First dispatch: Karachi is awesome

[rhyll]

Not only did I arrive safely, but I've found this leg of my journey very pleasant. On the trip, I had one guy bother me and try to make friends with me, but his ability to do so was severely hampered by separate queues for men and women. Hooray! To balance this, I made friends with a woman from Canada and two air hosts ("passenger service facilitators", here). An old muslim woman shook my hand as I was leaving the place, which was nice. And the airport was lovely - noone bothered me or tried to drag me away, and a young woman helped me find a taxi.

I liked the first hotel I went to, and I managed to bargain down from 6000Rs to 2,500Rs (44 pakistani Rs = about AUS$1). It's still a little expensive (by principle, not means), but things here are busy so I might just take the hit. Otherwise I'll look around.

At the hotel I made friends with a nice German guy called Michael, who is into past lives and human rights. We went to the WSF site, getting only mildly lost on the way, and made friends with some Pakistanis. Right now we are at their radio station, and are apparently about to be interviewed live.

At the traffic lights a man asked me for money to release two net bags full of birds.*

I feel very good about Pakistan. It feels far less overwhelming than India, and I think I will never be short of something to do or someone to talk to.

I payed, although I won't again because it doesn't seem fair to encourage it.

Comments

[profundamente.livejournal.com]

wow, i am glad you are enjoying pakistan! i have never been and always felt a little nervous about going, but you are making it sound like it is very civil.