where to start....

Wow, my brain is on sensory overload. We have had a busy day. First, though, the journey itself. Lots of standing in queues. A good four hours worth, first in Malaga, then in London, and finally in line at the Islamabad airport. The woman behind the immigration desk had to call me twice as I had nodded off, and when I awoke from the momentary slumber and approached her, she said, "Can you not believe that it is finally your turn?" and then laughed the friendliest laugh. I collected my bag and then headed through the sliding doors to the sea of shalwar kameez. Big Jim had kindly worn a tangerine-colored cotton shirt so it was easy for me to spot him and Nasir. :-) With Nasir behind the wheel, we deftly exited the chaos that is the airport parking lot, and in no time at all we arrived at the house. One security guard swung open the gates, and before Nasir could finish parking up, another long-bearded man dressed in navy blue was opening my car door. The bags were whisked away in a flash before the first guard could shut the door behind me. For a middle-class girl like me, this was too unreal. Despite my excitement and eagerness to begin exploring, sleep proved to be a more urgent matter, and so off to bed I went. Refreshed from a long nap, Big Jim and I headed out for a bite to eat. We walked to the UN Club, where I had lime juice and soda---awesomely refreshing---some hummus and naan bread, followed by a Thai salad. When the mosquitos arrived at dusk, we went inside to the bar. For those who don't know, Pakistan is a dry country, ie no alcohol except with a special license, so the UN Club is one of a few places to have a beer and some wine. I was pleased to find Big Jim's friend Oroco there. He is the Kenyan ambassador and a good friend of Big Jim's. He also is a jovial person and a good storyteller, so the time with him passed quickly. After meeting many of Big Jim's work colleagues, we took a cab home with one of the housemates, and again I was quickly off to sleep. I slept so well not even the prayers blaring from the nearby mosque at 4:30 am could stir me. And so today began with a tasty omelette prepared by Lucas, who is the housekeeper. Then it was off to the opticians to get me a new pair of eye glasses. The vision in my bad eye has improved since my last visit to the ophthalmologists in July---I can now actually read the third line on the eye chart. :-) In the end, I had two pair because they cost one-tenth the price of in Spain. The next stop was at the cobblers. Because I seriously doubt any reader has ever been to such a shoe shop, I had to take pictures.

piles of leather to chose from....
all handcut, handsewn, and measured to fit your feet perfectly. The "shop" is located in what can best be described as an open-air picnic pavillion. Besides the cobbler, there is also an electric repair shop and a man doing metal work. A few additional men were seemingly milling about, but their function soon became apparent---they are the gophers and teamakers. EVERYWHERE you stop, there are endless offers of Pepsi, 7UP, and tea. I brought along two pairs of shoes that the shoemakers are going to replicate, and I am also having two pairs of boots made. Imran is a master salesman, and despite the appearances of a humble shop, he has very smartly managed to procure the latest Nordstrom's shoe catalog to aid in your selections. While I was contemplating the options, one of the cobblers repaired a strap of a shoe I brought with me. He even managed to find a small piece of pink leather that perfectly matched the lining of the shoe. From there, we were off to Rawalpindi, where we met one of Big Jim's business partners and his son. Wednesday evening we will be dining at their house, traditional Pakistani---no shoes, no smoking/alcohol, and no left hand for eating, which as a leftie will be quite the challenge. While we chatted, suddenly chicken-filled pastries appeared, and more drinks---I am beginning to understand why Big Jim gained weight his first months here. :-) Then it was off to the DVD shop. Wow! The selection is simply unbelievable; the more obscure arthouse flicks, they have them all. And if not, they will get a copy for you in a couple days. I again tried to show some restraint, but it is not easy. :-) Finally, we stopped at a couple of markets because Big Jim was cooking dinner. We went to corner shop-type places, but they were more like what I would consider more upscale gourmet markets given their selection---the best Italian pastas, all sorts of Asian noodles and sauces, organic bisquits and cookies---far more variety than what it available to us in Spain. Driving around is an interesting experience. Most of the stop lights do not work, and at night, the roads are barely lit. Many people do not have or use their headlights. Traffic jams galore, and I am amazed at many folks crowd into one tiny car. Often I find faces pressed up against the glass as young and old steal a peak at me and frequently just stare. People here are always moving. The only people I see sitting are those along the roadside, and they are mainly men who are taking a break from walking as it is not uncommon for some to travel the 8 miles between Islamabad and Rawalpindi on foot. Okay, that's all for now. Tuesday we are to do more shopping and then have lunch with the Colonel and his wife. Our schedule is filling very fast. We are also to have a meal with Oroco and his wife, plus the Imran the cobbler is having a party for us as a sort of customer appreciation Sunday night. Thursday-Saturday we will be in Lahore; Sunday morning we take our flight over K2; and Monday-Thursday next week we head up into the mountains to Gilgit and Karimabad. Hasta pronto, mylifeinspain