Latest on Pakistan

hollywood996 · 11-04-2007, 03:08 PM

Finally sorted out the Iran portion of the RTW trip and now Turkey (US Congress condemnation of Aremenian genocide; PKK insurgents and Turkish rmy forays into Iraq) and Pakistan (171 dead on Bhutto's return; Musharref declaration of state of emergency) seem to be conspiring to force a very large detour.

Does anyone know of anyone currently riding through the region with on the ground intell, particularly in Pakistan? CNN, helpful as it is, loves to ride on the alarmist side.

Thx

Robb

www.hollywood2hollywood.com

Slice · 11-04-2007, 03:42 PM

Can't help you with the info you're looking for, but will gladly give you and Wendy a

for the trip you're about to undertake.

Good luck on your 'round-the-world trip.

GB · 11-04-2007, 03:51 PM

We're all wishing you all the best on your RTW trip of a lifetime..

Get some Canadian flag stickers for your bike, if you're going through Pakistan.. all it takes is one nut who really hates the US govt to take out his hatred on you.. I'd stay out of Pakistan completely. Riding through Iran, if they let you in, will be fabulous!

Inmate Akira rode from Japan to Europe and spent quite some time in Pakistan recently, but events have quickly changed on the ground. Given the latest move by Musharraf, civil unrest is ripe.. it's a powderkeg that could blow at any time..

I'm moving this one to Regional Forums: Asia in case someone there can give you a feel of what's going on. Or maybe it should go to Outer Darkness but those threads tend to be South America related. ATGreg can decide what to do with it.

bombarde · 11-04-2007, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollywood996

CNN, helpful as it is, loves to ride on the alarmist side.

The BBC is usually much more informative about everything.

Frank Warner · 11-04-2007, 04:09 PM

Bound to be at least one from Horizions Unlimited there at the moment ..

Ask on the 'hubb' http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/

Second the BBC stuff .. you should take a Short Wave Radio .. so you can listen in on what is happening .. in your own language

Try http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Chanderjeet · 11-04-2007, 08:49 PM

I saw the newspaper today and the front page is filled with reports of pakistan being under the military rule. Keep an eye open for deteriorating situations. The country is in crisis as the current ruler is facing an immense challenge from the public and he is unwilling to step down.

Akira · 11-13-2007, 01:31 AM

My experience was that I was there at the time of the Red Mosque siege and follow-up reprisal violence. I stayed at a hotel a short distance from the red mosque until a day or two before the final invasion and my recollections are ... "What siege?". There can be these amazing pieces of troubles going on, and you wont feel unless you're right there at those exact spots.

You won't be able to enter a zone where there is trouble. You will be turned back (which can be a bloody disaster depending on your conditions, e.g. you mightn't have petrol, but they'll make you do it).

If trouble comes to the area you're already in, the cops will grab you as you pass a checkpoint and force you to someplace they figure you can't be harmed. Very inconvenient for you, but they will pull strings to get you moved places. Don't volunteer to pay for any of that, mind! Offering to pay a fair price is like volunteering to overpay or pay tips to everyone else they get involved, such as the hotel they stick you in, or to each truck or bus driver on the way.

So many places are safe, and quiet. The Kakakoram highway (from Besham northwards, say) is isolated from that sort of politics pretty well. Islamabad is quiet (deadly boring, to be more accurate). Get the train from Rawalpindi all the way through to Iranian border is a recommendation of mine. I just hate the sort of traffic you get on the lowlands, and in Balochistan I suffered an ugly roadblock once. I don't know if the trainline from Quetta to the border has been fixed yet though (floods damaged it in July). I had to get trucking for that bit (my bike was broken at the time).

Cheers,

Akira

hollywood996 · 12-02-2007, 10:48 AM

Hi Akira-san..

hope all is well with you. You advice is much valued, as usual. We head to Manila on Tuesday where I will close out my current project. Head to Singapore on 19 Dec, bike arrived on 26th and off we go.

Sure to ping you from time to time as situations arise.

Cheers,

Robb

Frank Warner · 12-02-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chanderjeet

I saw the newspaper today and the front page is filled with reports of pakistan being under the military rule.

I've been in places 'under military rule'... in fact I rode after dark when there was a restriction on that .. I did not know .. but they did not fire at me .. perhaps the foregin rego plate helped? Anyway .. provided you are just being a normal tourist .. it anit usually a problem.

petefromberkeley · 02-29-2008, 03:09 PM

I agree, you should be fine there. You have no dog in that fight. Just stay in touch with the Horizons unlimited guys who are there right before you. And as mentioned, if it's really bad, just take a train (shame to miss it though).

Chanderjeet · 03-02-2008, 09:15 PM

Where have you reached now ?

11-04-2007, 03:08 PM	#1
hollywood996 ^OP Adventurer Joined: May 2007 Location: San Francisco Oddometer: 41	Latest on Pakistan Finally sorted out the Iran portion of the RTW trip and now Turkey (US Congress condemnation of Aremenian genocide; PKK insurgents and Turkish rmy forays into Iraq) and Pakistan (171 dead on Bhutto's return; Musharref declaration of state of emergency) seem to be conspiring to force a very large detour. Does anyone know of anyone currently riding through the region with on the ground intell, particularly in Pakistan? CNN, helpful as it is, loves to ride on the alarmist side. Thx Robb www.hollywood2hollywood.com

11-04-2007, 03:42 PM	#2
Slice words+pix+wood+bikes Joined: Jan 2004 Location: western North Carolina, land of the sky Oddometer: 669	Nice website Can't help you with the info you're looking for, but will gladly give you and Wendy a for the trip you're about to undertake. Good luck on your 'round-the-world trip. __________________ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. "They've got roads there that make Deal's Gap look like a runway." —Buelligan1203 on Japan

11-04-2007, 03:51 PM	#3
GB Mod Squad Joined: Aug 2002 Location: Toronto, ON Oddometer: 53,440	We're all wishing you all the best on your RTW trip of a lifetime.. Get some Canadian flag stickers for your bike, if you're going through Pakistan.. all it takes is one nut who really hates the US govt to take out his hatred on you.. I'd stay out of Pakistan completely. Riding through Iran, if they let you in, will be fabulous! Inmate Akira rode from Japan to Europe and spent quite some time in Pakistan recently, but events have quickly changed on the ground. Given the latest move by Musharraf, civil unrest is ripe.. it's a powderkeg that could blow at any time.. I'm moving this one to Regional Forums: Asia in case someone there can give you a feel of what's going on. Or maybe it should go to Outer Darkness but those threads tend to be South America related. ATGreg can decide what to do with it. __________________ ADV decals, patches & flag? Here

11-04-2007, 08:49 PM	#6
Chanderjeet IndiYeah !! Joined: Mar 2006 Location: New Delhi, India Oddometer: 5,597	I saw the newspaper today and the front page is filled with reports of pakistan being under the military rule. Keep an eye open for deteriorating situations. The country is in crisis as the current ruler is facing an immense challenge from the public and he is unwilling to step down. __________________ Himalayas on a Motorcycle - Photography book by Chanderjeet Mango Lassi of the bumfucked hillbillies MC

11-13-2007, 01:31 AM	#7
Akira Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Tokyo, Japan Oddometer: 117	In can be deceptively quiet once you're in My experience was that I was there at the time of the Red Mosque siege and follow-up reprisal violence. I stayed at a hotel a short distance from the red mosque until a day or two before the final invasion and my recollections are ... "What siege?". There can be these amazing pieces of troubles going on, and you wont feel unless you're right there at those exact spots. You won't be able to enter a zone where there is trouble. You will be turned back (which can be a bloody disaster depending on your conditions, e.g. you mightn't have petrol, but they'll make you do it). If trouble comes to the area you're already in, the cops will grab you as you pass a checkpoint and force you to someplace they figure you can't be harmed. Very inconvenient for you, but they will pull strings to get you moved places. Don't volunteer to pay for any of that, mind! Offering to pay a fair price is like volunteering to overpay or pay tips to everyone else they get involved, such as the hotel they stick you in, or to each truck or bus driver on the way. So many places are safe, and quiet. The Kakakoram highway (from Besham northwards, say) is isolated from that sort of politics pretty well. Islamabad is quiet (deadly boring, to be more accurate). Get the train from Rawalpindi all the way through to Iranian border is a recommendation of mine. I just hate the sort of traffic you get on the lowlands, and in Balochistan I suffered an ugly roadblock once. I don't know if the trainline from Quetta to the border has been fixed yet though (floods damaged it in July). I had to get trucking for that bit (my bike was broken at the time). Cheers, Akira

11-04-2007, 04:09 PM	#5
Frank Warner Traveller Joined: Mar 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia Oddometer: 6,593	Bound to be at least one from Horizions Unlimited there at the moment .. Ask on the 'hubb' http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ Second the BBC stuff .. you should take a Short Wave Radio .. so you can listen in on what is happening .. in your own language Try http://news.bbc.co.uk/

12-02-2007, 10:48 AM	#8
hollywood996 ^OP Adventurer Joined: May 2007 Location: San Francisco Oddometer: 41	Good Info Akira Hi Akira-san.. hope all is well with you. You advice is much valued, as usual. We head to Manila on Tuesday where I will close out my current project. Head to Singapore on 19 Dec, bike arrived on 26th and off we go. Sure to ping you from time to time as situations arise. Cheers, Robb

02-29-2008, 03:09 PM	#10
petefromberkeley - Joined: May 2004 Location: Berkeley, CA Oddometer: 3,261	I agree, you should be fine there. You have no dog in that fight. Just stay in touch with the Horizons unlimited guys who are there right before you. And as mentioned, if it's really bad, just take a train (shame to miss it though). __________________ Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride. Hot as a pistol but cool inside.

03-02-2008, 09:15 PM	#11
Chanderjeet IndiYeah !! Joined: Mar 2006 Location: New Delhi, India Oddometer: 5,597	Where have you reached now ? __________________ Himalayas on a Motorcycle - Photography book by Chanderjeet Mango Lassi of the bumfucked hillbillies MC

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