Day 138 Friday 2 February 2007 Amritsar, India to Islamabad, Pakistan

An early start for ayurvedic massages, like being put thru a mangle coated in cooking oil, more effective but much less sensual than the Banyan Tree massages at the Oberoi in Simla. Then after packing the car and finishing the last to the alcohol we head back to the border, which after yesterday’s silliness has returned to a scene of calm and by Indian standards efficiency. We are soon thru with no dramas or the feared inspections and are heading off into the back blocks of the Pakistani Punjab, following some signs which initially said motorway but now are indecipherable Arabic script. The road deteriorates but we press on and by an amazing piece of celestial navigation and occasionally getting out to put our ear to the ground to listen for the horses, make it onto the Lahore ringroad and eventually to the motorway to Islamabad 400kms north. Pakistan is a contrast to India with polite drivers who use their indicators, (and mirrors) and no cows. The motorway gives us a false impression of the country as its like a good western highway and we reach Islamabad where we check into the Ambassador hotel just after dark.

Distance Today: 471km Trip to date: 21,748km