Hit the road jack: From Pakistan chowk to China

Anoushey and Faizan will make a mini travel guide as they head on a road trip from Karachi to northern areas.

KARACHI:

If the likes of Brandon Stanton of Humans Of New York (HONY) fame can share their love for Pakistan, then our own celebrities are not far behind.  VJ-turned hosts Anoushey Ashraf and Faizan Haque are all set to embark on a road trip from Karachi all the way up to the Chinese border, 16,000 feet above sea level. In fact, if everything goes according to plan, they would have hit the road by the time you read this story.

“I have been going to the northern areas of Pakistan for the past many years for trekking and expedition purposes,” Haque tells The Express Tribune a few hours before his trip was scheduled to kick-start. “This time around it was my friend Anoushey who was really into it and wanted us to go on a road trip. So, we considered all the safety issues and cost effectiveness and are all set to hit the road at 4pm today”.

The two of them will be making an internet show of this trip, one that will showcase the unexplored landscapes and untold stories from Pakistan. “It’s a mini travel guide to the North of Pakistan,” elaborates Anoushey, “It will be a way of showing what we need to tell Pakistanis and everyone else from around the world. Basically, how beautiful and inexpensive such a trip can prove to be.” The duo clarified that the show or the venture is not inspired by the HONY initiative.

Though this project was conceived about a month-and-a-half ago, both of them were so caught up with other work commitments that they couldn’t get on with it.

Their itinerary touches upon a number of breathtaking locations and places that define Pakistan quintessentially. From Karachi they would head on to Moroo, then to Lahore and from there, straight to Islamabad. After Islamabad, the next milestone will be Gilgit from where they’ll head on to Naltar Lake and camp. On to the Khunjerab Pass, which is the highest highway, and from there they will head to Sostt, and reach  Borikh lake. After Gilgit, they will move towards Rahma Lake and lodge in Astor valley.

“We will visit the majestic Deosai Plain, considered the most beautiful place within Pakistan,” adds Haque. “The Plateau is inhabited by snow leopards. We will go towards Skardu from there and spend the night at Concordia Hotel or Hargisa Hut. After that we move back to our hometown in Karachi. It’s a 10 day long trip.”

Since roads trips are a little tricky business up North, Anoushey hopes, they remain safe and sound. Haque, who’ll be driving, is not afraid of this adventure, however.

“Pakistan is not a dangerous country as such but we are taking some precautionary steps,” says Faizan. This includes travelling through Sindh in day light and passing through places like Beesham, Chilas and Raikot with a security convoy. “ But it’s the places like Hunza and Gilgit where no murder has been reported for the past 100 years and this glorifies and makes us proud Pakistanis,” he says.

The two hosts have made a Facebook Fan page by the name of ‘Wandering Pakistanis’, where they will be uploading day-to-day updates for fans to enjoy and experience the ride along with them. They are looking forward to the hospitality of regular Pakistanis, on the road-side. We wish them best of luck!

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2015.

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