OzBus 14

Border crossing today leaving Pakistan.  As Amjad taught us when first entering Pakistan, the song ‘Jeeway, Jeeway Pakistan’ meant ‘Long life’, a song that we all had no issues singing when leaving the country.  We drive to the border, where a few days before we’d seen the ceremony of taking down the flags.  As with every border crossing on the trip so far, the process is long and arduous.  The weather has been progressively increasing in temperature since Turkey, making the border crossing that much longer.  After 1 hour of having passports checked, bags randomly searched and many forms filled out, we finally reach Indian soil!

Sandeep is our guide for the next couple of days, sent from the tour operator looking after us while in India.  Our bus was the biggest so far on the trip, with space for us to literally run around (or at least lay across a row of seats each).  The drive from the border was short and the hotel was “traditional” (looking like it was last renovated in the 30’s).  As usual, nothing to write home about.  A lunch stop after the baggage drop, and our first taste of the renown Indian culinary delights.  I opted for egg biriyani, which was very cheap and very tasty.

After lunch, we paid a visit to the Golden Temple, the Sikh equivalent of Mecca.  By the time we arrive, it is late afternoon and the sun is in the process of setting.  Because of the timing, we sit outside the temple and wait for both the sun to go down and the lights to come up.  The sight itself feels holy, sacred.  More than peaceful, I felt I could spend the whole day there staring and simply being, without a care in the world.  I wouldn’t be able to put my finger on what time of the day is preferable to see the temple, as the building itself has a special magic around it both during the day and at night.  Another highly recommended sight to visit.

On the way back, some of us decide to try and find some alcohol.  We find some rum and also a bar to have a few beers.  After the pub, some of us have a small rum party in Leader’s room, ending our first night in India on a drunken high.

A rest day for us all as we are free till 4pm when Amjad has organised that we all go shopping.  Due to security issues, simply walking out of the hotel was an almost impossible feat.  A lie in was in order!  Considering our hectic schedule so far, a few hours stuck inside the hotel seem to go backwards.  It didn’t help that half of the day was missing power – due to the increased level of electrical output the city has seen over the last few years, power plants cannot meet the demand and, because of this, there would be periodic power outages.  The backup generator was on task, but couldn’t power the whole hotel.  A nuisance or entertainment, you decide.  Eventually, after faffing around and eating lots of room service, we head out to the shops!

The market square was not large, diverse nor pretty, but it did provide the essentials.  A couple of hours out and we head back to the hotel.

After getting back, Wayne, Anne and I head out to a restaurant recommended by the hotel manager.  The manager also kindly chauffeurs us to the place.  Sarhad Restaurant, five minute drive from the hotel serves traditional Pakistani cuisine.  The restaurant itself is quintessentially traditional; hammock like seats, local families with kids running and playing and a butcher located near the entrance preparing the cuts of meat used in the dishes – amazing.  Food is nice, but the atmosphere was something more than the food could ever offer for the traveller.  The rest of the night would be filled with beer and football.  High spirits as tomorrow is the beginning of a new country – India!

Tourism day.  1st port of call: Lahore Fort and Mosque.  Peter, our guide for the sites, was a friendly character crammed with facts.  He was interesting, but the land stole the show. Both the Fort and the Mosque were built on an area covering over 40 acres, designed by the very clever Mongols people a few centuries ago.  Very impressive in both size and architectural achievements, especially the way in which they amplify sound, but I won’t give anything away.  We also visit a local museum, but nothing to declare (or at least worthy of declaring).  Some felt that the culture was an overload of the senses, so we head over to Subway for lunch.

After lunch, Amjad takes us to see the border ceremony; the taking down of the flags at the Indian/Pakistani border post.  Amjad uses his connections to organise seats by the border, right up close and personal with the parading soldiers.  It’s a loud, colourful, eccentric display of militant pride and strict tradition, all with a background lit by the setting sun.  A great experience all round, summing up Pakistan for many of us.

We were left to our own devices for dinner that night and many opt for Domino’s across the street.  I decide to have a beer with some of the guys and order room service.  As boring as it sounds, it was a welcome break from the constant moving and seeking for a restaurant.

The capital is our last stop and will be the place where we spend longest; a total of 3 nights. Moving from Multan to Lahore also meant that we progress from the Sindh province to the Punjab province – the wealthier side of Pakistan. As you travel into the new province, you can see the wealth within the landscape increase and it’s rather surreal. Again, the bus journey isn’t long, so I mainly focused on the sights and sounds of the road and surroundings. Other than the occasional security escort changeover and essential pit stop, the journey was steady and smooth.

Our hotel looks far from what is expected; entrance hidden behind a derelict shop front and no clear signs with a huge generator before the door. Despite the looks, it was our home for the next 3 days. This was a good thing, as we were basically placed on house arrest for the duration of our time in the capital (security elements escalated seeing as we were in the centre).

Lana had organised with Amjad for the girls to have Henna tattoos once we arrived at the hotel. If you’ve never had (or heard) of these types of tattoos, they’re basically a temporary, traditional tattoo that is painted on with a special ink. This lasts for up to 4 weeks, with natural fading occurring within that period. The girls had traditional patterns done on their arms and feet (and one girl had it done on her back), but had to wait a couple of hours before being able to move to give the ink time to settle. Once settled and washed off, we all head out to dinner.

Salt n’ Pepper Village is a very fancy (compared to recent activity) and pricey buffet restaurant, filled with live music, pro-active service and a great atmosphere. The cuisine is a mix of Pakistani, Indian and oriental, all cooked on the spot right in front of your hungry eyes. Simply put, the restaurant, the food and the service were excellent and highly recommended! At the hotel I had a few beers before calling it a night.

A long drive but not such an early start as there aren’t any cities or towns to go through.

It does also mean that there aren’t many interesting places to stop at.  Most of the amusement came from the passengers, with the occasional cameo from our tour guide.  If there is one thing worthy of mentioning about Pakistan, it’s the guide.  Amjad was helpful, sociable, relaxed and professional.  What more could you ask for?As insignificant as it sounds, seating arrangements had changed, so the bus felt a little more sociable.  The change meant the hours went by quicker.  Before we knew it, we’d arrived at the hotel.  Story doesn’t change much here by this point; bags in, group out.

For dinner, you’re better off reading my last dinner comments from Sukkur, as not much has changed since.  For those who are observant, this section of the journey hasn’t involved many excursions or activities.  Just travel.  A recurring theme as you will find out later.

Pakistan is a wonderful country, but it does tend to feel repetitive for the 3 month overland traveller.  That is, till you get to our last destination.

A long drive is in store for us today, making for an early start. There is a chance for us to see one of the royal excavations and another mosque before getting into Sukkur. On the way to the excavation, we have the chance to try riding on top of the bus. Getting on the roof was amusing in itself, but the experience of being on top of the bus is unexplainable and indescribable. Yet another 1st for me.

If you ever decide to do a trip like this, be sure you do not mind photos of you sleeping being taken, as it was something accustomed to the males within the group. Just a warning.

The excavations prove to be quite bland, but the attention gained from some local school groups makes the whole experience a memorable one. I say group, it was more like a mob. Regardless of their size, their enthusiasm was the main attraction and what was won us all over. Great photos had by all. The mosque was equally unexciting and was also our stop for lunch.

Dusk hits as we get to our hotel for the night. Dinner is, obviously, at the hotel. A traditional buffet with a set price and a projector at the foot of the table as entertainment. The food is nothing special, so instead I opt for a few beers (a theme of recent times) and a light chat, ending our night.

We head out of Karachi with high hopes for what’s to come. Today is the first time we meet our ever changing police escorts, something that we become accustom to (eventually). Unfortunately one of the group had left their passport under their pillow at the hotel, halting us for a good hour or so as the hotel staff tried to get the passport back to us. All was in order once the man on a motorbike came to save the day. Goes without saying that it was the first and last time anyone ever forgot their passport on the trip.

Our first pit stop is a petrol station, nothing out of the ordinary really. However, Amjad invites us to have some tea at the truck stop opposite while we wait in order to get out of the midday heat. The stop is minimal; wooden tables low from the ground covered with rugs in order for us to sit, flies inhabiting most of the area and a few locals staring in a manner now common place for us all. So far, throughout Pakistan, we have seen trucks colourfully and lovingly designed by their owners. At the stop, we manage to see one of these up close and, thanks to the exuberance of some of the girls in the group, manage to get in and have a few pictures taken with the truck. Throughout our journey so far we have seen these trucks transporting loads that dwarf it’s carrier both in height and in width, covering the road and what can only be described as a mushroom shaped atomic cloud type obstacle. You’d have to see it to believe it.

Moving on from our tea stop, Amjad takes us to a burial ground designed for royalty and their servants. A vast land covered with tombstones and erected buildings made of sand coloured bricks. Amongst the buildings and occasional weed plant life, we stumbled across a snake charmer giving us a show. From there, we went to a small town for lunch and onto yet another mosque. I was unfortunate enough to be wearing shorts, so I wasn’t allowed in the mosque, but I felt my current level of expertise in the field needed no further expanding. Our next stop was a small lake where, much to the delight of some of the group, we can take a quick dip. The girls decide to take advantage, but due to locals being a bit too eagle eyed, the girls had to bathe borderline fully clothed. If you hadn’t have guessed by now, Pakistan is so far the best country to travel in as our guide is fully aware that the bus journey is not a simple A-B trip, but more a series of enjoyable stops breaking up what would normally be a monotonous chore.

As we head towards our next night stop, there are a few things notable from Pakistani as a whole; it’s crazy traffic and it’s charming locals. The traffic is tame compared to what we had seen in Iran, but that doesn’t mean it deserves any less credit for it’s lack of organisation and manic nature. The locals just seemed to love life in general, personified more so in the local children swimming (naked) in what could only be described as an overgrown puddle. Hotel is standard and, as common trends have shown, nothing to write home about. So far, Pakistan is a winner.

5am start, straight to the airport. Long check in process before our flight, the usual immigration procedure and a 3 hour flight all to be able to say “welcome to Pakistan”. The airport in Pakistan is nothing spectacular and doesn’t really reflect what the country has to offer, but at the time we only wanted to get away from Iran. There were many things that hit (or more like slap) us once we left the airport arrival terminal; the extreme heat surrounding us, the immense sun blinding us and our guide, Amjad, greeting us. He was very happy to see us and got off to a good start, proclaiming that the head scarf’s would no longer be needed (much to the female population of the group’s delight). All of which was a welcome change to us all.

The bus is a step backwards from the size and presence of previous, but had a charm about it that further added to our jubilation of being in Pakistan. Our first stop now in Pakistan was a temple (something that had started to wear thin on us). The sun obviously helped in viewing the building and Amjad managed to get a show for us of a changing of the guard type ritual within the temple (looking like something coming from the Ministry of Funny Walks). While heading to the hotel, we’re told we can head to the beach for a horse or camel ride and a walk around before eating dinner in “the best restaurant in Karachi”. I opt for the camel ride and a walk along the beach at sunset. The camel ride is bumpy to say the least and wasn’t over as quickly as I needed it to be. The beach itself was dark and had the local sewage system flowing through it, leaving a rather unpleasant smell lingering as you walk along it. The sunset couldn’t redeem the dirty looking beach, but you do start to get the sense that you’re miles away from home.

The restaurant is four floors high, with a rooftop seating area where we decide to dine. Our first taste of Pakistan is a positive one, with an interesting array of food laid out for us to delve into. As well as diverse, the food is very tasty and filling. Even the vegetarian within the group seemed happy with what looked at first like a predominately meat orientated menu. At the hotel, we have some organised beers from Amjad (beer being difficult to get in the country) to celebrate our entry to what is turning out to be the best country yet. Beer is terrible, but a welcome change from our week without in Iran.

Mustafa lives in Esfahan, so for the final city hop we have a new driver and coach (though the same as previous). Tehran is our destination as our flight to Pakistan leaves from the capital city. Much to our relief, we check in back to the first hotel we stayed in. The many cultural sights and sounds catch up and I decide to have a relaxing read in the hotel room.

A few hours pass by till the girls decide to give us a call. Many prank calls later, they pay me and Andrea a visit. We decide to hang out in their room as it was larger than ours.

Conversation isn’t very in-depth but doesn’t really need to be when socialising. They had passed a place while out where they sold hot dogs for 20,000 (or $2), so we send them with our money to buy our cheap and cheerful dinner. Room service ice cream tops off our lazy dinner and I head to bed. Tomorrow is an early morning flight heading into our 10th country on tour – Pakistan.

Hassan provides a guided tour in the morning for those who want to see the city, but some decide to opt out and stay behind. Liam and I decide to head out together and explore the wonderful city. After breakfast, we go in search of the famous square. However, the maps provided didn’t show where this square was, so we head for the main Bazaar instead. Now we finally start to see the Iran everyone has the mental image of; slightly dusty and sandy looking buildings with rags draped throughout the corridors of shops, sunlight creeping though ragged holes shaped in the bazaar ceiling, a barrage of sound varying from clanging of cutlery, voices fighting to be heard and motorbikes threading their way though an already narrow walkway, the smell of bike fumes, herbs and spices and the natural smell of a crowd – all of which is on a backdrop of colour only seen in markets. Funny enough, as we walk in awe of the gem we’ve unexpectedly found, in the middle of all of this wonder was the square we were originally looking for! In a moment of ‘heading toward the light at the end of the tunnel’, the square (and all of it’s religious buildings) was revealed in a wash of sunshine, making the unintended discovery all the more jaw dropping (and slightly amusing). While taking pictures of everything, we approach a couple sitting down and enjoying the sun. After some talking and food sharing, he decides to share to us that he is actually a “doctor of God”, performing the work that the lord requires and helping those less fortunately and who have been let down by modern medicine. His guarantee? Give him one month with someone in need, even those terminal, and he will cure them of anything not curable by those “modern doctors”. It would involve absolute abstinence, following a strict regime dictated by the good doctor himself and involving things that he couldn’t disclose to me (obviously). Surreal to say the least, but definitely a good story to explain to friends. We decide to depart and collect leader for lunch.

Wayne joins us as we walk down the river to see some more bridges. More photos are taken till we head back to the hotel for a second time. We kill some time at the hotel, resting our feet and just hanging out till dinner time. Italian food at the hotel isn’t anything to shout about, but is good enough to feed hungry eyes. A risotto is a welcome change from the Iranian speciality of kebab! Ice cream nightcap as we rest before tomorrow heading back the way we came.

We have what is undoubtedly the tour’s best breakfast before seeing another museum. 6 hour drive ahead of us would, to the normal pedestrian, sound like a long journey, but is somewhat of a norm for us now. We stop for lunch and the 1st taste of western comfort; burger and chips!

As we pull into Esfahan, the city starts to look like Zanjan; one long high street with very little variance. The hotel, 4-star Ali Qapu, is similar to our last and just as centrally located. Handy as we plan on staying in the city for two nights.

After our usual bag drop stop we regroup and head towards the river to catch the sunset. From there we break off and the girls go for ice cream. Sweetcorn is popular in the city, sold in the street by vendors and mixed with various sauces and broken crisps. The walk and river is scenic and peaceful at sunset, but it’s the start of the Iranians looking to express their feelings and improve their English. Crowds of people, attracted by the fair skin and bright eyes of the group, watch and stare as we walk by – rather intimidating for us all, especially for the females among the group. Night falls and we all head back as Hassan has promised us a special trip to see a friend.

8pm we are all in the lobby, waiting to see where Hassan will take us. We find out as we walk that we will be visiting an artist with a niché for his canvas – camel bone. Miniaturist by trade, Hassan’s friend was also a salesman, showing us catalogues of his work. Amazing miniature pieces of art carefully dotted onto a small slab of camel bone (originally Ivory till the ban was enforced) that has seen the globe via exhibitions. Definitely a recommended experience for anyone who likes the strange and quirky. Back at the hotel, the dinner is light and a milkshake acts as our nightcap.

There is a visit to another Blue Mosque after departing from Zanjan. The weather is brighter compared to the last couple of days, giving us all a renewed sensation of tackling travel through Iran. Our next stop for this stage is the capital, Tehran.

The sun has now made it’s presence clear as we roll into the capital. The roads in the city look like chaos, but nothing compared to what’s to come on our journey. Our hotel is 4-star Enghelab hotel and one of the luxurious yet. Usual room distribution and bag drop and we’re off! A quick bite of kebab and the group separate. I go wandering into the city and decide to head for Milad Tower at the other end of town, blissfully unaware of it’s distance from my current location. Our maps seemed to miniaturise the city into an easily walk able terrain. Silly me. After getting lost numerous times, I get within walking distance before the main motorway stopping me. Seeing as I spent 4 hours walking to get to that point, I gracefully give in and head back to the hotel.

11pm I arrive back to the hotel, with a great knowledge of the city and a walking tour that was so good due to it’s spontaneity, ready for some much needed rest!

Second day in Iran starts with a visit to the Blue Mosque; a historic mosque (blue as depicted in the name) devastated by an earthquake a few centuries back. We also visit the Azerberjan Museum before heading out. Fridays are Sundays in the Islamic calendar so there isn’t much for us to look forward to in regards to activities.

We visit another mosque before heading to our new hotel. Tonight we have twin rooms in what looks like a resort type hotel, with individual bungalows attached in a diagonal layout. Andrea and I are the chosen ones to have the local toilet set-up. Shower wasn’t too good either, but it’s best not to be picky in a new country till about 3 cities.

I decide to go for a walk, seeing as the time was limited, and the rest decide to tag along. Rachel and I walk as far as civilisation lasted then headed back. A fairly quiet and local looking town with not much to excite the traveller. Another night of movies with Lana and Liam, which Rachel joins. We all settle down after our dinner in the hotel restaurant for a relaxing night. Far too quiet for the trip so far, albeit relaxing and relieving.

Today is the day of change; new driver, new bus, new culture, new country and, for the first time, a local tour guide.

Border crossing into Iran is a long and lengthy process.  As we say goodbye to Martin, we head into Iran via foot.  After some waiting and a few more fingerprinting, we meet our new team, Mustafa our driver and Hassan our guide.  The bus is an actual coach rather than a minibus, meaning that we all have the luxury of a set of seats each.

Mountainous peaks greet us into Iran.  Dull weather is still lingering but the new land is exciting and intriguing.  Breif lunch stop and some confusion with the Iranian toilet signs, then off to the hotel.  Once there we have the fun arrangement of connecting rooms, slowly breaking us in to hotel life from the hostel driven accommodation of late.

The province of Azerbijan doesn’t have much to offer so we go for a walk.  Girls feel a bit ill so it’s not too long before heading back to the hotel.  It’s a short night and a short stop as we move on again in the morn.

Our last stop in Turkey is a border town.  A long drive ahead means we won’t have much time in the place, so we assume it’ll be a case of dinner and rest.

On the way, less than one hour after we depart from Erzincan, a wheel from our trailer carrying the luggage comes off.  As we were driving along, we hear a loud thud followed by a scraping sound and a wheel flying by the window.  Unfortunately for our driver the wheel manages to roll into the nearby river, unreachable if you don’t wade in.  The weather had turned ugly; rain turning to a blizzard, sideways snow and a freezing temperature.  After one and half hours of trying to catch the wheel, we eventually get it back, but the trailer is no more.  Bags on the bus, but it’s the last day so we’re fortunate.

7pm and we enter the town of Dogubeyazit (doggybiscuit as we’ve renamed it).  Hotel Grand Derya is nothing special, something that we’ve all become accustom to.  The town is small, quiet and dusty; our first glimpse of what is to come over the next few weeks.  Dinner is cheap and we go as a group for a kebab (obviously).  At the hotel, internet is on everyones mind.  Facebooking and blogging.  Tomorrow is a big day for us all – IRAN.