Nearly 20 years ago I set upon a journey around the world. About 2 weeks before take-off, my traveling companion backed out leaving me on my own. I had traveled by myself many times before but never to so many places and for so long.
After spending a couple of months in Europe I flew to Pakistan where I stayed with friends in Lahore. Then, via death-deifying planes and buses, made my way up the Karakorum mountains to the border of China. Saw some amazing places, stayed in remote villages and was welcomed by such open-hearted, warm, and giving people. I also nearly died in Swat. If it weren't for an ancient man making me tea from some mountain flowers he picked, I would have never made it.
I met some great folks in Islamabad where I was staying at a tourist camp. Most of the travelers were overlanders who had come from Europe via motorcycles, Land Rovers, buses, and even bicycles. I was the only one traveling solo and without my own mode of transportation. I stayed in one of the simple, concrete building filled with graffiti. I had a sleeping bag and shared the room with Evert-Jan from Amsterdam who was cycling around the world.
It was really nice being around others as I had traveled alone for so long.
We were all in Islamabad trying to get visas for India but there was serious political shit going on and we were stuck there for weeks. Embassy's and consulates were shut down, bridges were blown up and Marshall law was enacted.
Despite being in a potentially dangerous and difficult situation, I was incredibly happy there. The people in the camp were such interesting characters and I became very close to many of them. We would take a cab most nights to the various foreign clubs and drink and talk and play pool. Then we would go back to our new home and make a large fire and stay up late talking more. During daylight, the locals would stand at the fence and stare at us for hours as if we were some strange and rare animals held captive in our little oasis.
Eventually things calmed down and we all went our separate ways and some of us made plans to meet up in India, and we did.
Things got bad back in Lahore. I drank too much home-made wine, offered to marry my host's son Humayun to get him a green card, he got possessive and difficult, I had to leave and clear my head.
I had been invited to join an English guy I had met at camp to travel with him on his motorbike in India. I had traveled on Indian trains before, I wasn't looking forward to it. Hell, yeah, I was on board!
That is how Andrew and I met and have been in each others lives since. I was mad at my friend for flaking on me in the beginning but soon realized that traveling solo has it's benefits! After many months in India I headed back to Pakistan to break someones' heart. Really, many someones' hearts as I had become very close to the family in Lahore over the years. I don't think that they have ever really forgiven me but they will always be in my heart.
I am grateful that I was able to really experience Pakistan before things got bad. I hope to go back someday and find that that beautiful country has managed to vanquish the hate and fear that it is suffering with.
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