Yipee! We have bags!

Reunited with our bags

Marie and I met at 0845 to go to the Pir Wadhai bus terminal on the fringe of Pindi. We had been given the bus number plate so we looked briefly; she found the Natco Bus Company office and was told that the bus had arrived (must have been a much quicker trip than the 19h we normally hear of). We were driven to the workshop where it was parked and handed our bags.

Parting chat

We had a cuppa tea together and she snapped some photos of my guidebook as I couldn’t be so mean to leave her without any resources. As we parted, I told her why I had concluded that she had taken the money:

• The scenario itself, the strange strange scenario.  (Deny)
• What happened at Beatrice’s recently.  (Said she returned the clothes afterwards)
• What her ex-friend had told me about her thefts of money, clothing and shoplifting.  (Deny, they found the money in the washing … she probably returned it in the laundry)
• Her history of petty theft including a recent one involving a book from a cafe.  (Agreed)

Marie had some concerns about security at Peshawar and was contemplating not heading there.  But unfortunately for her, online bookings on Pakistan Airlines cannot be split and rerouted.  She cannot travel separately from me.  In all likelihood, she cannot travel unless the credit cardholder (me) produces the card at check in.  So I said I would meet her at check in at Peshawar Airport in two days time.

Bus ride to Peshawar

Before I hopped on the bus to Peshawar; there was an imminent departure on a local non-aircon bus which I understood would take 3.5h. I had the option of taking the posher faster bus (2.5h) from another terminal a taxi ride away but I was told it goes hourly. I figured both would get me there about the same time. Not quite; my ride took 5 hours.

As today was relatively cool, it was comfy when the bus was moving but otherwise hot. However, I don’t regret the decision as it was the best people-watching I’ve had north of Clifton Beach back in Karachi on Day 1.

• I had my first sighting of the blue burqa-ed women. I’ve never seen burqas before; plenty of tudungs, jilbabs, hijabs, niqabs and chadors in my time but never burqas. There were blue ones, white ones and brown ones; all richly embroidered on the front and top; finely gathered at the back. Surprisingly, most of them had them lifted to expose their faces. I guess the put it down when it gets dusty or when it suits for whatever reason.
• There were plenty of kids hopping on the bus selling stuff; they travel with the bus to the next stop and alight. Presumably they hop on another in the opposite direction and keep shuttling. There were a few grown men doing the same; it must be tough for a grown man to live off the margin of selling ice-blocks on intercity buses.
• Pakistan has some of the most amazingly good looking people I’ve ever seen. Amongst them were plenty of green and blue-eyed people, much like Natgeo’s Afghan Girl. Some of them are dirt-poor and look like they haven’t changed their clothes for a while but they are stunning supermodel material.
• Vendors also come on board with tanks of water to sell to passengers by the glassful. In Pakistan, people drink directly from the cups – whereas in India, people pour from the cup into their mouths. I guess in Pakistan, everyone is a brother or a sister in their religion. Whereas in India, a higher caste person wouldn’t want to drink from something that’s been touched by a lower caste.
• A man came on board with a big bottle of 7Up and offered it around (drunk straight from the bottle); I thought he was going to charge by the sip. But it turned out to be his promotional stunt before doing the hard sell for some potion.
• I saw my first Sikh in Pakistan during our stop in Nowshera; most have migrated to India during the Partition.

In Peshawar

Eventually I got to Peshawar and chose to stay at the Rose Hotel near the Old City. It is simple but air-conditioned! Time to open my much awaited luggage and have a change of clothes! But I went for a brief walk to stock up on water, mangoes and biscuits first. I then ordered dinner before hopping in the shower.

Some authorities advise against visiting Peshawar (more so than any major city in Pakistan). A guide suggested that I do not venture out at night. As a precaution, I stayed in after my early dinner at 17:30.I chose this hotel because they have some highly-rated guides for doing day tours. I was quite OK seeing the old city myself but needed a hand for other stuff:

• Going to the Smuggler’s Bazaar where electronics imported into Pakistan bound for Afghanistan (on an entrepot basis) are smuggled back via backroads and sold to Pakistanis at an illegal dutyfree price.
• Going to the gun and drug market (attached to Smuggler’s Bazaar) which I understood is off-limits to foreigners.
• Going to see where trucks and buses are painted and decorated.

Sadly the hotel guides are all at Shandur for the Polo Festival, something we tried so hard to get to ourselves but were just a couple of days short of time.  Also, hotelier said that the whole Smuggler’s Bazaar is now off-limits to foreigners. Ah well; I read that the electronics section is boring as (eg. kitchen mod-cons). The “interesting” section is off-limits and way way too dodgy – I’ve seen photos on the internet with foreigners posing with drug lords with their hash and their guns.

Afterthought

During the night I wondered if I should have ditched Marie as a friend much earlier knowing about her petty theft (I think it was only one incident prior to this trip).  I am very accepting of flaws in my friends and always try to see their good side and she does have many).

I probably make more allowances for her than for anyone else as she grew up in an orphanage and is also on medication for mild mental disorders.  She said that her brother raped her.  But she’s probably so mixed up inside that even she doesn’t know the truth.

Add to that, our long history of many happy moments  together in the most amazing places like Suqutra, the rest of Yemen, Ethiopia and Albania.

However, things have just crossed the line.  A friendship without trust and laden with suspicion isn’t worth having.