The CoolBox (English)
Door: Mike
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21 Maart 2009 | Pakistan, Karachi
The Coolbox
Probably and hopefully our only trainexperience in Pakistan is one not soon to be forgotten. And this is not just as it is our longest trainjourney of our trip: a mere 30.5 hours we have spend in our two person sleeper CoolBox..
As we bump along through the Indus valley (I would like to say ‘glide along’, but trust me: gliding is something completely else. I consider taking a slee downhill on the outskirts of the Himalaya’s even still ‘gliding’. This is truly a bumpy ride of which we have no comparison. You only wonder what the experience of the former Khyber Rail Pass would be like, as this former railpass which was operatable during the British reign in the early years of the former century, truly was summoned to be old-fashioned and rather bumpy).
After just 15 hours our first train conductor pops up and asks us the usual Pakistani ‘no problem Sir?’ question. Well. What can we say. My limbs have nested themselves behind my longues. My stomach makes double Rietbergers by the minute. And our waterbottles think that they run a bellydance show in Disneyland.
Everything just moves and shakes.
Fortunately, our airconditioning works. We finally have found a good reason to use our minus 8 degrees sleeping bags and on this moment of writing I strongly feel the urge to unpack my Rubytec Magic Heat Pad for Outdoor Activities.. ..man we’re in a coolbox-situation here! Just hope that my mini laptop computer doesn’t see this as an encouragement for its favourite instable behaviour: namely. ‘freezing (down)’..
With the landscape and the towns of Pakistan passing by, you start wondering why this country is sliding down. Rarely, I’ve seen such fertile lands in beautiful domesticated surroundings. It all seems to fit. Rich, green lands with crops embedded in the scenery by wide, wet rivers. When we halted in a place called Multan, I randomly said to Lisanne that this was a large tourist town. And here is the word. ‘Was’.
Pakistan is country were truly everyhing 'was' better than it now 'is. Pakistan is 'was'land, not 'is'land.
Pakistan has a trully rich history of domestication, rich cultures and ancient cities that use to thrive until they miraculously seized existing around 500 BC. No man can give a conclusive answer to why these early farmer settlements in the Indus valley like Moen do Jaro suddenly collapsed. Now, Pakistan seems to be faced with its largest challenge to date. The various tribes that encompass Pakistan like the Sinds, Patan, Punjabis andsoforth are in constant quibeling. What’s more, the Suni’s and Sji’its often roll with each other over streets, fighting for their honour, or death.
This interior pressure is being further affected by the large stream of Afghan refugees, often taking the Taliban in their slipstream. This ignites the fury and fire by the Americans who want to control this region to all end. Clearly right now an impossible sitiuation from which as a traveller and spectator still you can’t grasp the reality from. Not even scratching the surface.
I only know that the Pakistani’s on the street, with liberal hearts and thoughfull minds want peace and care for their families and guests like no other nation we’ve came across thus far. It’s nearly unimaginable to have meet so many interesting and kind people in such brief time. Spending time with their friends and families in their houses. No answer this time. Just a mere observation that this situation is utterly difficult and I have thus no clue to what end this country can be pulled in a status of anarchy. Let’s hope not. Let's hope for a next chapter for Pakistan to call itself 'to be'land; with hope, peace and prosperity.
Probably and hopefully our only trainexperience in Pakistan is one not soon to be forgotten. And this is not just as it is our longest trainjourney of our trip: a mere 30.5 hours we have spend in our two person sleeper CoolBox..
As we bump along through the Indus valley (I would like to say ‘glide along’, but trust me: gliding is something completely else. I consider taking a slee downhill on the outskirts of the Himalaya’s even still ‘gliding’. This is truly a bumpy ride of which we have no comparison. You only wonder what the experience of the former Khyber Rail Pass would be like, as this former railpass which was operatable during the British reign in the early years of the former century, truly was summoned to be old-fashioned and rather bumpy).
After just 15 hours our first train conductor pops up and asks us the usual Pakistani ‘no problem Sir?’ question. Well. What can we say. My limbs have nested themselves behind my longues. My stomach makes double Rietbergers by the minute. And our waterbottles think that they run a bellydance show in Disneyland.
Everything just moves and shakes.
Fortunately, our airconditioning works. We finally have found a good reason to use our minus 8 degrees sleeping bags and on this moment of writing I strongly feel the urge to unpack my Rubytec Magic Heat Pad for Outdoor Activities.. ..man we’re in a coolbox-situation here! Just hope that my mini laptop computer doesn’t see this as an encouragement for its favourite instable behaviour: namely. ‘freezing (down)’..
With the landscape and the towns of Pakistan passing by, you start wondering why this country is sliding down. Rarely, I’ve seen such fertile lands in beautiful domesticated surroundings. It all seems to fit. Rich, green lands with crops embedded in the scenery by wide, wet rivers. When we halted in a place called Multan, I randomly said to Lisanne that this was a large tourist town. And here is the word. ‘Was’.
Pakistan is country were truly everyhing 'was' better than it now 'is. Pakistan is 'was'land, not 'is'land.
Pakistan has a trully rich history of domestication, rich cultures and ancient cities that use to thrive until they miraculously seized existing around 500 BC. No man can give a conclusive answer to why these early farmer settlements in the Indus valley like Moen do Jaro suddenly collapsed. Now, Pakistan seems to be faced with its largest challenge to date. The various tribes that encompass Pakistan like the Sinds, Patan, Punjabis andsoforth are in constant quibeling. What’s more, the Suni’s and Sji’its often roll with each other over streets, fighting for their honour, or death.
This interior pressure is being further affected by the large stream of Afghan refugees, often taking the Taliban in their slipstream. This ignites the fury and fire by the Americans who want to control this region to all end. Clearly right now an impossible sitiuation from which as a traveller and spectator still you can’t grasp the reality from. Not even scratching the surface.
I only know that the Pakistani’s on the street, with liberal hearts and thoughfull minds want peace and care for their families and guests like no other nation we’ve came across thus far. It’s nearly unimaginable to have meet so many interesting and kind people in such brief time. Spending time with their friends and families in their houses. No answer this time. Just a mere observation that this situation is utterly difficult and I have thus no clue to what end this country can be pulled in a status of anarchy. Let’s hope not. Let's hope for a next chapter for Pakistan to call itself 'to be'land; with hope, peace and prosperity.
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21 Maart 2009 - 19:24
Yasmeen & Co:
Lieve M&L, wat prachtig geschreven, vrees dat jullie gelijk hebben, maar ben blij dat jullie toch de goeie mensen op jullie pad tegenkomen.
Liefs Y&Co
ps Lisanne, die shalwar staat je prachtig ;-) -
23 Maart 2009 - 10:05
Laurens :
ik durf het bijna niet te vragen ... maar gaan jullie het verhaal ook in een boekje uitgeven ... ik sluit me helemaal aan bij de vorige reactie ... heel goed geschreven.
Geniet van de reis -
24 Maart 2009 - 23:40
Moeder Ellie :
Wat een geweldig verhaal Mike .Van een geweldige reis samen .Toch ben ik het meest beniewd naar het verhaal en ervaring in het S.O.S.kinderdorp .Mijn ervaring in de kinderdorpen'van El Salvador en Mexico waren zeer emotioneel,Dit vergeet je nooit meer ,maar daar doe je het toch voor !!!Hebben jullie de " Buikschuivers" al omarmd ??Hebben jullie nu het visum voor Iran al ?? Ik ben heel blij dat we met z,n allen goed contact hebben .Het kleine Dolkje , zie je groeien ,Jackelien is een prachtige en krachtige mooie a.s moeder!! Ze heeft een heeeeel mooi buikje ,Eugene ook !!Nee hoor Eus is heel lief voor "jullie" zusje ,Is hem maar geraden ook !!!! Er is nu een film over vrouwen in Iran op t.v. Lisanne het zijn wel heel mooie mannen , maar kom maar met je Hollandse " stuk "Mike naar huis dus naar Brabant .Allemaal ellende daar !!! Heel veel liefs en doorzettingsvermogen van Moeder Ellie , Ik ben enorm trots op jullie .Blijf vooral ALLERT !! IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!!!!!! Twee knuffels Moeders Houdoe!!!!!
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