Today was the first time I started worrying about the trip. We leave in six days and now I can feel the start is close.
Basically, I was worried today because although I've always tried to travel much, going to unknown, moderately improved countries for one year with only one backback and a very limited amount of money is still beyond my comfort zone. At least today I felt like that. But maybe all this was because the hangover I had. Now, in the evening I don't worry that much any more. Hm.
The other scary thing is that we need to cross Pakistan. Regarding Pakistan we got several warnings:
- The secretary guy at the Pakistanian embassy disclosed in 15 minutes that he wouldn't like us to cross the western part of Pakistan - called Balochistan - because there are some extremist people who will blow us up then kill us and then f*ck our asses. Their motivation: Western tourist disappears/gets hurt -> Western countries get nervous -> case goes to Western media -> they got publicity for their terrorism -> they are happy.
- I wrote to several Pakistanian guys through CouchSurfing and they also told me 'welllll it's not so safe to cross that part...'
- I talked to my friend Nyúl who has been to several parts of the world, but also she was discouraged to visit Pakistan, so she didn't.
But in turn:
- Pakisztán is beautiful, according to pictures. (Well, the most beautiful part would be the northern area where we'd especially get killed. We don't go there.)
- Gorondy Máté, who gave us many tips before the trip also crossed this area two years ago by hitchhike and his ass reached India in one piece.
- We may get police escort in Balochistan.
- Many people said at Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum that they were there lately and had no truble at all.
- The plane ticket to the safer part (Lahore) is expensive, about $300 each.
This is how Pakistan looks like. I marked the safe and unsafe areas:
In the north some journalists die every year, they say the situation is really hot up there, especially because of the drog smugglers of Afghanistan. Fun fact: 90% of the world's heroin comes from Afghanistan.
Anyone interested in the details, here are three forums worth reading:
Anyway, we hereby promise our parents to be wise and don't get hurt in Pakistan. And if we survive that, we'll survive anything. :)
