Pakistan Jimbaran Feb 1st to Feb 3rd 2007
"It's a camera" I said with a slight look of confusion? to which the customs officer replied "Zen what iz zis?" "It's a camera too" I replied with an even more puzzled look as it was the third time he had asked me this question?? I only had my day pack with me but crossing the India/Pakistan border was more complicated than I had envisaged. still it only took about 2 hours so I had to hang around before the infamous border ceremony began. India VS Pakistan kicks off at around sunset everyday and its a melee of singing and chanting and soldiers contesting their egos. I had front row seats and I could hear 
huge roars coming from the packed India side as the climax approached. The Pakistan side was only about half full by the time the ceremony started but this didn't seem to deter the Proud Pakistani guards who seemed in high spirits. The ceremony itself is a spectacle of well timed stomps and chicken walks. The Pakistani side also had 2 dancing Homers which roused the home crowd into a frenzy of patriotic support! After the ceremony I dodged the waiting taxis and rickshaws and caught a bus into Lahore city 30 km away from the border. The sun was setting as I travelled into Lahore and by the time I arrived there it was dark. On the bus I had a cop sit 
next to me intent on showing off his AK 47 rifle! I got off the bus at Lahore central station and the first thing I noticed about Lahore is that its quite dusty and everyone wears the same garments. I wondered around looking for a hotel but I couldn't find any budget hostels so I decided to stay at the rather pricey ($25 a night) Vishnal hotel on cinema street in Lahore. Dinner was unhygienic bbq chicken undercooked and served with filthy street vendor hands and wrapped in newspapers yummy. I woke up early the next day as it was my only full day in Lahore. I went to
Bashir mosque first which is absolutely beautiful. Here I met two young high school students who were bunking off school to visit the mosque. We exchanged gifts and emails I gave them some calorie mate and two rolls of polos I'd bought in India as well as some Japanese and Indian coins as souvenirs. They gave me a traditional hat and some Pakistani chewing tobacco. I dont smoke but it was a kind gesture. It was on then on to Lahore Fort my second stop of the day. here I met various people who all wanted my phone number in Japan ( I mean its not as if they're gonna call me) and I met a group of Tali ban looking guys and I helped one of them delete all the messages on his phone as he couldn't read English. Lahore Fort is also where I met Jacky. Jacky was born 
in Pakistan near Karachi and he was visiting Lahore on a day trip with his family. Jacky spent the last ten years working in Hong Kong so his Cantonese put mine to shame! I spent the afternoon with Jacky's family touring Lahore. There were about 20 of us crammed into a mini van it was quite an experience I tell you. Around 4pm Jacky dropped me off at the old city and we bade our farewells. In the old city of Lahore Is where I met the friendly mechanic and parts shop owner Pierre. Now Pierre is a bit of a celebrity in the Old City as he seems to know everyone! It was a real privilege to be in his company. Pierre spoke very little English but we some how were able to communicate to a level of good understanding. Pierre introduced me to some of his childhood
friends Abid, Michael and his brother Asif. Michael and his brother Asif work for the French ambassador in Lahore so he had good command of English and French. They became my guides and they took me to Shalimar gardens which was absolutely amazing. The gang insisted on taking me to a local drumming festival which takes place every Thursday night and as I didn't really have any plans for the evening I gladly accepted. That evening as I went back to the Old City to meet Pierre and the gang, Pierre introduced me to his wrestler friend. Mohammed Bashir was his name and he was a hulk of a man and though he could probably crush my cranium in the palm of his hands I cheekily beat him in an arm wrestle.Befor we made our way to the drum festival we stopped of at Michaels house to say hello to his family. Michael lives in the back street ghetto of Lahore but it had a kind of Arabian nights beauty to it. On the way 
Pierre pointed out all the places they used tp play when they grew up. After a quick cup of chai me and the gang the made our way to the drum festival five of us crammed in the back of a auto rickshaw designed for two! The drum festival was absolutely mental women (Pakistan being Islamic) who wished to view this spectacle were locked in a cage near the front row! and everyone and I mean everyone was smoking Bob Marley esque joints! We were all getting high from the fumes alone. The drum festival is a head banging celebration of the dead and people smoke weed to be at one with the spirits. There were wizards and clerics performing all sort of religious chants and excorcisms. Fights broke out 
at random and Michael and the gang told me to watch my pockets at all times. Despite this I had the most amazing night the only thing missing was booze. Woke up around noon the following day with a bit of a headache from the previous night and tried to find an Internet cafe but none were open so I just did some souvenir shopping. Around 1pm I went to the Old city to say goodbye to the boys and it seem the whole street stopped working to say their good byes. Pierre and the gang made me their new
brother and made me promise to visit them again, It was all a bit emotional as I left them behind. Now there was the small matter of getting back to the border before it closed at 3pm. It was now 2pm and the border was 30km away so I decided to say money and take an auto rickshaw I mean surely the can go faster than 30k.h.m right? Well the rickshaws might be lightning quick in the city but once we hit the highway we were barely overtaking horse drawn carts! Made it back to the border just in the nick of time and I didn't bother watching the border ceremony again from the Indian side I just hopped onto a bus back to Amritsar. Pakistan is an amazing Country. All the historical 
places are free to enter or cost next to nothing and you can really feel the historic aura. There are no hordes of holiday snappers even at the most famous places so the adds to their unspoilt beauty. And finally the people. The Pakistani people I met were the most hospitable I've ever met period. These were people I'd only just met yet they invited me into their homes and lives with no mention of money. It was difficult for me to cope with this genuine hospitality and I hope to repay them back someday.
"It's a camera" I said with a slight look of confusion? to which the customs officer replied "Zen what iz zis?" "It's a camera too" I replied with an even more puzzled look as it was the third time he had asked me this question?? I only had my day pack with me but crossing the India/Pakistan border was more complicated than I had envisaged. still it only took about 2 hours so I had to hang around before the infamous border ceremony began. India VS Pakistan kicks off at around sunset everyday and its a melee of singing and chanting and soldiers contesting their egos. I had front row seats and I could hear 
huge roars coming from the packed India side as the climax approached. The Pakistan side was only about half full by the time the ceremony started but this didn't seem to deter the Proud Pakistani guards who seemed in high spirits. The ceremony itself is a spectacle of well timed stomps and chicken walks. The Pakistani side also had 2 dancing Homers which roused the home crowd into a frenzy of patriotic support! After the ceremony I dodged the waiting taxis and rickshaws and caught a bus into Lahore city 30 km away from the border. The sun was setting as I travelled into Lahore and by the time I arrived there it was dark. On the bus I had a cop sit 
next to me intent on showing off his AK 47 rifle! I got off the bus at Lahore central station and the first thing I noticed about Lahore is that its quite dusty and everyone wears the same garments. I wondered around looking for a hotel but I couldn't find any budget hostels so I decided to stay at the rather pricey ($25 a night) Vishnal hotel on cinema street in Lahore. Dinner was unhygienic bbq chicken undercooked and served with filthy street vendor hands and wrapped in newspapers yummy. I woke up early the next day as it was my only full day in Lahore. I went to
Bashir mosque first which is absolutely beautiful. Here I met two young high school students who were bunking off school to visit the mosque. We exchanged gifts and emails I gave them some calorie mate and two rolls of polos I'd bought in India as well as some Japanese and Indian coins as souvenirs. They gave me a traditional hat and some Pakistani chewing tobacco. I dont smoke but it was a kind gesture. It was on then on to Lahore Fort my second stop of the day. here I met various people who all wanted my phone number in Japan ( I mean its not as if they're gonna call me) and I met a group of Tali ban looking guys and I helped one of them delete all the messages on his phone as he couldn't read English. Lahore Fort is also where I met Jacky. Jacky was born 
in Pakistan near Karachi and he was visiting Lahore on a day trip with his family. Jacky spent the last ten years working in Hong Kong so his Cantonese put mine to shame! I spent the afternoon with Jacky's family touring Lahore. There were about 20 of us crammed into a mini van it was quite an experience I tell you. Around 4pm Jacky dropped me off at the old city and we bade our farewells. In the old city of Lahore Is where I met the friendly mechanic and parts shop owner Pierre. Now Pierre is a bit of a celebrity in the Old City as he seems to know everyone! It was a real privilege to be in his company. Pierre spoke very little English but we some how were able to communicate to a level of good understanding. Pierre introduced me to some of his childhood
friends Abid, Michael and his brother Asif. Michael and his brother Asif work for the French ambassador in Lahore so he had good command of English and French. They became my guides and they took me to Shalimar gardens which was absolutely amazing. The gang insisted on taking me to a local drumming festival which takes place every Thursday night and as I didn't really have any plans for the evening I gladly accepted. That evening as I went back to the Old City to meet Pierre and the gang, Pierre introduced me to his wrestler friend. Mohammed Bashir was his name and he was a hulk of a man and though he could probably crush my cranium in the palm of his hands I cheekily beat him in an arm wrestle.Befor we made our way to the drum festival we stopped of at Michaels house to say hello to his family. Michael lives in the back street ghetto of Lahore but it had a kind of Arabian nights beauty to it. On the way 
Pierre pointed out all the places they used tp play when they grew up. After a quick cup of chai me and the gang the made our way to the drum festival five of us crammed in the back of a auto rickshaw designed for two! The drum festival was absolutely mental women (Pakistan being Islamic) who wished to view this spectacle were locked in a cage near the front row! and everyone and I mean everyone was smoking Bob Marley esque joints! We were all getting high from the fumes alone. The drum festival is a head banging celebration of the dead and people smoke weed to be at one with the spirits. There were wizards and clerics performing all sort of religious chants and excorcisms. Fights broke out 
at random and Michael and the gang told me to watch my pockets at all times. Despite this I had the most amazing night the only thing missing was booze. Woke up around noon the following day with a bit of a headache from the previous night and tried to find an Internet cafe but none were open so I just did some souvenir shopping. Around 1pm I went to the Old city to say goodbye to the boys and it seem the whole street stopped working to say their good byes. Pierre and the gang made me their new
brother and made me promise to visit them again, It was all a bit emotional as I left them behind. Now there was the small matter of getting back to the border before it closed at 3pm. It was now 2pm and the border was 30km away so I decided to say money and take an auto rickshaw I mean surely the can go faster than 30k.h.m right? Well the rickshaws might be lightning quick in the city but once we hit the highway we were barely overtaking horse drawn carts! Made it back to the border just in the nick of time and I didn't bother watching the border ceremony again from the Indian side I just hopped onto a bus back to Amritsar. Pakistan is an amazing Country. All the historical 
places are free to enter or cost next to nothing and you can really feel the historic aura. There are no hordes of holiday snappers even at the most famous places so the adds to their unspoilt beauty. And finally the people. The Pakistani people I met were the most hospitable I've ever met period. These were people I'd only just met yet they invited me into their homes and lives with no mention of money. It was difficult for me to cope with this genuine hospitality and I hope to repay them back someday.
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