Pakistan - biggest surprise of the trip so far!

The main road out of Loralai, a truck had gone off the "road" blocking traffic in both directions till the digger pulled it out!

Pakistan is hot, it's touched 50 degrees here which is absolutely draining!
It's dusty, the roads are non-existent.
I got food poisoning and found myself in Quetta hospital for 2 days.
Pedro suffered on the "roads" too, we had to drive through a river where the bridge was being constructed which bent the sump guard and damaged the car. It's been so hot that the brake pipes have actually melted.
Even if you can find an air-conditioned hotel you won't enjoy the cool air for long because of the regular power cuts!
Pakistan is a seriously harsh place to live! So why do I love it so much?

Melon sellers

There is such colour and diversity of life here. In Quetta brand new 4x4's share the streets with donkey carts, camel carts, tuk tuks, lorries and even the odd herd of sheep or goats can be seen being driven round the roundabouts.
The lorries are works of art, elaborately decorated like gypsy caravans.
They crawl along at a snails pace but who can mind being stuck behind something so beautiful.

Pedro with some of the colourful trucks.

Then there are the people. I almost didn't come to Pakistan because so many people gave me dire warnings about kidnappings, terrorists, bandits, tribal feuds and how much westerners are hated.
I think this is why Pakistan has been the biggest surprise. The people have been so unbelievably friendly and welcoming.

When I crossed the border from Iran I was immediately offered tea, the paperwork could wait, tea came first.
That's another thing, the little bits of Britishness that make you smile when you're away from home. In Pakistan they drive on the left and everything stops for tea and cricket.
Despite my reservations when I said I was English I always received a warm response. The British may have ruled over Pakistan but they also built all of the railways, bridges, schools and hospitals and this hasn't been forgotten.

The prettiest little girls in Pakistan.

Little did I know I was soon to experience one of these hospitals first hand as I went down with a bad case of food poisoning!
Becoming violently ill in the night, I was admitted to Quetta Christian Hospital for 2 days. The ward was hot with just ceiling fans for cooling and flies buzzing around.
As far as cleanliness goes it was probably on a level with Southampton General Hospital. I noted that all needles did come out of sealed, sterile packs.
The nurses were a lot nicer than the ones I met in Southampton general though and I was seen a lot quicker! IV fluids were given to me via a canula in the back of my hand along with antibiotics and pain killing injections.
One of the nurses, Sheenez, spoke excellent english. She's marrying her boyfriend in london and moving there next year!
The ladies in the ward were curious about me and Shenez translated, mostly they were saying I had beautiful skin and wanted to know what face cream I used!
And of course the first question all Pakistani women ask me "are you married?"

A lovely family I met.

Saying goodbye to my friends in the hospital I took one of the colourful tuk tuks to the hotel and was reunited with Pedro. I had been given police escorts since the Pakistan border, although kidnappings are rare, they take tourist safety very seriously.
They didn't seem concerned about my security in the hospital but insisted on escorting me out of the city. One of the guards sat in the car with me and kept touching my leg - so I slapped him and shouted at him if he touched me again he could get out of the car!
He didn't touch me again and the escort left me at the city limits declaring the road ahead safe.

I had originally planned to take a southerly route through Pakistan as I'd been advised that was the safest route but when the police asked me did I want to go south to Sukor or north through Loralai, I chose Loralai, partly beacause it looked a quicker, more direct route and partly just because I liked the name.

Every village I drove through on the way greeted me with smiles and waves. The final stretch of the road to Loralai took me through some stunning mountains, then I rounded a bend in the road and was flagged down at another police check point. My heart sank, I didn't really want another escort after the leg feeler!
All of the men were uniformed except one. Nasir approached my car window wearing light brown salwar kameez and aviator sunglasses - Pakistan Miami Vice!
He told me he was anxious because they expected me 2 hours earlier. I explained that Pedro is not a fast car and I also missed the first turning because he road signs weren't in English.
He asked if he could travel in the car with me, I was a little hesitant given my previous experience but agreed. Nasir was very considerate and respectful. He treated me like I was a princess and he was my bodyguard. Yes, I was quite taken with him and have been missing him since leaving Loralai but, as luck or fate would have it, he is coming to London in March to train with the Met Police for at least 6 months. . .

Lahore Mosque

Rica rejoined me in Lahore and we headed to the border where there is a nightly flag lowering ceremony involving much pomp and ceremony. Pakistan are on one side and India on the other both shouting support for their countries while the guards stamp, march and shout. It's great fun but of course Rica and I were supporting Pakistan.

Rica and I with one of the border guards at the flag ceremony

Oh yeah, I made the paper too!!