The Belgian couple has visited Lahore, Islamabad, Murree, Bisham and travelled on the Karakoram Highway all the way up to the 16,500 feet high Khunjerab Pass.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Volders said they are enjoying their time in Pakistan. He said the country is not what the international media portrays it to be. “We really liked Pakistan. We loved the scenic beauty along the Karakoram Highway.” He said Pakistanis are friendly and helpful people. “Many a time, people helped us with our bike. And we are staying at a Pakistani’s home here.”
Volders, an information technology networking engineer, and Marriane, started their world honeymoon trip on a KTM-950 Adventure motorbike from Ghent in Belgium on August 4, 2011.
“We started traveling EU countries some eight years back but we felt that we were just wandering there. We wanted to see the world. We planned a long trip and started saving money; we got married before embarking on this world tour.” He said they have not faced any visa problem so far.
About this country, he said Europeans are told one-sided story of Pakistan. “When I told my family that we are going to tour South Asia too, they told me not to visit Pakistan because they thought there are terrorist threats in Pakistan.” He, however, said they have not had any security concerns in Pakistan so far. “We really felt safe and sound in Pakistan.”
He said that traffic in India was very dangerous. “I did not feel safe there. The roads here in Pakistan are better and cleaner and traffic more organised as compared to India.”
Another thing they liked about Pakistan was its cheaper food. “We had to cook in Africa but here in Pakistan food is available at economical rates everywhere. Today, for example, we did breakfast in Rs150 only.”
About their inspiration for travel, they said that they wanted to see some more of the world, meet other people from other cultures, get to know customs and habits from different cultures which they were not familiar with.
“We wanted to see and experience what countries are like with our own eyes, which is often different from what the media tells us. Pakistan is a very good example of that.”
The couple has visited France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Togo, Ghana, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Lesotho, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Hong Kong, China, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and India.
Volders said they will now leave for Quetta, via Lahore, Multan and Sukkur. From Quetta, they plan to visit Iran via Taftan border, Turkey and back to Europe.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) sources say number of foreign tourists to Pakistan has reduced significantly in recent years, especially after killing of 11 tourists at Nanga Parbat last year.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2014.
COMMENTS (7)
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I wish you luck to both of your for this and future adventure as well and wish you will give us honor for hospitality once again.Maybe government should give them some kind of escort for the safe passage on the route of Taftan side as local and foreigners both are not safe on that route while travelling.
Wishing Maximilian and Marriane best wishes on your honeymoon road trip. Very glad to hear your views about our beautiful country. So happy that you went to the Northern Areas, which are like a piece of heaven. Best wishes and best of luck to both of you on your adventures.
Best wishes and best of luck to the beautiful honeymoon couple. I hope and pray your travel through our gorgeous country is safe and very enjoyable. So happy to know you enjoyed your trip through our northern areas, which to me are like a piece of heaven. Hope the rest of your trip is as enjoyable.
You two are awesome ........ doing what others can only dream of.
Whattay cool couple!
I hope they have a great time :) We will be happy to see them back again in Pakistan :)
Please don't go into Iran along that route. So many westerners have been abducted there. I am a Pakistani and even I would think twice before making this journey.