After surviving the night, we picked up an armed police escort (who still had our passports) and we headed for the Pakistani boarder.
Nobody wanted the responsibility of a truck load of tourists on their patch so lots of different escorts picked us up, dropped us off and swapped between themselves.
It was more of the same of stopping, which seemed like every 5 minutes to check our passports. We managed to get through the police check, where our further travel had been refused the day before. (I think they were just worried that we might all get out of the truck again or start making tea). Needless to say that check point was pretty prompt.
The boarder crossing itself was fairly slow and uneventful but there was cold water! In the heat, we are now drinking in excess of 5 litres per day just to stop us shriveling up! The only other highlight was the furious haggling battle with the money changers in no-mans land in the middle.
On the other side, after sharing our passport details with 4 different sets of officials within the space of 100 metres of each other, we were escorted to a police compound where we were forced to stay the night.
Afghanistan was only a few kms away and there was real tension.
We drove through a town that was nearly entirely deserted and was war torn and there were signs of some serious damage. The compound was behind steel reinforced concrete walls and there was at least 1 armed officer on guard at all times. There was even a patrol car with mounted machine guns on top (that we managed to bag a picture with!).
The local shop was 50 metres away from the compound but was so derelict looking. Apparently this was because of the hostility from Taliban forces, places were meant to hide their identity.
Another very hot night followed and then, just before sunrise, our convoy set off with the goal to get as far through Baluchistan as possible. We have managed to pick someone else called Ben up en route. He has joined our escort and is on a motorbike doing a very similar route to us from Wales to Oz over 10 months but just fancied a bit of protection over the next few weeks.
This is the first real time we have felt anxious about our safety. With an armed guard escorting us, it does help but does allow your mind to wander as to why they are so cautious in this particular area.
Just before lunch we arrived in a "dodgy town just a few kms south of the Afghan boarder" and the police refused to take us any further. So we were ordered to stay inside the hotel, stay away from the windows and try not to get noticed! This hotel was a funny old place but it did have showers and air con. Well it did have air con while there was electricity. The electricity probably worked for little over 1 hour the whole afternoon, overnight and the following morning.
So the evening was spent sat either in the hotel or in the secluded courtyard round the back. In the evening, with head torches in situ, we sat in relative darkness. Occasional firecrackers went off and there was a following silence as everyone contemplated what may just be a few streets away from us.
And because of the lack of electricity, and the subsequent lack of air con, it meant another roasting night interspersed with regular showers.
We should've flown to Goa for a week by the beach...
Nobody wanted the responsibility of a truck load of tourists on their patch so lots of different escorts picked us up, dropped us off and swapped between themselves.
It was more of the same of stopping, which seemed like every 5 minutes to check our passports. We managed to get through the police check, where our further travel had been refused the day before. (I think they were just worried that we might all get out of the truck again or start making tea). Needless to say that check point was pretty prompt.
The boarder crossing itself was fairly slow and uneventful but there was cold water! In the heat, we are now drinking in excess of 5 litres per day just to stop us shriveling up! The only other highlight was the furious haggling battle with the money changers in no-mans land in the middle.
On the other side, after sharing our passport details with 4 different sets of officials within the space of 100 metres of each other, we were escorted to a police compound where we were forced to stay the night.
Afghanistan was only a few kms away and there was real tension.
We drove through a town that was nearly entirely deserted and was war torn and there were signs of some serious damage. The compound was behind steel reinforced concrete walls and there was at least 1 armed officer on guard at all times. There was even a patrol car with mounted machine guns on top (that we managed to bag a picture with!).
The local shop was 50 metres away from the compound but was so derelict looking. Apparently this was because of the hostility from Taliban forces, places were meant to hide their identity.
Another very hot night followed and then, just before sunrise, our convoy set off with the goal to get as far through Baluchistan as possible. We have managed to pick someone else called Ben up en route. He has joined our escort and is on a motorbike doing a very similar route to us from Wales to Oz over 10 months but just fancied a bit of protection over the next few weeks.
This is the first real time we have felt anxious about our safety. With an armed guard escorting us, it does help but does allow your mind to wander as to why they are so cautious in this particular area.
Just before lunch we arrived in a "dodgy town just a few kms south of the Afghan boarder" and the police refused to take us any further. So we were ordered to stay inside the hotel, stay away from the windows and try not to get noticed! This hotel was a funny old place but it did have showers and air con. Well it did have air con while there was electricity. The electricity probably worked for little over 1 hour the whole afternoon, overnight and the following morning.
So the evening was spent sat either in the hotel or in the secluded courtyard round the back. In the evening, with head torches in situ, we sat in relative darkness. Occasional firecrackers went off and there was a following silence as everyone contemplated what may just be a few streets away from us.
And because of the lack of electricity, and the subsequent lack of air con, it meant another roasting night interspersed with regular showers.
We should've flown to Goa for a week by the beach...
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