iExplorePakistan.com

A Trekker passing through Chillinji glacier in Wakhan Corridor Trek, Pakistan

Dreams? Should dreams be left as dreams or should you be doing something to make it real?

My dream was to travel & Explore. I am living it. I am finding out ways how can i live it more? But does that mean i am putting my family, studies, work and all at stake? The answer is No. It’s all about balance in your life. I am not traveling 24/7 and 365 days a year. But i never leave any opportunity to travel. Be it for work, a workshop, conference, talk, family visit or even for the sake of pleasure. The objective is to move. It’s all about balance.

The photograph above was captured in September 2011 while i was crossing Chillinji glacier on Wakhan Corridor Trek. It was my dream to go to that place, explore glaciers and live in wilderness. I did that. But not in a luxury way. I had to save, take time out, get out of my comfort zone and take the first step to move.

What’s your dream? Are you living it?

 Its strange but yes i have always loved meals during the travel. For two specific reasons. First it becomes part of my travel memories and secondly of course if you are traveling and hungry, anything will taste good.

This hotel, not so fancy but happened to serve us the best oil filled parathas, fried eggs and garam chai during our stop over while going to start Wakhan Corridor Trek. The best part of the place was its location, Behal Hotel and restaurant, located in Kaghan valley right after you drive down from Babusar pass towards Chilas. That is the only hotel available in that area hence you are bound to have your meal either thier or take your own food along.

What about you? Do you always look forward to stop over any restaurant while traveling to add that to your memory?

Lonely Planet - Pakistan and the karakoram highway

I remember how i first started collecting maps, guide books and every relevant content to travel back in my childhood. I really wanted to travel. Had never traveled that much back then. It was always my first priority. Every single book shop that i visited, i’ll spend whole time of mine at the travel and photography section, to find out more. By the time i started traveling, i already had a set of Pakistan guide books. Lonely Planet : Pakistan and the Karakoram Highway was one of it.

I remember how i started with that guide book, knowing nothing except the maps in my mind and some relevant information about the place. But i realized that the real experience is in exploring things on your own. The guide book can just tell you what’s there. There are countless other things that you will never find in the guide book.

I still carry that book with me as a good reference. I still get every single guide book from the book store.I now truly believe that good luck comes to those who really plan for it. And i have never stopped traveling.

Keep traveling!

Being one of the nominations, like every other nominee in the auditorium, all i was waiting for them to announce my set of awards. It was like a numb feeling of whats happening around me. I could not feel it. I could not wait for the moment they announce the winner.  It’s not like that i wanted to win, but i wanted this suspense to end. Be it a winner or not. It should end. The numb feelings and butterflies in stomach.

Annual Pakistan Blog Award held on December 23, 2011 in Regent Plaza Hotel, Karachi Pakistan.

Nearly half way through the ceremony, Rabia Garib announced : ” Best travel blog of the year“. I didn’t realize how many seconds it took for her to say “iExplorePakistan”, but it felt like time has stopped for me. Heart beats increased. My ears could not hear anything else except for her to say iExplorePakistan.

I received the award. While on my way back from the stage and the trophy in my hand, the unconscious questions from back of my head started coming to my conscious.  It said ” Best Travel Blog”. Best?  Have i really done anything remarkable to deserve such an award? Because right before going to the ceremony my mind was juggling with thoughts of traveling more since i have seen less of Pakistan, as yet. Publish more. Share more. Nearly more then half of my photos and stories are not yet published neither are online. Still putting up this content online made me deserve this award? Win it?

I don’t have another word to put it but “nice” feeling it was. Because iExplorePakistan was something i created with a lot of research and study work, a lot of traveling and most important, with a lot of dreams to see Pakistan. And right after its inception a year and half back, i held my self responsible for working more for the nation. I feel the sense of responsibility in me. And awards like Nishan-e-Azm or Best travel blog makes me more responsible to the nation.

I feel happy. Though i am not a soldier who can fight for the nation on borders, neither a politician to develop productive strategies for the country, but what i do have is a small number of skills and that i can surely devote it for for the country, as a Pakistani, for Pakistan.

Pakistan Through my Lens. November 24, 2011. I was invited at National University of Science and Technology Pakistan as a guest speaker to share my experience at their event TEDxNUST. The whole idea of my talk was to share my personal journey of Pakistan that i  have experienced so far. A normal citizen of Islamic republic of Pakistan wandering in search of photographs, moments that should mean something to him. The journey made me realize how misinformed we are about our country and identity. And i tried to show my point of view of what Pakistan is that i have experienced and yet to experience.

What is your profession and what exactly is Pakistan for you from the bottom of your heart? Please Share

Youtube link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr6sxijBcwY

Sunrises, sunsets and twilight have always been my point of attention. No matter whereever i am traveling to, whatever i am doing, i always stop by at sunset and observe the wonderful colors in the sky. Its like a magic. Like not real. Or real but not from this world. Every single second of it is a treat to my eyes.

First week of september 2011, a usual visit to Ziarat, a usual picnic, a usual shooting, i was on my way back to the city of Quetta. I was on road while the sun showed its last glance and set behind the mountains. The color of the sky started changing from light blue to dark blue and to orange. I was already observing it with my eyes wide open. I wanted a spot to pullover to take the best possible photo.

There it came. A dam. Far away. I knew that is the point i need to capture this moment. I pulled over. Rushed towards the dam. Found the best possible reflection. Clicked. But other then clicking, i observed more of the nature and got indulged into this beauty.

Not only Ziarat, i have seen such beautiful twilights in every single part of Pakistan. Be it in to the farm fields of Punjab, high end mountains in Gilgit-Baltistan,  Sand dunes of Cholistan and every single part of this country.

Have you ever EXPERIENCED any twilight? share it

Inflight meal in PIA - Islamabad to Chitral

Be it the small airport destination like Dera Ghazi Khan or international ones like Karachi, in the middle of a desert like Bahawalpur or in the mountains like Quetta, Gilgit or Skardu, I have always enjoyed my journeys. There is an another charm in enjoying your journey other then the destination. Be it on road, on train or in the air. I would always wait for the train to stop at  railway stations so that i can have my food. I would always wait for the bus to stop at the hotel so that i can enjoy my meal. Similarly, I was always excited with in flight meal and would always wait for it. No matter if i already have had my meal at home or in the hotel or whereever, i would still wait for the inflight meal.

There is a different charm in having your cup of tea or coffee while flying. If its a day flight you’ll get to have your meal with spectacular views.

I have also found our PIA’s inflight meal to be better and tastier in every flight. With every different destination, i would get a different meal and then a different happiness to enjoy it.

How about you? Can you share how do you enjoy your journeys?

The Hidden Mountain

Again an another wallpaper from mountains. I was trekking in the Karakoram mountain range heading towards Rakaposhi Base Camp, pleasent weather, no direct sun and clouds spreaded all over. Initially i couldn’t see any of the mountains near by as all of them were covered with the clouds. As i was taking pictures on my way, i also started taking pictures of the route that i have left behind and suddenly i saw some clouds started getting aside and clearing that snow caped peak.  I had to wait for few minutes till the peak could fully poke out of the clouds and hence, i captured this image.

I have always been saying that there is no comparison of observing nature with anything at all give it a try!

Download your wallpaper by right clicking on the picture above and click ”Save Target as / Save link as” .

Enjoy

-Danial Shah

Entrance to Pakistan via Pak Afghan Border - Chaman, Balochistan.

I have been receiving mails regarding queries of the safety conditions of traveling in Pakistan. So instead of replying to all those mail i thought to draft out following points that can help you to travel inside Pakistan.

1. No country is safe or unsafe

One thing i would want you to understand regarding traveling is that No country is safe / unsafe. It all depends on you how rough you can travel. If you are comparing traveling in Europe with Pakistan then it is for sure you’ll  face some hurdles. However if you are an avid traveler and understand the circumstances that a country can bring to you (that is obvious part of traveling) then you need not to think if its unsafe or safe to travel.

1. Do Not Read the News Paper

Trust me, its useless to read the newspaper before traveling. I tell you why. You will read all about what negative is going on around the country. However, there will be lots of positive things going on which will not be mentioned and the negative news will take over your traveling. Its good to know whats happening in the country but not everything. There are things that you should not know as well.

2. Do Not watch the News

This goes similar with the news paper. Same things. It will never let you travel, or even not let you leave your house. Am i right?

3. Know about the place

When i say know about the place, that does not again refer to news but you should ask the people who have recently been there. Get their insights and reviews. They might have had good or bad experience, but your intention is just to get more information about the place where you have decided to go.

3. Think Less

This is one of the useful tool for me to travel. I think less about the place before traveling. I just take little information on safety precautions and then just leave without thinking more and it has always been helpful. The more i think about the place the more worry i get.

4. Hurdles are a part of traveling

Like every other traveler, be brave to face hurdles. Again i say that the hurdles are a part of traveling no matter of which country you are traveling too. But i always enjoy the hurdles and take them as a part of my journey.

When you are brave enough with a positive attitude, things that are not in your favor will not take over over and ruin your traveling.

5. How to avoid Terrorism?

Its funny but you have to believe, we are also suffering from it but we are leading a normal life. I find it really easy at the moment to travel across borders between different provinces of Pakistan. One thing that you need to make sure is not to travel to the troubled regions. When i say troubled regions, it means some specific places.  For example, I am not talking about whole balochistan but some regions where its not safe. That does not mean you avoid the whole beautiy of Balochistan etc.

6. Fight with your inner self

I must say this is one of the most difficult part. I always face difficulties fighting with my innerself to make the innitiative to travel. Whatever you plan for whichever place, when the time starts getting near to move, your innerself tells you not to move, stay at home and enjoy the tv. But there comes a time you need to fight with your innerself and take an innitiative to move. Trust me, once you innitiate to travel, everything around you molds a form in your favor.

Yet there are lots of other things you can do / avoid doing in order to travel. But you have to travel and explore your country. Just don’t find excuses not to see the beauty of your country. Pakistan really is a beautiful country full of hospitable people.

If you have any such tip you would want to share, or have a question regarding safety in Pakistan, just post it as a comment .

Happy traveling across Pakistan

I am speaking at TEDxNUST tonight at 21:00 in Islamabad NUST Campus. I will be talking about my travel adventures across Pakistan and showing it through my lens. If anyone of you are close by and can attend, please do so Or the least you can do is watch it online at www.TEDxNUST.com.

Do post in your comments about the talk if you have watched it  :)