Rawal Pindi, Pakistan

[warch]

Ambassador Slang! What an interesting trip and a great curious adventure! Thanks for the thread.

[slang]

Originally Posted by Beestie

The regime even allows them to possess and consume alcohol .......

If I had a dime for every guy that asked me to use my permit to buy some booze for them there ......my trip would have been free.

The reality is that I would not have bought booze for even my closest friends there ....it'd be like a kid first drinking and do I want to be around when the cops nab the national that's drunk on my booze permit?

[slang]

(shoephone rings and is answered)

slang: Hello?
Cheney: Accidental Tourist?
slang: Roger that
Cheney: We got him.....nice work. W sends a high five.
slang: (big grin)

[Undertoad]

It would have been much more impressive if you'd posted that when they actually got him instead of when they announced they did

[wolf]

He was the friendly cab driver, wasn't he?

[slang]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

It would have been much more impressive if you'd posted that when they actually got him instead of when they announced they did

And blow the OP? NO way....gitmo is hot this time of year.

[slang]

Originally Posted by wolf

He was the friendly cab driver, wasn't he?

He was the dark looking fellow with the round little hat and shalwar kameez on.

[wolf]

That narrows it down. Thanks.

[Mindy]

Originally Posted by Beestie

I have a couple.
Did you just show up or were your hosts expecting you?
What weapon(s) did you travel with?
What's the food like?
Were you able to converse in English with some or most?
They weren't suspicious of you?
What misimpressions did they have about America?
What "message" (if any) did they want you to carry back to America from their culture?
Safe from who?
What didn't you bring that you wished you had?
Was it business or pleasure?

Hi Beestie,

Until Slang responds to your questions I thought I would respond to your questions.

The food in Pakistan is very spicy .. much of the cooking is done with curry sauce but I aquired a taste for it after my stay in Islamabad. I find myself missing some of the spices (not all, but some) lol I love their rice and beans.

You asked about weapons? Why would you think that anyone would travel to PK with weapons?

The majority of the people that I became aquainted with during my stay who spoke english were professional people. English is mandatory for the school children now in PK. I found that many of the Pakistani's do speak english, but they are very meek and humble people and are too shy to speak english.

You would be amazed at the difference of the news on the media stations in PK compared to what we hear in the US.

I was treated very kindly while I was in PK and I was told by many of the women there that they wished they could have the confident attitude that I had.

If you have money you can live quite comfortably in PK.

I can tell you this much the poverty in PK I found to be overwhelming. Since my return this past Christmas Day 2004, there isn't a night that goes by when I fall asleep that I don't see the sad little eye's of the children begging me for money, not only the children but the Mother's also.

The culture shock was very hard on me to begin with but as time passed I became more relaxed. Not once during my nine month stay in Islamabad and also Rawlapindi did I ever feel threatned or in any type of fear for my life.

The majority of the Pakistani people are very kind.

If you have any other questions I would be happy to answer them.

Best always,

Mindy

[wolf]

Mindy, why were you there? Were you travelling alone or with someone else?

[Queen of the Ryche]

And welcome to the Cellar! (Am I too new to say that?)

[Pie]

Originally Posted by slang

The next one is one of my favorites. It's just a man and his covered wife riding down the highway but the fact that shes riding sidesaddle and is totally covered made this very interesting to me.

I've actually done that! (Without the burka, of course...) In Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. Scared the bejeezus outta me.

[Beestie]

Thank you for the thoughtful reply and welcome to the Cellar!

[slang]

There is a very good website on Rawalpindi here at www.pindiplus.com

It's complete with a huge collection of photos and clips, info on traveling to Pakistan, where to stay, what to do, the history of the city....most everything you might want to know.

The site was started on a shoestring budget by Dr. Kashif Ahmed. He's done a great job and attracting Pakis as well as westerners to this site.

[slang]

If you are interested in some clips of what's going on in the Paki quake relief and conditions there, new clips are available. **this is raw footage of earthquake scenes with some human fatalities shown**

http://www.pindiplus.com/kashif/vdo/index.php

I'm always curious to see raw footage like this, without spin and packaging. Of course...spin would require that I speak that language but you get my meaning.

Bagh looting video 1 and 2: This is the truck of supplies that Kashif bought and arranged shipment of with the transfer I sent for quake relief.

The yellow packages being thrown are biscuts. The main need there right now are blankets and clothing.

The people are complaining that they are from smaller far off villages and have not yet recieved supplies. The residents there are getting the majority of the supplies (translation: they have looted the truck before we could loot the truck, dammit)

"interview" video: you can hear them cheer when they break into the truck and find the blankets. Cool to see even though things are so bad for them right now.

I just wish that I had more cash to send to help out. With very few exceptions, everyone in Pak was very good to me. I have a connection with them even though we're so different and far away.

KA says that the helos from Kabul have arrived and are being put to good use.