Quetta

17^th July

The armed escort arrangement was usually a Toyota ute with a driver and officer in the front and at least one but up to four armed police commandos in the back. Usually with one standing, legs straddled, and rifle resting on the cab. Once it sunk to an underpowered motor bike with a bloke riding shotgun on the back (see photo). This happened in the desert with an excellent road when we were forced to cruise along at 70kph. Quite frustrating.

They would take us a prearranged distance where the next escort would be waiting. It usually went smoothly with us not even having to stop. We hardly had time to wave to the departing group. The speed of the escort varied considerably: from a sedate 80kph to a hair raising 120kph along a good road that eventually deteriorated a little but the speed didn't. The road surface was good most of the way though the signs of the flooding were evident later in the day. Piles of debris and rocks had been dozed off the road just before the Bolan Pass and up the pass. At least here the clearing was taken down to the asphalt.

The Bolan Pass is a very famous one historically with many invaders entering the Sub Continent this way. A gradual climb on a good road, we enjoyed it and the barren scenery. Traffic was heavy, truckies making up on time for when it was closed.

We must have had well over 20 different escorts. Was it all overkill? Normally I would've said yes but with the Red Mosque killings and the attacks on the armed forces in the north west we think it was a good idea. We were only to have a break down or be stopped by a landslide and staying in some areas all night on our own wouldn't be appealing. We are not permitted to go out after dark here in Quetta.

Our 2^nd hiccup. The hotel we are staying at noticed that we didn't have an entry stamp for Pakistan in our passports. This is the 9^th hotel we've stayed at and it hasn't been picked up before. It appears when we came over from India we somehow missed immigration and there was nobody there to check. This has caused a problem but luckily it was picked up here rather than for us go to the border 600kms of nothingness further on and be turned back as would have happened.

18^th July

After spending hours in the office of the Deputy Director of Immigration and security yesterday we find we have to fly back to Lahore, go out to the border with India and get our passports correctly stamped. The first flight we can get on is Thursday, back Friday and head on to the border on Saturday. It is a bloody expensive and time wasting nuisance. Both we are to blame as well as the inept formality procedure put in place at the Paki side of the border. Anybody could've walked through. We were waved on by the customs bloke, we therefore thought he had completed all the formalities, not just the customs. I couldn't see why the bloke here in Quetta couldn't stamp our Passports with a cover note but no, that is not possible.

20th July.

In Lahore with Broadband to catch up on emails. Stamps in passport and fly back to Quetta this afternoon.

Gary

15^th July

After leaving the luxury of the Marriott at Islamabad we have headed south covering over 1,000kms in two days. Some of it on motorway and quite good roads for the rest of it. We are now in Sukkur and heading to Quetta tomorrow.

We have been aware of things hotting up but it was brought home to us when we said to the receptionist at our hotel here that we were going up town, only to be told we would have to wait for our escort who turned up as a member of the constabulary with his rifle slung over his shoulder. Our main reason for going was to see if we needed an escort to go to Quetta and it appears we do need one for part of the way. They seem to have done this many times. I will post this when we get to Quetta.

We have both had stomach problems the last couple of days, Joan seems to be over hers but mine is hanging on. To make us feel really peeved off yesterday, I put the first dent in the van. Not by being hit by one of the local drivers but trying to squeeze into a car park underneath the hotel we were staying in. Needs a bit of panel beating which I will get done before we get to Europe.

Joan was given a cake and a nice bunch of flowers by the Marriott, had our photos taken as we sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. It was all very nice. Unfortunately I couldn't eat much of the delicious cake, I was feeling so off. Not the height of health with my sun burnt scabby nose and burnt lips from the polo. Have lost 8kg the last couple of weeks. Need a few Greek salads and mouzaka to put it back on. The Paki food is so unappealing. I think the strain of that driving in the north took more out of me that I realized.