Written by: Naveed Bari
How an ambitious endeavor by a small group of American youngsters to explore Pakistan’s serene Hunza Valley turned into an emergency evacuation as the war broke out between India and Pakistan.
John Crawford from New York City, working in an investment firm was the first one to approach Pakistan Explorer Instagram handle to explore possibilities to visit the country, often regarded as a dangerous terrain for the American tourists. Over a span of almost six months and weighing nearly a dozen itineraries, a small group of four American youngsters decided to take the plunge, well aware of the dangerous situation unfolding on ground in the aftermath of Pehlgam Attack in Indian Kashmir. Probably after so much deliberation, it was rather impulsive to pre-empt something which may not happen at all.
It was the early hour of Sunday, May 4th, when I received Amanda and John at the airport as they struggled their way out of the massive crowd which is almost always there to receive their relatives. Both were overwhelmed with a massive reception and slightly freaked-out for being under the radar of a thousand eyes and were continuously looking for a name card with their names on it. I was quickly able to recognize both of them being familiar with their Passport ID’s and WatsApp profile pictures, presenting them with a beautiful bouquet of yellow and purple Statice.
Next up was Adam, the ‘Big Dog’, undeclared head of the gang, a towering 6.6 Caucasian with an imposing personality. Spotting him right away, I escorted him out of the welcoming crowd to the car where Adam and Amanda were waiting for us.
Frequent travelers, these youngsters were well accustomed to foreign airport transfers, alien faces and languages and seemed quite capable of manoeuvring their way in a distant land. But for a generation which has always read and heard something disturbing coming out of this country, I can only imagine that they must have a completely different perception coming to Pakistan and it was apparent that my welcoming gesture has eased things out for them, at least for the moment.
An early arrival meant we had ample time to waste before we can check-in and nothing could have been worthier than a scrumptious Desi breakfast at Street One Cafe, Kohsar Market in F-6. We ordered a mix platter of chick peas, omelette and parathas each with tumblers of black coffee which the guests enjoyed amidst an early morning shower. Having still time to kill while we wait for the fourth and final guest Akshat scheduled to arrive at six in the evening, the verdict was to scour the city. Islamabad’s iconic Faisal Mosque turned out to be the top contender followed by Shakarparian Memorial, Lok Virsa and closing in over a bird’s eye view of the city from Daman-e-koh in the Margalla Mountains.
Our driver, an aspiring travel guide and excited to be in the company of Americans, shared an insight of a drag racing scene unfolding in Islamabad exactly while we drove around the city. A drag-racing event and that in Pakistan was quite an anomaly for the Americans who were naturally excited to know what gears and vehicles were being used in the event. With special permissions to go inside the racing cars private booths, the tourist were surprised to see Corvettes and Supras and Mercedes and other top of the line racing cars all revved up for drag racing. The rainy weather however kept the cars within their booths and so we turned back without witnessing any action on the tracks.
Receiving Akshat at the airport was not as simple as it was with the Caucasian guests. Born and raised in the US, Akshat was from Indian descent so he blended perfectly in the crowds and it took me a few extra minutes to spot and welcome him. The rest of the gang waited at Marriott Islamabad where they had a nice buffet dinner.
We called it a night as I left the hotel to return early in the morning for our flight to Gilgit, oblivious of all the surprises waiting for us right from the start of the day.
…… to be continued
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