Dear All,
Another quickie! We crossed the border into Pakistan two days ago and received a very nice welcome. The border town on the Pakistan side is called Taftan. We had hoped to stay in a motel there but it was shut, so the customs official Shammi offered us their courtyard to stay in. We wanted to go and buy some food, but he said it wasn't safe and that their cook would rustle us up something.
At 7.30 we sat down to a dinner of Tandoori chicken, daal, vegetable curry, rice, meat patties and roti! It was so delicious. He had the chicken especially prepared for us. Can you imagine this in British customs!!
Anyhow, we set off to Dalbandin the next day and when we arrived were taken to the prison where we could stay in the courtyard! We decided to look for alternatives and ended up in a hotel courtyard - still behind 4 high walls, but with slightly different company!!
Dalbandin to Quetta was a long drive - the road was pretty rough. But we are now staying in the courtyard of the Bloom Star Hotel. Tomorrow we'll go over the Bolan Pass - an ancient trading route from Afghanistan to India - on the way to Sibi. This is the best route apparently. So we'll end up driving from Baluchistan to the Sindh and then up into the Punjab to Lahore.
Iran was a new world to us, but Pakistan is something else. Driving into Quetta last night was so exciting. The life on the streets is amazing - the food stalls, the shops, the tuk tuks, donkeys and carts, the ammount of people - wow.
We'll write again soon, but probably won't be able to tell you about Iran until we get some more time - maybe in India.
We are still travelling with Mark and Brigitta.
Lots of love
Jo and Mark xx
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hi guys, great to hear from you the other day. We both had lumps in our throats as we were quite emoyional. wemiss you. your trip sounds a right "trip". Armed escorts all through Pakistan. We were worried as we hadn't heard from you in a while and knew you were considering going to Pakistan. And as you mentioned on the phone, you weren't really to the extent the situation as you hadn,t seen any news. Well, its bad baby, bad. Hope you are safely in India now.
ReplyDeleteAll is well here. We have had a wonderful start to Autmn weather wise. Two extra months of warmth and subshine will really make a difference for the those who suffer from Sun Dificiency Syndrome, which is all of London... Today is pissing it down, the first bad day in months. Perhaps climate change has finally hit the UK. But loving the Indian Summer. Its our second Christmas with Jacombe and we are at home altogether and we can't wait. He is amazing, so determined, cheeky, affecetionate, clever and extremely funny. Oh and becoming a little bit naughty.He has a mouthful of teeth, chatters away in his own language, having conversations with himself, laughing away at his most hilarious self.
latest on the others:
nick is enjoying single life and keeps in touch
Pete got bottled at the end of his birthday in Brick lane. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. All ok, he left A and E and carried on boozing...
Sam is loved up with Debs, but has been made redundant so job hunting.
mel, I presume is still Alive.. Working hard. Still no man..
Trev and i are doing well, working etc. We are going to plan next year alot better,so as we keep sane.
We all love and miss you like crazy... xxxx
I have just re read the last entry I made, sorry for all the mistakes. I am tired, so tired and lazy with grammar.... xxx
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