colors of PAKISTAN: June 2011

Sunday, 19 June 2011

colors of PAKISTAN.... taste of Eden

colors of PAKISTAN.... taste of Eden.... world's best cherries are produced in Skardu, in the northern areas of Pakistan. This particular species is known as Prunus rufa and the unique taste and freshness is not produced anywhere else in the world

colors of PAKISTAN....taste of Eden

colors of PAKISTAN....taste of Eden.....a two-hour flight from Islamabad the capital will take you to Skardu, which is undoubtedly the most picturesque part of northern areas of Pakistan. The best time to visit is from mid-March to mid-April when there is blossom and spring season. During this time you and enjoy the tranquility of blossom of apricot and cherry gardens with the snow covered mountains.

colors of PAKISTAN....rising sun, high hopes

Sunday, 5 June 2011

Journey of ten thousand miles...Kamran on bike

Name Kamran Ali

Place of Birth Layyah, Pakistan

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do - Mark Twain

Not many people really have the courage to fulfill their dreams, for which they can be rightly proud of in the future, but Kamran Ali is one such enthusiastic Pakistani who knows how to make his dreams come true. It is people like him that keep on producing extra ordinary in wake of situations that people do not agree to be very conducive in Pakistan. Kamran is a computer programmer by profession, an artist by own imagination and an adventurist by nature. Born and raised in Layyah Pakistan, Kamran holds a Ph.D. degree in computer science and now lives in Rostock, Germany where he is employed in a software firm.

MAYA's naming ceremony

Bicycle touring is Kamran’s one of the biggest passions. He has been following his passion since he was 13, when he was taken along by friend to a nearby town riding 52 kms in a day. This tour had an exhilarating effect on Kamran. In the next years, he made solo trips to several cities in Pakistan, beating the heat of summer, with mercury exceeding 45 C°, travelling super-ultra light without any prior training or preparation, and with almost all borrowed gear including the bicycle. His toughest adventure so far has been in Pakistan was in 2002 when he paddled about 400 Kilometers from Multan to Lahore in less than two days. This tour was a bit special for Kamran because few days ago he had quit the teaching job he loved to regain the lost freedom and adventure.

Germany to Pakistan

His motivation of the dream journey came while he was on a PIA flight from Islamabad to Frankfurt, several thousand feet above in the air; Kamran stared out from this window seat and didn’t blink an eye. He was struck by the vastness and the magnificent beauty of nature’s landscape that stretched beneath the plane. Mesmerized by what he saw, thoughts struck his mind like thunderbolts. How it would feel to be on these places? What the local people would be like? The languages they spoke? The culture? The streets and climate? The food and the music, and everything? Sadly, he couldn’t get answer to any of those questions from the plane window. A strong wish arose from the deep of his heart and he closed his eyes. He had secretly promised to himself that one day he will return and visit all these places on a bicycle and find out the answers of these questions himself.

Goodbye Rostock, Goodbye Germany

And 2nd June 2011 was the day for the fulfillment of his promise to himself when he set course on his solo bike tour from Rostock, Germany to Layyah, Pakistan and called his dream Kamran on Bike. A journey measuring ten thousand plus kilometers stretching through 11 countries and spanning up to 4 months. For this he carried out extensive preparation, training, research and co-ordination. Finalizing the routes, contacting embassies for visas and official correspondence, getting his gear ready, visiting doctors for vaccination, and training for the ride for more than a year. It was in Jan 2011, that he bike for the tour got its name MAYA, in a ceremony held at StarterCafe Rostock. And then came the day, 2nd June when this enthusiastic and passionate Pakistani was waved off by friends. During the tour he will be crossing the plains and mountains and rivers of Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Iran before he enters Pakistan in about 3 to 4 months from now. We will be following the his tour here at the blog.