We stop in Lahore for about an hour to have a quick look around. Myself and Jen walk around Iqbar Park, which dominated by a 60 metre tower built to commemorate the ‘Lahore Resolution’ of 1940 which called for greater Muslim autonomy in British India. Next to the park is a cricket ground where we discover a practicing school cricket team who boast to us that they are Pakistan under 16 champions. Both Jen and I have a go at batting on a practice wicket, which results in the boy bowler telling me that Jen is the better of the two of us.
 | |
| Jen going for the slog |
 |
| displaying my superior technique |
Afterwards we walk around Lahore Fort, built during the reign of Akbar (1555-1605).
Joost and I get into a rickshaw, which escorts the truck to the Grand Truck Road to the border.
We cross the border at Wagah, near Amritsar in India. This is where they hold the famous ‘retreat’ ceremony between Pakistani and Indian guards each evening and it strange to see a border control that includes a stadium of sorts.
By now, we are used to elongated border crossings, so the four hours or so it takes us passes relatively quickly, especially as we are able to buy duty free beer.
We then wait for a couple of hours for the ceremony to begin.
When we cross into India to park the truck, we are mobbed like pop stars. In Pakistan people just tended to stare.
They practice a kind of reverse racism for the border control ceremony as us whiteys are escorted to front row seats in the stadium. There is a real football match atmosphere as rival ‘fans’ chant in support of their country. India is definitely the home side though, with the stands on this side being full with a few thousand people, while on the Pakistan side it appears that is just the soldiers’ mothers and some bystanders.
There is a troop of Indian women soldiers in camouflage gear. This may be to taunt to Pakistan contingent further. One of them, a stern but elegant looking one catches my eye. She firmly tells me to sit down when I ask to have a photo taken with her. Grrrr, I am smitten. Meanwhile a be-whiskered Sikh guard who seems to be leading the proceedings from the Indian side, wearing a more traditional looking beige uniform and ceremonial marching boots, catches Meg’s eye.
 |
| Essex Sam: I'm glad they've finally redone this place, but they've given me tickets in the Layer Road end* |
 |
| grrrr |
The road on the Indian side of the border is lined with tented restaurants and souvenir touts, some of whom are no more than 7 years old. I have 4 large samosas and 3 large beers at one of the restaurants and sleep most of the way to Amritsar.
We camp at Mrs Bandiran’s Guesthouse, a pleasant, rustic and friendly set up just outside of central Amritsar. It even has a swimming pool. I am one of a party who stay up drinking and swimming until 5am.
*away fans end at Colchester United's Layer Road stadium
No comments:
Post a Comment