Oct 30, 2006

Let me speak about some other aspects of my journey here. I am being hosted by local families who all belong to the Baha’i religion I am living with local people and their customs as well as having discussions about the Baha’i religion. There's nothing 'tourist' about my trip to Pakistan. The enjoyment is always immense. We live in a world of 'travel illusion'.

I’d like to speak about some of the things I am seeing as we travel. I’ve already mentioned the lorries and buses and how beautifully they are painted. At night time they self illuminate from the reflection of on-coming headlights. Scrolling tin work and lots of reflectors make up part of the design. These they glow in the dark. Suddenly through the darkness comes this bright red, green, silver apparition that becomes a truck or bus once it’s closer. It’s absolutely magical.

Camels are used along with donkeys to pull carts. In one area we've travelled throug there were horses but in the drier areas it is camels and donkeys. The donkeys are tiny with carts loaded to the max. All the animals are well cared for and often have areas dyed orange or red.

At night the camel carts travel together hauling hay. The loads may not be heavy but the size of the loads are enormous. All the loads are loaded in the same manner, within sacks arranaged in a particular shape for better balance. When driving at night, the headlights will reflect this massive shape and you know you are about to pass several carts. All the camels have bells attached so the movement and sounds are just beautiful.

There were a few lorries carrying hay loads. The lorries here are incredibly big and don’t look like trucks I’ve seen elsewhere. It’s hard to tell whether they have a different shape or whether the decoration has changed their shape. They always have a high bow, decorated with studs and filigrees of tin or some other shiny silver metal. These filigrees surround painted areas and reflectors. Beautiful and symbolic pictures as well as birds and plants cover the lorries everywhere, wheels included. Often there are beautifully carved wooden doors.

The sides of the lorries are quite high, over 6 feet so when they are loaded and the loads rise above the siding, you now have most trucks carrying loads over 12-15 feet high from the base. Well, the trucks carrying the hay go way beyond that. The shape of the hay is determined by burlap. Imagine trucks with 6 foot high sides and probably 15 feet long. Fill that up first. Now put a complex burlap shape rising from the sides another 6 feet straight up. Now imagine that same continuous burlap shape growing out from the sides at a 35% angle and extending another 6 feet out on each side. Then imagine the sides of this extension reaching up another 4-5 feet until it is then covered on the top. A huge mushroom 15 feet long and easily 20 feet high. This then lumbers down the road almost hitting every over-arching tree, but in fact fitting into the tunnel of the trees covering the road.

I don't carry a camera so no photos. Any photos from Pakistan were taken by someone else.

Night driving is a delight. Also the pollution is hidden ... a blessing really.

Visit:

http://www.commonknowledgetrust.com
http://www.birthingbetter.com
http://www.thepinkkit.com