The fifth most populous country in the world
Reading
- Pakistan by Imran Khan
- I am Mala by Mala Yousefzai
My knowledge of Pakistan was shaped by cricket, or at least the knowledge that along with India they are a big cricketing nation. Setting that aside, with a population of more than 241 million people, it’s the fifth most populous country in the world and has one of the largest Muslim populations. Bordering India, Afghanistan and China, when I told people about plans to go there, the first question was why and the second, is it safe?
The first was easy, I hadn’t been there before, the second was a little trickier. The Foreign Office advice was not to travel there and generally I would follow this. However, there was something irresistibly inviting about going. Perhaps it was the pictures of snow-capped mountains, or stories I’d heard about the amazing countryside and people, either way, FOMO got the upper hand.
Islamabad
We started off in the capital Islamabad. What a place, modern but also retaining it’s history, lively and vibrant, it was everything I wasn’t expecting. Given the media perception of the place, it was good to see the reality. Changing some money was the first task at an exchange situated along a shopping street.
Our hotel was a short distance from a park, and it was lovely to go for a short run in the early morning while the sun was rising and people were setting themselves up for the day and going to work.
Swat Valley
Shingerdar Stupa was built by an ancient king of Swat. Getting up close to the building it’s made of stone. Located close to the town of Baricot, it dates back more than 2000 years and is said to contain some relics of Budda. We visited this enroute to the Butkara I archaeological site, which is around 30 minutes by road away and is another sacred Buddhist area from around the 3rd century BC. What struck me about both locations was the peace and tranquillity of the sites and how well preserved they were, without any noticeable protection from either the elements or visitors.
From Swat Valley our tour headed through Ayun to the Kalash valley. This is when the impact of the recent floods started to become increasingly more evident but also provided a window on everyday life. The extended monsoon season resulted in a different but unique and unforgettable experience. Roads had been swept away, bridges destroyed, orchards and homes submerged, crops ruined and power cut off. The roads were blocked in many places by landslides. The sense of community was amazing, time after time we witnessed people helping each other across broken bridges and roads. The minor inconvenience of the occasion power outage at the hotels we were staying at, seemed insignificant compared to much of what was happening in the surrounding areas.
Kalash Valley
We arrived in the Kalash valley just before the annual festival where local people pay homage and give thanks for a successful harvest. The location is wonderful and there appeared to be a real joy in taking part. Both men and women were in traditional dress, local and not so local, officials from the region were in attendance.
Hunza and Gilgit
There were a lot of impressive mountains on our journey, we were able to travel to Rakaposhi Peak in Nagar. Located in the Karakoram mountain range, this was a chance to take in the scenery and majesty of the place.
Full circle back to Islamabad and it felt strange to be in the busy big city once again. During the journey in those couple of weeks, we had been a short distance from the Afgan border and saw the communities living in that area, seen the diversity of the peoples from one place to the next and learned a little bit about their ways of life and history. Sampled the food and culture through speaking to our guide and visiting historical sites and museums. Pakistan reminded me again why I love to travel, it’s as much about what you learn as what you see.
Travel tour was arranged by Wild Frontiers.
Highlights and Learnings
- Wonderfully colourful cars/trucks full of people both inside and outside the vehicle. These were elaborate in their decoration and joyful to observe
- Amazing mountain views, with some of the highest peaks in the world
- The hustle and busyness of the main towns, people were always friendly and welcoming
BOHOMAROON 