Dave’s Reise nach Osten

So what to do next? Flee the nannies! We took an overnight train to Rawalpindi/Islamabad. There I applied for my Indian visa and had to hear that I have to wait two weeks for it. Two weeks! What should I do? I had planned to go directly to India, skipping the beautiful north of Pakistan. But now, it sounded like an invitation to have a look at the famous Karakorum Highway, the Hunza Valley, the mountains. I left my bike in Pindi and took a bus up. But even without a bicycle, travelling kept being adventurous. Here are some stories.

In the bus up north

It was a 20 hours ride to get from the Indus valley up to Gilgit, the first station of the beautiful north. Distances are long and the road is bad. Really bad. The Karakorum Highway is just a path chopped into a steep mountain wall. And right now they are doing a lot of construction work. But back into the bus.

It got dark and cooler and cooler. The two little square roof windows were opened and I tried to close the one in the back, close to me. It did not work. Maybe it works electrically? I went to the front to ask if the driver or
the steward can close it. They did not understand what I want, but there was a nice man in the third row who spoke good English. And he told me: “We have a problem here. I am sorry. We need the fresh air. This man over there has a dead body with him.”

Na, da schluckt man erst mal leer.

I could then explain that I only need the back window closed, the steward came to the back and closed it with force. While turning around I had a discreet look at the mentioned man, but could not see a dead body.
At the next stop, my new friend explained the story. This couple had a baby, it got sick, they went to Islamabad for treatment, but were too late (or the treatment was not effective). Now they are bringing their dead child back to their village to bury it. Sad story.

Talking about India

In the hostel in Karimabad I started talking to some travellers about India. It is a strange situation, it seems like everybody has been there before, only you overlander have not. I asked for tips and where and how. And then something happened that has always happened, but still came unexpected. They told me better not to go to India! They told me it is nicer here in Pakistan, no touts, less hassles, friendly people. Again and again, wherever I go, people keep telling me not to go to the next place. And they are seldomly right. It took me a while to figure out that the one guy telling one bad story after the next was full of negativity and not a good reference. Sure, India must be a shock for the first time visitor who deboards a plane. But I did not come by plane. And in the ten days that I am here now, I did not get a bad impression at all. Travelling overland conditions you, I really recommend it.

A scene from a shop

I went to a shop which sold cloths and clothes. It was dusk and there was no light in the shop. We had to inspect the goods outside. Just after me, a lady with her daugther came to buy a jacket. She had a small discussion with the shopkeeper and then he said to me: “I have told her to coming during the daytime, so she can have a better look at what she buys. It is to dark now.”
Me: “Ou sorry, I did not want to come so late.”
He: “Nono, you are a tourist. That is alright. You tourist always have a lot to do. You always work in the internet and stuff.”