearest Shaheer, you made me feel again. Love you for teaching me such a powerful lesson, for giving me the courage to love and for being such a caring little brother. This will be remembered forever :).

Making peace with the skies.

Making peace with the skies..

In Search of God

Everybody has a clear view of religion. For me, I am still in search of my God. To me, he dwells amongst people. Amongst the simple things in life. God is found in pure love. Love for people, air, water, trees, bees, plants, sunsets…all the simple things that surround us and remind us everyday of the beauty of God. The love so deeply rooted in our hearts, that it takes a lifetime to explore it’s true potential and worth. I am seeking for my God and I know He is seeking my devotion :). I hope to meet him soon. The poem’s on my quest. 🙂

Not in a Mosque, Not in a Church,
Nor in a temple did I search,
I was looking for the signs of Divine,
Yet I did not visit a synagogue or a shrine.

For Love is God, and God is Love,
Essential for life, a treasure trove.
Found only by a fortunate few,
A perspective on life, a mystic view.

You come across those who claim,
To be in possession of a lover’s flame.
They use their ‘torch’ to convert others
Calling themselves as true followers.

No torch, no flame can brand one’s heart,
Unless the journey, a seeker starts.
The journey of awakenings, deep and clear
Where dwells purity, neither cruelty nor fear.

Little Shots of Poetry

Self Love In Measured Amounts:

Defines one’s character in untold accounts.

When wary of people and their deceits,

One can only turn inwards for a feast.

Beast, a barren or a Priest of Gold

The only friend is the self you hold.

Some may shine in an imposed glory,

Others may revel at their silent victory.

We are all but one, in an each individual;

Strong yet weak, firm yet fickle.

People, like atoms, come bubbling with energy,

Be the neutron of you, charged with positivity.

My Skies hear My Stories:)

I wander in the dark streets

Lost to my own soul.

I seek for inner peace,

Within my realms, yet I find no ease.

Tangled in past beliefs, in an attempt to pave newer roads, I find myself so lost. I do not know where I belong. All I see around is a ‘them’ and ‘their’s’, but there’s no sense of ‘me’ or ‘mine’.

She lifted her head up to the night sky, where tiny dots sparkled in the distance. Inhaling the dry autumn air, she wrapped her arms around herself; such a futile effort to feel secure in her own embrace.

It was a small apartment, where she dwelt alone on her loneliness. She was a contented woman, fully assured of her worth, her capabilities and the wonderful possibilities the world held for a woman like her. Yet, on nights like these, she would make love to the skies. She’d sit gazing out into the open terrace, in an attempt to get absorbed into the open void. Like a piece of long forgotten furniture in the house or like an old untouched favourite bestseller in a book case, she wanted to become absorbed into her life. All she wanted was a camouflage, somewhere she would fit, completely. Where she would ‘belong’, without force or coercion, without the pressure of ‘conformity’, she would simply complete the picture and the picture would complete her.

The skies gave no such promises, ever. They did, however, hear her out. They’d be the silent companions on such lonely nights, where she would be thankful for communicating to them without words. She’d gaze at the stars and the dark expanse and know instantly that they were listening. How could they not? When all the souls were but One? The sky, the star, the crisp autumn breeze, all were a part of her, and she a part of them.

Her thoughts often amused her. Sometimes she felt like this world was just a momentary stop over. Or perhaps, it was the lack of affiliation that made her feel so. Whatever the reason, she was firm on finding a cause to belong to. She knew it would strike her out of nowhere, claiming all her attention, focus, love and energy. That is how she had lived life so far. Everything had a purpose, a rationality, an end, an outcome.

Now, she longed to give herself away to the seas of the unknown. She wanted to be possessed. Obsessed. She wanted to lose herself in an attempt to be found.

She’s still in search.

The PTI Jalsa – The Wave of Pariotism

The Jalsa of 25th December 2011 was nothing but amazing, it had everything a Jalsa should have, drama, emotion, passion and rhetorics. It gathered huge numbers of people from all walks of life and made them stand shoulder to shoulder on a common platform for a common reason: Pakistan’s Future. With patriotic Pakistani songs and Red and Green PTI flags, it was impressive to know that the PTI marketing department was quite successful in grabbing attention. But, and there is a big BUT to that, would it be right to call it successful?

The supporters of PTI do not support PTI because of its mandate…Unfortunately they do not even know what their mandate is. If they know the mandate, then they don’t know how the same is going to be achieved.

Moreover, many people claim that they support Imran Khan, the President of PTI, because he is better than everybody else, hence, he should be given a chance. I completely agree, however, I also believe that we should be realistic and practical. While I will be voting for him as well, I do not attach false hopes to him and his party. We have to realize that unless we change as a nation, no Imran Khan or any Khan for that matter can bring a change.

Also, I would like to ask PTI members and supporters the following questions:

1) How does ‘Immi Bhai’ plan to educate people when so many tribes are against education.

2) What is Immi Bhai going to do against the landlords and how exactly is he going to provide the farmers with free seed/fertilizer etc without their landowners discretion? Btw, his own party includes some renowned landowners.

3) How exactly is Immi K going to deal with the Taliban/American Crisis? Umm…or is he just pretending this issue doesn’t exist?

4) Balochis, yes we should be apologetic towards them, agreed. But exactly how is he going to execute his policies with all the hegemony created by the Balochi leaders? If you are going to eliminate corruption, within or after 90 days, how exactly are you going to deal with the coalition leaders who are oh-so-corrupt?

For now, an answer to the above four questions would be more than enough. Worry not there are many more questions I would want you to answer for me.

Once convinced, I’ll promote PTI myself as I am not an impulsive, emotionally bound follower. I’ll embrace a concept, an ideology only if it is rationally worked out and expressed.

I still strongly believe, stop attaching your dreams with somebody else’s. Imran Khan can only change his own destiny not yours. If you really want to see change, start creating it instead of blindly following somebody else’s ideology of change.