Here is a collection of some of my random thoughts within 24 hours of arriving in Pakistan for a visit. Do you remember that moment when you arrive in Pakistan? Can you relate to these other random thoughts?
- People forget how to make lines the moment they enter the gate for the flight to Pakistan.
- That moment when the plane lands in Pakistan…and people can’t wait to get off (even before the plane has stopped moving). The air hostess tires of her protests but the people don’t give up.
- That moment when you arrive in Pakistan and get that welcome at the airport…
- You realize how everyone stares in Pakistan: leery men, regular men, women, elderly, even the children.
- You haven’t noticed how fat, kamzoor (thin), tall or short you have become, till you land in Pakistan and are reminded of this by every distant acquaintance and your mother’s maid.
- You realize how every one is either in a traffic-rule breaking hurry or in a slow I-have-nowhere-to-go trance.
- You think to yourself: “how did I ever survive without house help, can I smuggle one of them back”? Then you realize it takes longer to explain something and is quicker to get it done yourself.
- You marvel at the abilities of pedestrians to cross the road at the peril of their lives, every single time.
- Life seems like one big party compared to your scheduled life back in the West.
- You fall in love again with the sound of the Azaan.
- You love the soundtrack of life in Pakistan with the sounds from the street vendors, the chirping of the birds and the voice of your mom on the phone in the room next door.
- You can’t understand why the washroom needs to be washed again after it was cleaned just yesterday? (whereas it looks totally clean)
These are reactions of course in the first 24 hours as you settle in during your visit to Pakistan. The feelings and emotions change over the days of the visit. I shall keep reporting mine!
Can you relate to these thoughts?
[Read More: 17 Things to Do Before You Travel To Visit Pakistan]
How you have to call all the relatives to let them know you are there! (Just in case they haven’t heard by now!). Then meeting ALL of them in the short amount of time you are there. Then they shower you with love and presents and money for the kids (which you debate using for your own last minute jora!).
You have no idea how nostalgic this made me feel! Having recently returned myself from a trip to beloved homeland, I can so relate!
And this ” You realize how everyone stares in Pakistan: leery men, regular men, women, elderly…” ???
For me everyone had to absolutely sympathesize over the fact “haye Aleeza tmharay rung ko kya hua” ??
Loved every bit of this!
also the last minute phone calls “aap Ghar par hain hum bus abhi aarahay Hain.”
Enjoy your stay in Pakistan. ?
haha some of these are on-point.
welcome to Pakistan urdumon
This is quite amazing. I Didn’t knew your website was known well in Pakistan.
Haha this is awesome.
Also, the sheer number of men. The whole airport is full of men. Specially when long haul flights land at 1:40am, there seems to be no one but men.
And no one will help you struggling with your kids. That’s a very angraiz thing lol ? No priority in line, etc etc. I remember I had to wait 2.5 hrs to clear immigration with my two kids, one of whom was 6mths old. It was more tiring than the 13 hrs of flying.
But phir ghar pohancho tou pta bhi nai chalta bachay kahan heyn. Kabhi iss ki godi, kabhi uski. And the manicure/pedicure/haircut that costs less than £100 ??
thanks for wonderful information