PAKGHAN SERIES, DAY 13 – 14
LAHORE, ISLAMABAD, ABBOTTABAD, PESHAWAR
Bin Ladens compound. Plenty of moving around over the next few days as we make our way to the Afghanistan border.
ISLAMABAD SEEMS VERY UNPAKISTANI
Lahore is known as one of the worlds most polluted cities and I can feel every bit of it so think it’s time enough to move on.
WHERE IS ISLAMABAD?
Islamabad
TRUCK STOP
As we entered Islamabad, our first stop was a bustling truck stop. Here, lorry drivers, transporting goods from distant places like Afghanistan and Iran, take a break for several days. Curious about their journeys, we struck up conversations with a few drivers. To our surprise, one of them even spoke with a posh English accent!
Bin Ladens compound
DAILY INFO….
- HOTEL –
Blossom, Islamabad 6.5/10
Destination Heritage, Peshawar
TRUCK PAINTING YARD
You’ve probably seen the unique, colorful trucks that dominate the roads of South Asia—some of the most vibrant vehicles in the world. These rolling works of art come to life in truck painting yards scattered across the country, bustling hubs where contractors specialize in every stage of the build.
The process starts with the original lorries, which arrive from Japan stripped down to just the cab and flatbed. Workers then tackle everything from the initial design and spray painting to fitting the trailer and finishing the cab. Crafting these masterpieces can take several months, showcasing the incredible skill and dedication of the teams involved.
Bin Ladens compound
RELATED READ: INTERROGATED AND STRIP SEARCHED IN ISRAEL
BRICK KILN
There are many dangerous jobs in Pakistan and working in brick kilns has to be one of them and also one of the lowest paid. The surprising thing here was the number of kids here, a lot of them working. Most of the people here not only work within the kiln but live here too. It’s a dangerous enough environment to work but to spend 24hours a day here is insane.
FACTS ABOUT ISLAMABAD:
- Islamabad’s modern layout was designed by Greek architect Constantinos Doxiadis in the 1960s, blending green spaces with a grid-like structure to create one of the most well-planned cities in South Asia.
- The Faisal Mosque, an iconic symbol of Islamabad, is the largest mosque in South Asia, with a capacity to hold over 100,000 worshippers.
- Islamabad is considered Pakistan’s “zero-point” in road distances, meaning all road distances across the country are calculated from this spot, making it the geographical and political center of Pakistan.
BIN LADENS COMPOUND
This afternoon we finally arrived at Bin Laden’s compound which had very little to show for it but the foundations and some rubbish. The Pakistan government demolished the building in fear it would turn into a shrine or ironically a tourist trap. The area is now used as a thorough fair for locals and a cricket wicked for kids.
TODAY’S YOUTUBE VIDEOS
If you want to see today from a different perspective, and catch a few different stories from the front row, then check out today’s YouTube videos below.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A hectic few days travelling but long travel days are part and partial when you want to see as much as possible in some countries.
NEXT UP
48hours in Pakistan’s tribal capital, Peshawar!! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
172/229
This post is part of the Pakghan Series, for the entire series click here or for episode 1, click here.
To see more photos or videos of my trip head to my social channels; YouTube, Instagram & TikTok.
