This Karachi father-daughter duo traveled to Khunjerab on a bike
If you’re a travel enthusiast, Ghazal Farooqi and her father Qazi Farooqi are your new goals. The father-daughter duo travelled from Karachi to Khunjerab on a motorbike.
It took them 11 days to reach Khunjerab and they passed through beautiful valleys, breathtaking mountains and dreamy meadows on their way. The duo called the trip “life-changing”.
Qazi, who comes from the field of sports, is an experienced biker and made an excursion like this last year with his son as well. He’s now planning another road trip to Turkey via the Pakistan-Iran border. This one will be on a bike too.
For Ghazal, however, this was the first time she took to the road on a bike. “Being a woman on the bike on such a long journey, I was initially nervous,” she told SAMAA Digital. “But it was surprising to see how warm the people were. And of course, my father was my support system throughout.”
If you’re a rookie who wants to travel up north on a bike too, here are somethings Qazi said you should know:
- Choose your bike wisely. Go for a 120CC or 150CC bike. It will have your back on rough roads
- Make sure you’re carrying some spare bike essentials such as wires and bulbs
- Take canned food along with you. The traditional food up North is different than that of the city and maybe difficult for some to digest. Besides, dishes such as biryani and daal are expensive there as these places are tourist destinations, Qazi said.
- Keep a first-aid box
- If you’re adventurous and want to avoid spending a lot, take tents and sleeping bags. This way you will save up a lot of money on lodging and also enjoy nature up close
- Make sure you have all important documents such as ID cards and licenses
- This one is very important: be experimental and take risks. It will make your trip memorable
The duo added that they met the most helpful people on their way. Qazi had one request of the government. “The motorway should be opened for bikers as well. The road is smoother than GT Road and has less traffic,” he said.
