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Answer: Far from computers, thus from completing that massive first intended “interesting” post, that’s for sure…

Since most of you will be wondering by now if I have abandoned the blog, I decided to give you some sort of rapid overview of my trip so far, now that I finally have some time and a working connection.

Simon left on May 1st from Montreal and magically ended up in London some hours later - something about a giant metal bird moving through clouds… Moveed dragged them both to Central London to visit and walk around and take pictures and meet people in the course of their 12-hour transit period before their second British Airways flight to Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, nowadays the most dangerous country in the world (apparently). Once they landed and arrived safe and sound, they moved to Dinga, south of Kharian (the middle point between Islamabad and Lahore), and spent a week there. During that week, Simon learned a ridiculous amount of stuff about Pakistani life and culture and found a new family (never forgetting the “true” and ”original” one, obviously!); he ate new food, wore “shalwar kameez”, tried learning urdu, sweated a lot (and still does - constantly), got sick, lost some 10 pounds (okay, in three weeks), swam in a dirty river with animals, made tons of friends (not among the animals…), had various interesting discussions, learned how it is to live without electricity, exercised daily by fanning himself for hours, slept in a room with 12 other persons, rode three and full-speed on a small motorcycle in narrow alleys, experienced the roads (and the drivers!), met a hundred and more members of the family (!), walked into dungy “sewerish” waters, etc. Read more »

… it’s just that I’ve been extremely busy these past two weeks.

1. The places where I’ve been didn’t have Internet and 2. when they had, it was very slow and/or unreliable and 3. when it worked, random power cuts prevented me from doing any extensive work.

Yeah, power cuts. In the big cities, at least twice or thrice a day for an hour or more. In the rural or remote locations, think about a few hours a few times per day. (In Dinga, where Moveed’s family lives, we’ve spent some 12 hours one day without electricity… Not good.) At least, people have learned to deal with that and are pulling it off quite brillantly, although not without serious and well-deserved complaints. It’s one of the greatest problems here in Pakistan nowadays, and things don’t seem to be headed toward a (literally) brighter future.

On a more positive note, I just want to say that I’m having a blast here. The Pakistanis are extremely welcoming and sympathetic, not to say helpful and curious as well. The food is - as expected - very good but very spicy: think arrabiata sauce to the third power… The heat was unbearable at first, but I survived - not sure how, but it seems like my body finally gave in to the idea of being subjected to such ridiculous extremes (for me, that is). I have found a new home in Dinga where I was first welcomed by Moveed’s family: these people have treated me kindly and generously, as the proverbial Islamic hospitality “requires”, and even made me feel part of their lives - which is a greater gift than I could have asked for. As for the actual experiences and sights, I’m working on it… Inchallah, you’ll get a glimpse of what I have lived so far soon enough. I am kept busy day and evening by nice people dragging me around, presenting me, showing me stuff and places, treating me for food, etc.

Once again, I wish to thank you all for visiting this site and… being patient. Being patient is the mantra here, and so I beg you to go along these lines as well. Keep in mind that I keep you in mind as well, and by extension this blog.

Cheers!

(English message follows)

Voici, pour nous inspirer un brin, une jolie citation de Nicolas Bouvier, écrivain et voyageur suisse :

C’est la contemplation silencieuse des atlas, à plat ventre sur le tapis, entre dix et treize ans, qui donne ainsi l’envie de tout planter là. Songez à des régions comme le Banat, la Caspienne, le Cachemire, aux musiques qui y résonnent, aux regards qu’on y croise, aux idées qui vous y attendent… Lorsque le désir résiste aux premières atteintes du bon sens, on lui cherche des raisons. Et on en trouve qui ne valent rien. La vérité, c’est qu’on ne sait comment nommer ce qui vous pousse. Quelque chose en vous grandit et détache les amarres, jusqu’au jour où, pas trop sûr de soi, on s’en va pour de bon.

Un voyage se passe de motifs. Il ne tarde pas à prouver qu’il se suffit à lui-même. On croit qu’on va faire un voyage, mais bientôt c’est le voyage qui vous fait, ou vous défait. (L’usage du monde, Avant-propos)

Alors, qu’en pensez-vous? Pour ceux et celles qui ont déjà connu cette poussée vers le lointain, cette exaltation de se retrouver dans un ailleurs dépaysant, n’avez-vous pas soudainement envie de repartir, de vous envoler vers l’inconnu, à nouveau, comme si on vous accordait une deuxième chance? Read more »

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Bonjour à tous et bienvenue à ce mien blogue !

Qui l’eut cru ? J’ai enfin décidé de me lancer dans le blogage, pour des raisons altruistes, bien entendu : mon intention première est d’en faire, dans un premier temps, la plateforme officielle de diffusion des informations et récits et anecdotes concernant mon voyage on ne peut plus imminent au Pakistan et en Inde - vous serez donc, chers lecteurs, aux premières loges pour suivre le fil de mes péripéties sud-asiatiques. Après deux voyages (Europe 2004 et Amérique du Sud 2006) pendant lesquels j’ai employé, faute d’imagination, une méthode de diffusion vachement plate (désolé pour tous ceux et celles qui ont reçu mes courriels chronologiques arides…) et inefficace (vous n’avez été, en fin de compte, qu’informer d’une partie de mon parcours…), voyant la flexibilité et la popularité inégalée du blogue comme moyen de communication simple et agréable, j’ai finalement opté pour m’en doter d’un. Read more »