19/05/2018
Everything I was told about Pakistan was wrong:
"The question youâve all been asking: is Pakistan safe to travel to? Ha! Big one. If you asked my government, theyâd say âwe advise against all but essential travel to Pakistanâ. If you asked the media in my country, theyâd fling âTalibanâ at you like itâs a buzzword. If you asked some of my friends back home, theyâd tell you âsure, if you want to die in a terrorist attackâ. So thatâs how much I knew about safety in Pakistan when I decided to go. (Does this make me suicidal?). And then I took that plane to Islamabad. Landed. Travelled on my own. Travelled with others. With men, women. Locals and foreigners. I went to the mountains and I went to the cities. I even went on a date. During all this time, I got stared at with a mix of curiosity and lust, got asked to take selfies with people which I always refused, was proposed to, and cut the conversations short. I was followed by a silent madman for a few minutes. I saw a lot of big guns in peopleâs hands. And then, at other moments, kids and women smiled at me often, I was looked at gently by people, I was offered all the comforts that only a foreign visitor gets in Pakistan, I was treated like bloody royalty the vast majority of the time just because I was a white girl tourist.
TL;DR - I found Pakistan to be safe. I felt comfortable 95% of the time. BUT, if youâre considering a visit, keep these things in mind:
1. My experience is limited to Hunza Valley, Islamabad and Lahore. I canât speak for any other place, and Pakistan is a country of many complicated places.
2. I am an experienced traveller with a lot of Asian countries under my belt - and I have a naturally high tolerance for risky and uncertain situations. For example, being stared doesnât bother me anymore, but it could make you hugely uncomfortable.
3. Letâs put it this way: I wouldnât wear skinny jeans and a T-Shirt in most places in Pakistan. As in all things safety, reason is advised đ"
By: Eva zu Beck ~ follow her on instagram
Pic Courtesy - her instagram