Wednesday, 25 December 2019
I woke up at 06:00 for prayers and stayed awake thereafter. The WiFi connection didn’t improve, if anything it seemed to be worse.
I rang for breakfast and had to wait more than 45 minutes before it was delivered to my room (yes, delivered to guests). Three slices of toast, two hardboiled eggs, milk tea in a small pot, butter and jam and it took them 48 minutes to prepare? Oh well. After breakfast, I went to the reception and asked if I could change rooms. I went to inspect two other rooms (one had no wardrobe and no chairs either while the other room was on the upper floor) and finally I decided to stay put. I did ask them to send someone to clean the room while I was out, explaining there was dust everywhere and hair on the floor.
Saaj, my British Pakistani friend, had told me he would try arrange for a female guide for me but as there was no update on that, I decided to take an Uber Motor to the Walled City. It was a cold ride, I had to ride sideways (all ladies have to ride sideways on motorcycles over there), and it took about 20 minutes to get there but he dropped me at the wrong place (behind the Walled City). It was pretty deserted there except for the occasional men walking about and I was aware that I was the only girl walking all by her self. There was dust everywhere, dry mud, rubbish and whatnot and as I walked, I wondered why on earth the Uber driver dropped me where he did when he pulled up next to me and gestured for me to get on the bike again. He then brought me to the main road and told me to walk around the corner. I thanked him and walked on. It was a cold day and felt even colder because of the fog. At least in Islamabad, Taxila, Mardan and Thakt-i-Bahi, the sun came out and the skies were blue so I didn’t feel cold during the day but I felt cold throughout my stay in Lahore because the sun did not penetrate the fog at all and it was even colder in my room.
I came to Greater Iqbal Park and entered it and walked on until I reached the entrance to the Walled City. You have to walk past a security gate, separate lanes for men and women please. I headed for the Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque. I didn’t feel like taking off my shoes so I didn’t enter the mosque. Then I headed for the main gate and paid PKR500 for entrance. I was beginning to think that this is a flat rate for foreigners anywhere and everywhere in Pakistan. I spent almost an hour exploring and had many selfie requests too.
I left and pondered my options before approaching the stall owner at the exit to ask if he could help get an Uber ride for me. His business partner came and helped me. And then a family man also stopped to ask if he could help me. Alhamdulillah. The Uber car arrived about 15 minutes later and along the way back to the hotel, I spotted a Sightseeing Lahore Bus which I later found is ran by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab.
Before returning to my room, I decided to explore the neighbourhood in search of a grocery store. However, none of the hotel staff at the reception seemed to understand what supermarket, mini market, convenience store are. I walked out anyway and at a shopping complex selling mainly silk materials, asked the guards where the mini market was. I then followed their directions to a roundabout only to find that mini market means shops encircling the roundabout. I finally bought water from a small corner shop.
I spent the rest of the day in my room (and no, it wasn’t cleaned in my absence!), half freezing to death. I also did some search on the Sightseeing Lahore Bus and attempted to send a message to the TDCP but they took their time to respond.
Thursday, 26 December 2019
I woke up for morning prayers and attempted to shower but it only trickled cold water so I had a quick cleanup. It took 48 minutes again to get breakfast served today. If you’re starving, you’d do well to order it an hour before and not wait until you feel the hunger pangs After breakfast, I went to get an Uber Motor to Shalimar Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took about 20 minutes to get there and I was shocked when I got there as the sidewalks outside the Gardens were dusty and dirty with rubbish.
I paid, yes you got it, PKR500 to enter the Gardens and spent almost an hour in there. The Gardens looked mainly unkempt and neglected.
I left and took an auto rickshaw to the railway station to find out the train times to Wagah border. I had missed the 11:00 train and the next train was scheduled for 16:15 which I thought was too late to see the border ceremony. I then waited and waited around the train station until I finally got an auto rickshaw driver who could understand me somewhat to bring me back to the hotel. I stayed in for the rest of the day. It was just as cold outside as it was indoors and I might as well just stay in away from the dust and cold. The TDCP also has buses to Wagah border but only on Fridays to Sundays and I was already leaving Lahore on Friday evening. And you need to book a day in advance for a round-trip tour of the city but they didn’t have it that day and when I asked if they had one the following day, I never received a reply.
Friday, 27 December 2019
I woke up and had to drag myself out of bed. I went into the bathroom and was surprised to find there was hot water today so I showered first before performing prayers. I only had to wait 30 minutes for breakfast to arrive today. I spent the whole morning in my room.
I checked out at 13:40 and sat in the lobby before venturing out for almost an hour. I then returned to the lobby and read my book. I had some argument with the motel in Karachi as the single room I’d booked was apparently not confirmed (only reserved, according to the asshole from the motel). I was to stay in a double room tonight and change rooms tomorrow.
I arranged for Uber to come and the driver arrived at 16:50. It took 25 minutes to reach the airport. I had visions of long queues with people cutting queues but Alhamdulilah, the queues were short. I performed prayers after dropping off my bag before going through security check. The airport looked old and the schedules were on the split-flap display.
I boarded the plane at 18:45 and it was a good thing I checked one of the few screens near the gate because the gate displayed on my boarding pass was different from that announced. We took off on time. PIA served briyani, a very hot and spicy one it was too but I still ate it. That was my dinner sorted, Alhamdulillah.
We landed at Karachi International Airport at 21:00 and it took six minutes to taxi to the gate. This time, my bag was out not too long after I arrived at the carousel. I had help again from a man to arrange Uber for me as I couldn’t log in to the airport’s WiFi. I waited a while for the driver and was about to get a taxi when I heard my name called. He had parked and come to get me. Bless him.
I arrived at the motel about 20 minutes later and checked in. I had to pay for my stay there and then and the difference between one I night’s stay in a double room compared to a single room. The so-called deluxe double room was a joke. The fan was flying at full speed and you couldn’t control the speed. If you switch it off like I did just before falling asleep, you’d hear all the chatter and traffic noise.
To be continued
I woke up at 06:00 for prayers and stayed awake thereafter. The WiFi connection didn’t improve, if anything it seemed to be worse.
I rang for breakfast and had to wait more than 45 minutes before it was delivered to my room (yes, delivered to guests). Three slices of toast, two hardboiled eggs, milk tea in a small pot, butter and jam and it took them 48 minutes to prepare? Oh well. After breakfast, I went to the reception and asked if I could change rooms. I went to inspect two other rooms (one had no wardrobe and no chairs either while the other room was on the upper floor) and finally I decided to stay put. I did ask them to send someone to clean the room while I was out, explaining there was dust everywhere and hair on the floor.
Saaj, my British Pakistani friend, had told me he would try arrange for a female guide for me but as there was no update on that, I decided to take an Uber Motor to the Walled City. It was a cold ride, I had to ride sideways (all ladies have to ride sideways on motorcycles over there), and it took about 20 minutes to get there but he dropped me at the wrong place (behind the Walled City). It was pretty deserted there except for the occasional men walking about and I was aware that I was the only girl walking all by her self. There was dust everywhere, dry mud, rubbish and whatnot and as I walked, I wondered why on earth the Uber driver dropped me where he did when he pulled up next to me and gestured for me to get on the bike again. He then brought me to the main road and told me to walk around the corner. I thanked him and walked on. It was a cold day and felt even colder because of the fog. At least in Islamabad, Taxila, Mardan and Thakt-i-Bahi, the sun came out and the skies were blue so I didn’t feel cold during the day but I felt cold throughout my stay in Lahore because the sun did not penetrate the fog at all and it was even colder in my room.
I came to Greater Iqbal Park and entered it and walked on until I reached the entrance to the Walled City. You have to walk past a security gate, separate lanes for men and women please. I headed for the Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque. I didn’t feel like taking off my shoes so I didn’t enter the mosque. Then I headed for the main gate and paid PKR500 for entrance. I was beginning to think that this is a flat rate for foreigners anywhere and everywhere in Pakistan. I spent almost an hour exploring and had many selfie requests too.
I left and pondered my options before approaching the stall owner at the exit to ask if he could help get an Uber ride for me. His business partner came and helped me. And then a family man also stopped to ask if he could help me. Alhamdulillah. The Uber car arrived about 15 minutes later and along the way back to the hotel, I spotted a Sightseeing Lahore Bus which I later found is ran by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab.
Before returning to my room, I decided to explore the neighbourhood in search of a grocery store. However, none of the hotel staff at the reception seemed to understand what supermarket, mini market, convenience store are. I walked out anyway and at a shopping complex selling mainly silk materials, asked the guards where the mini market was. I then followed their directions to a roundabout only to find that mini market means shops encircling the roundabout. I finally bought water from a small corner shop.
I spent the rest of the day in my room (and no, it wasn’t cleaned in my absence!), half freezing to death. I also did some search on the Sightseeing Lahore Bus and attempted to send a message to the TDCP but they took their time to respond.
Thursday, 26 December 2019
I woke up for morning prayers and attempted to shower but it only trickled cold water so I had a quick cleanup. It took 48 minutes again to get breakfast served today. If you’re starving, you’d do well to order it an hour before and not wait until you feel the hunger pangs After breakfast, I went to get an Uber Motor to Shalimar Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took about 20 minutes to get there and I was shocked when I got there as the sidewalks outside the Gardens were dusty and dirty with rubbish.
I paid, yes you got it, PKR500 to enter the Gardens and spent almost an hour in there. The Gardens looked mainly unkempt and neglected.
I left and took an auto rickshaw to the railway station to find out the train times to Wagah border. I had missed the 11:00 train and the next train was scheduled for 16:15 which I thought was too late to see the border ceremony. I then waited and waited around the train station until I finally got an auto rickshaw driver who could understand me somewhat to bring me back to the hotel. I stayed in for the rest of the day. It was just as cold outside as it was indoors and I might as well just stay in away from the dust and cold. The TDCP also has buses to Wagah border but only on Fridays to Sundays and I was already leaving Lahore on Friday evening. And you need to book a day in advance for a round-trip tour of the city but they didn’t have it that day and when I asked if they had one the following day, I never received a reply.
Friday, 27 December 2019
I woke up and had to drag myself out of bed. I went into the bathroom and was surprised to find there was hot water today so I showered first before performing prayers. I only had to wait 30 minutes for breakfast to arrive today. I spent the whole morning in my room.
I checked out at 13:40 and sat in the lobby before venturing out for almost an hour. I then returned to the lobby and read my book. I had some argument with the motel in Karachi as the single room I’d booked was apparently not confirmed (only reserved, according to the asshole from the motel). I was to stay in a double room tonight and change rooms tomorrow.
I arranged for Uber to come and the driver arrived at 16:50. It took 25 minutes to reach the airport. I had visions of long queues with people cutting queues but Alhamdulilah, the queues were short. I performed prayers after dropping off my bag before going through security check. The airport looked old and the schedules were on the split-flap display.
I boarded the plane at 18:45 and it was a good thing I checked one of the few screens near the gate because the gate displayed on my boarding pass was different from that announced. We took off on time. PIA served briyani, a very hot and spicy one it was too but I still ate it. That was my dinner sorted, Alhamdulillah.
We landed at Karachi International Airport at 21:00 and it took six minutes to taxi to the gate. This time, my bag was out not too long after I arrived at the carousel. I had help again from a man to arrange Uber for me as I couldn’t log in to the airport’s WiFi. I waited a while for the driver and was about to get a taxi when I heard my name called. He had parked and come to get me. Bless him.
I arrived at the motel about 20 minutes later and checked in. I had to pay for my stay there and then and the difference between one I night’s stay in a double room compared to a single room. The so-called deluxe double room was a joke. The fan was flying at full speed and you couldn’t control the speed. If you switch it off like I did just before falling asleep, you’d hear all the chatter and traffic noise.
To be continued
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