Iran and Pakistan
Posted by Kirsty on June 14th 2007
Written on the 2007 London to Sydney expedition
Life on the road has been flat out since leaving the stunning city of Esfahan in Iran.
Heading south, we visited the magnificent ruins of Persepolis or City of Parsa (City of Persia). Built in 518 BC, this ancient Achaemenid city was the administrative centre of the Persian Empire, which encompassed lands from the Danube River in Europe in the north; Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya in the south; and India in the east (not to mention all those in between). A truly amazing place!
Yazd was a welcome break, where we soaked up the atmospheric ‘old city’ with its beautifully decorated mosques and winding lanes amongst mud buildings. Relaxing in cool garden courtyards, many a chai (tea) was drunk and many a backgammon game was played.
Next on the agenda was the ancient mud city of Bam – or more accurately the place where Bam once stood before being devastated by an earthquake in December 2003. Such a tragedy, 26 000 people are estimated to have lost their lives. However, it is encouraging to see that reconstruction is in progress.
Upon crossing the border into Pakistan, it was immediately obvious that we had entered a new country, so stark was the difference from Iran. Pakistan in a nutshell is police, elaborately decorated trucks, buses, tractors, automatic rickshaws (and indeed anything else on the roads – roadworthy or not), police, bustling cities with chai shops on every corner, cricket, and did I mention police. We were escorted by police as soon as we crossed the border and remained ‘escorted’ right up until Peshawar (a good 2000 kms). Whilst it was a commendable exercise in terms of organisation on a military operation level with most escorts staying with us for about 20km before another escort vehicle taking over; it was clear we were Pakistan’s ‘hot potato’. No police wanted us to stay in their area of jurisdiction which meant having to beg to stop for food, water and toilet facilities, let alone sleeping. We understand that the escorts were for our ‘safety’ but it is questionable how much security was provided by escorts creating havoc on the road and generally drawing attention to us. Most memorable of the police escorts were the Punjab police with ‘No Fear’ plastered all over their uniforms and escort vehicles. Pakistani cowboys at their finest.
Quetta and Peshawar were hustling and bustling cities mostly void of the female species. Many of us had Shalwar Kameez made up for us (the national dress of Pakistan) by the many street tailors. A trip out to the Khyber Pass which forms the border with Afghanistan was a highlight.
It was only after leaving Peshawar that we were finally free from police escorts and travelled north up the Karakoram Highway (built 1966 – 1978). The road is truly a major engineering feat, winding its way up the steep valley of the Indus River surrounded by snow capped mountains. It is here that three of the world’s ‘mightiest’ mountain ranges meet – the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Himalayas. This area of Northern Pakistan has seven of ten highest peaks in world including K2 (8611 metres) and Nanga Parbat (8125 metres).
We enjoyed a couple of days up in the mountains at Karimabad (about 180km from Chinese border) where people either trekked further up the mountains and glaciers or enjoyed the scenery from their ‘room with a view’.
Quite a few of us have come down with the traditional ‘travellers bug’ over the last couple of weeks, but I am happy to report that all have recovered or are on the road to recovery (although the same can not be said about Pakistan’s supply of toilet paper).
Now residing in Islamabad, where we are sweltering in 40+ Degrees Celsius heat with high humidity. Apparently there is a heat wave here with record temperatures (highest in 27 years); even the locals are suffering in the heat. So, most people have gone to look for a swimming pool to cool off. Others are going to the British High Commission tonight by invitation for ‘drinks’. La de da!!!
The EOE travelling band is setting off for Lahore tomorrow, then onto the border for INDIA…
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