this time, it wasn’t abbotabad, or murree or any of the regular places. no way, this time.. it was kashmir! azad kashmir to be precise, and it was gorgeous!

it all stared off with an innocent suggestion, a weekend off from work and two road warriors in the same city. we left islambad on the 13th of feb with one intention in mind, to drive till we could drive no more.

and we couldn’t have chosen a better day. with a light sprinkling of rain since morning, we started off on our journey at 3, heading towards pindi-kahuta road to make our way towards rawalakot, our desitination for the night. and as was expected, we managed to get lost within hours of starting our journey.

we had to follow a mehfooz shaheed road towards kahuta, and somewhere missed a turn and ended up at his mazar. mehfooz shaheed was one of the nishan-e-haider recepients and is burried near islamabad. who knew!

anyway, after asking around and a couple other wrong turns, we finally ended up at the right bridge and headed towards kahuta. now i had read that this place was beautiful. the forests were well preserved and it was a dream driving through it, but when we actually got there, it was breath taking!

it’s one area where the timber mafia hasn’t yet gotten their greedy hands on, and it gives a very good view of what the mountainside would’ve actually looked like a couple of decades ago. too bad, it’s only just a little area.

we kept following the road upto azad pattan, where we crossed the bridge over the river which leads to kashmir. so far the road was good and we were still making good time in the daylight. but as with all good things, it had to change…

just as we had crossed the bridge, there was a roadblock. a trailor was coming down the mountain with a tractor loaded on top of it and because of the mud, slipped. the driver of the rig got spooked and refused to move the truck till the rain let up. there was a long trail of cars on both sides waiting to get past and it quickly turned bad.

after around half hour of talking and cajoling the driver, the people finally got him to move the truck and we got through. by this time, it was dark and we decided to stop by a roadside hotel for tea. i dont know whether that was a good move or a bad one. the owner of the hotel asked whether we were going up to rawalakot, and when he heard we were, immediately showed great concern.

he said there are landslides on the shorter route to rawalakot, especially in the rain, and his brother was caught in two days back and barely escaped with his life. he pleaded with us not to take that route, but go by the longer one instead. the difference, he said, was only about 2 hours, but the road would be clear and with no risk of landslides.

being new to the area and not really having any idea where we were, we decided to take his advice. at the prescribed fork in the road, we took the turning for the longer route and started our ascend towards the mountain top…

two hours later, we were still climbing up the mountainside! seriously, there wasn’t even a little dip or a straight road in between. the scene now was one of total darkness, there was hardly any other car on the road, the rain was pounding hard on the windshield, and we periodically went through thick clouds which would practically reduce visibility to within a few feet of the headlights.

when we started out on the trip, we wanted adventure.. and boy did we get it!

it took us another hour to reach rawalakot by that road, and we eventually completed our journey in six hours instead of three. but it was worth every second of it!

the hotel we stayed the night was unremarkable, nothing more than a barebones excuse for a living space. the only good thing was, there were no insects, which kind of made spending the night bearable.we settled in around midnight and slept right through till the morning.

the morning, however, brought with it, it’s own surprise. as we looked out the window, a sheet of white greeted us. out of the blue, it had snowed last night and we were looking out at the aftermath. it was absolutely beautiful! after 15 years, my dream of seeing real live snow was finally realized!

what a way to start off the 14th of feb!

after a quick breakfast, we climbed in the car and headed off to banjosa lake, which we were told was a tourist attraction. another 1.5 hour drive up the mountainside (now we know why kashmir’s known as paradise on earth! the upwards climb never stops!!) brought us to the lovely lake with the shoreline all covered in snow.

originally, we had planned to stay the night there, and hike around the lake, but the snow (which was now turning to slush) put a serious dent in our plans, so we just stopped over for some tea n refreshments, taking in the beautiful countryside and just relaxed.

at noon, we thought of what to do now. the hotel manager back in rawalakot had told us of another way back to pindi which goes up further and would take us through the backside of the valley. “the only problem is you’ll encounter a little patch of broken road, otherwise it’s a good route”. after debating for a couple of minutes, we decided to go on further and see where the road took us. little did we know, the little patch was actually 40 kilometers of absence of anything remotely resembling a road.

the next six hours were spent driving through dirt patches and some very poor excuses for roads will we reached the town of palindri. in between that, we did one of the best features of a roadtrip. we kept stopping where ever our hearts desired.

this one stop was especially breath taking. right where the other valley began we were going through a turn where the view was spectacular and we thought we’d stop for a bit. on the way, we had bought some oranges and this seemed like the perfect spot to devour them.

sitting on a stone, near the very top of a mountain, eating citrus fruit and not having either a destination nor a care in the world! now that is a vacation!

the only down point was that the road and the view after that point took a downwards turn and we didn’t have anything good to look at till we reached a waterfall near palindri. because it had rained n snowed, everyplace water could flow from, it was flowing, and we were treated to scene’s of beautiful waterfalls all through the journey.

near the last waterfall, there was a stream and a roadside hotel where we stopped for tea and cakes. as the tea was being prepared, we stepped down into the pool of water the waterfall cum stream had joined at, washed ourselves up, and just enjoyed the sounds of the water rushing past! it was so peaceful right there that i didn’t want to leave.

till, ofcourse, our tea was ready.

i realized i was hungry then, after i had gobbled down nearly four pieces of cake and still wanted more. no, i told myself, but grabbed another piece anyway.

our last stop on this journey was this hanging bridge on the river we had crossed to get into kashmir. it was constructed out of wood and steel cables and just wide enough to walk on. we got there and spent nearly an hour enjoying the water rushing past and the scene of the valleys at each side of us.

i guess not everyone was happy about our just standing there, because we got some very angry looks by a couple of local women who went past, annoyed baa’s by goats that were crossing, till finally a policeman came up to us and started inquiring. that’s when we decided to take our leave and make our way back.

and so brought the end to our near 24 hours of driving through the kashmir valley. we were tempted at that point to point the car up towards muzafarabad, but then left it for another day.

now that’s how you vacation!

Once you leave the Islamabad highway, and cross a variety of farms down the long winding road, you come across a barrier where you would have to prove your identity. Simli dam is a sensitive area, because it supplies the water to the city of Islamabad. Therefore, its not open to public, however you can get a reservation if you have contacts within the CDA.

After crossing the barrier, there’s a short climb up another winding road to where the reservoir and guest house are located. The whole feel to the place is authentic, even rustic. With British era construction style rampant along the northern regions, it gives you a little taste of Britain all on its own.

Once you get up to the guesthouse, a breathtaking view greets you. On one side, there is the reservoir, a lake as far as the eye can see, with a calm surface and gentle lapping sounds, it takes you into a whole new region of relaxation within yourself.

On the other side, is the deep expanse of the green hills and valleys allowing the eyes to exercise.

A truly breathtaking sight, and one which pictures will never do justice.

A nice relaxing tea with parents and cousin, talking about nothings, eating good food (our cook really knows how to make sandwiches!) and laughing and merriment all around.

The trip was capped with a stroll along the reservoir bank, and down the winding road with its tree covered canopies, beautiful wild flowers and all the scents which make the mountains a truly beautiful place to be.

(If possible, i’ll upload some pictures later)

“Dear passengers, we would like to inform you that there is nothing wrong with the aircraft you are now sitting in. We have been recalled to take documents belonging to another aircraft in our fleet”.

Hello? Anyone heard of TCS?

Oh and FYI, and AirBlue is the ‘preferred(?)’ way for TCS to take shipments between atleast khi to isb, as almost on every flight on that airline, there is someone standing by who picks up large jute bags of parcels from the baggage claims area marked TCS. I wonder how they make it on time…?

“Dear passengers, we would like to inform you that there is nothing wrong with the aircraft you are now sitting in. We have been recalled to take documents belonging to another aircraft in our fleet”.

Hello? Anyone heard of TCS?

Oh and FYI, and AirBlue is the ‘preferred(?)’ way for TCS to take shipments between atleast khi to isb, as almost on every flight on that airline, there is someone standing by who picks up large jute bags of parcels from the baggage claims area marked TCS.

Located in lahore’s famous red light area, heera mundi (diamond district), this restaurant was the brain child of Iqbal Hussain, a painter, art teacher and the son of a dancer who worked this area in the past.

When psyched had mentioned this place on her blog, it had piqued my curiosity. I really wanted to see what/where this place was. I called her up to ask about it, and was kind enough to warn me going without a booking was not a good idea before giving me a number to call. If you’re reading this girl.. I owe you one!

Before leaving, we were asked by the hotel management to return early from there, as it was ‘not a good area’. As expected, we heard his advice in one ear, n promptly forgot it.
I met my friend at the restaurant after a hair raising ride in a rickshaw. Hair raising because i dont drive that safe myself, otherwise it was downright terrifying! Normal on the streets of lahore they tell me *shudder*

Thanks to informing early, we got a table right on top of the place, which was also pretty much exclusive (love u PsycheD!!!). we got a sprawling view of the shahi masjid and the qilla gate. However, there was one problem.. Due to recent rains, the lights were off! But we didn’t let that dampen our moods. A little on the restaurant itself, it houses a gallery on the ground floor, containing works of the owner.

He has tried to (n been successful) capture the essence of life in the district during his childhood. The pictures all feature women in different settings, some ready to work, some in provocative poses, and some just doing what women do, hanging out and talking. The gallery also has antiques from the same time i believe, and the combination does bring about a magical effect, transforming you back to a time when this was their world, and either you were a paying customer or unwelcome. (taking in the gallery after having food does the wonders, looking at it on an empty stomach will not do the trick). The architecture of the haveli in which the restaurant is built also adds credence to the image conjured up from the gallery. Heavily influenced by Hinduism, with gods and goddesses present, the place merges other religions such as Christianity, Sikh and Islam as well. (Click on the picture or here to view more images of Cooco’s Gallery)

We had tawa chicken, mutton handi and daal for dinner. It was, in one word, delicious!! Overate till i almost burst (didn’t cuz the food finished first)! Amazing!

We were just about to leave, when found out there was a surprise in store for us. Just a little before midnight, one by one, the lights all around the place came on!! It was breathtaking!! i just sat there, mesmerized in the beauty of the sight before me! that, combined with the soft love music serving as the background made the whole experience complete! We finally moved from there closer to one (after arriving at nine thirty).

The night was made complete with a late night stroll along the old city taking in the sights and sounds of the place before finally catching a ride back home at three am.

First Image Courtesy: PsycheD
More images on Cooco’s Den at Over a Mile

and that too from different countries and two whom you’ve never even met before!

to pick me up from the daewoo terminal was a guy from austria, a guy from britain and a girl from spain!!

man I love life right about now.

I had a meeting in laho this week, n decided to drop in unexpectedly on my parents in islamabad over the weekend. The best thing I’ve done in a long time.

Next up: the most unusual istaqbaal (welcome) in lahore.

I present, similarities and differences i found in sukkur~! (from karachi obviously)

Similarities 

• You still get to see the same familiar number plates on cars.
• Traffic cops and policemen wear the same uniform! And give the usual mixed feeling of dread/comfort.
• The residential areas can be compared to localities like Gulshan or North Nazimabad, with the same two storey bunglows and sharing pretty much the same architecture.
• There is a flyover (sukkurs’ only)!
• Signs of construction are everywhere, with atleast four new apartment buildings under construction, and atleast two residential complexes

Differences

• The most glaring difference i found was, the weekend is sukkur is STILL friday – saturday for most businesses! While its saturday – sunday for govt. departments, schools and universities!
• There are no signals on the roads!! Well, there are two, but they were plugged off a month after installation.
• There are no busses! The whole city is traversable on foot in an hour, and in 10 minutes by car! Public transportation is in the form of suzuki pickups.
• The water supply is muddy :S A by product of pumping water in from the river i guess.  Nonetheless.. its refreshing to bath in!
• An actual, functioning, flowing river!! (and not just garbage dumps)
• You will find beggars in the cities, but not on intersections (since no one stops there). Beggers here hang around petrol/CNG stations and harrass customers after their change arrives. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.. Less walking involved, you are in shade most of the time, you know your victim has loose change, and you negotiate with the pump over for a percentage!

That wraps it up! Next up, dinner with the family… in karachi!!!

On the way, we stopped at a ‘amrood’ farm, known locally as Zaitoon, wanting to buy some. They didn’t sell anything less than a crate, but gave us armfuls of fruit to enjoy for the rest of our journey.

We reached Mohenjado at around 2 PM, after loosing our way a couple of times in larkana city. It looks like they’ve really made the old city come alive as a tourist stop, with a large park at the entrance, between the museum and the ruins, a hotel and a landing strip. That was not what i was expecting, but then, i had no idea about how the place had been developed recently. As we walked in, the first stop was the handicrafts shop to pick out souvenirs for people back home. Wanted to get that out of the way, in order to fully enjoy the experience. Next, we decided to head over to the museum, as it would give us some idea of what this place is all about. There were no guides so we had to pick our own pace.

At the entrance to the museum is a large wall display depicting the Indus valley civilization, and where else there are places of interest. I was surprised to find almost 10 places near Karachi itself. Those are now definitely on my list of places to visit. The museum has some pretty fantastic displays, especially a large Murial depicting life in the city when it was flourishing. Other items of interest were the clay figurines, the goddess figurines and other pottery excavated from the site. I was later told that everything of value was taken out of this area during the early excavations in 1922, so nothing like that was found. One display which really got to me was the one with weights, dices and a chessboard!!! The dice literally looked like the ones we have no, complete with similar markings! And the weights! The precision of cutting and weighing and even material selection were remarkable.

Next stop, on towards the ruins. We followed the signboards which led to the SK area (areas are named after the people who excavated them, since even the language of the people who lived here has not been deciphered yet). This is the same area depicted on the 10 rupee note. Just as we were heading over to the citadel mound, built about a 1000 years after the original city had been destroyed, we encountered a person who started talking about what this place was all about. He turned out of be the watchman, and was more than happy to take us around giving a full in-depth tour of the place. He showed us what had been excavated, where different parts of the city were located, what areas were still left to be excavated, where the Indus flowed initially (before the first flood), where it started flowing after it, and where it eventually went off to after the second flood. Even i didn’t know the city was destroyed THRICE (the third due to an earthquake) before being abandoned. He showed us signs of the flood, how they knew the city was rebuilt, and where each area/road led to. In my opinion, we were really really lucky to have found him, otherwise would’ve missed a whole lot of the place. Even my friend from sukkur, who’s been to mohenjodaro two times already, admitted to not have seen so much of it in one visit.

(You can read more about the city online in various searches, and get other pictures from http://www.mohenjodaro.net, so i will not include that here)

Reading about the civilization, and actually going through the place are two totally separate things. Theory cant even come CLOSE to what the practical brings. We went through the major administrative area of the city, with the granary, the great bath and everything.. and the level of planning really stood out to me. You cant really appreciate the magnitude of the problem, unless you place yourself in the middle of it.

The next stop we made was to the ‘elite residential’ area of the city, which housed the cheifs house and other large houses. We were shown the wells inside the houses, the roads/lanes, guardrooms, the sewerage system, even how waste water was collected from everywhere and sent off towards the river. We were shown the area of smaller houses, which are said to have housed the servants on the era, and how even they had the same sense of planning rampant in the city, with regards to structure, pathways and drainage.

The one thing which really was interesting was the fact that they did not use river water for consumption, instead relied on the river only for taking away sewerage. Drinking water was taken from wells. I was also amazed at how they lighted up the place at night, with ‘dya daans’ every few meters away (much like how lights are placed around aga khan hospital)

It was in this place, that i detached myself from the group, and randomly went around the walls, looking at each house, trying to image what life would’ve been like back then.. It was *so* quiet in there… as if the walls around me were daring the sounds to pass through them! I imagined the bullock carts, children running in the streets, adults shouting in some foreign language… it was an amazing experience! (the Murial i saw at the museum really helped bring the image to life).

That ended my trip there, and i came out totally satisfied and dead tired! (the pun was too good not to miss).

We left the city at 5PM and made our way back to sukkur, going full speed so as to avoid the ‘dharrial’ on the way. Dharrial are the local ‘daku’ of the area, who even though have been almost eliminated from the main highway thanks to National Motorway and Highway Police, still exist on the less frequently used highways of the province.

Thankfully, didn’t encounter any on the way.

Well.. some of them atleast! I’ve uploaded them on this site and you can access them via this link.

I’ve installed a software called Gallery on this site, and will be using that to manage my photos. Next on the agenda, figuring out how to integrate both these tools. Till then.. please post comments here.

This image is of a sunset from on the river indus! That place is beautiful!