The truth about backpacking...

Backpacking travel is NOT comfortable or relaxing, nor should it be. It’s a process that involves a lot of things going wrong and plans going haywire.

Yesterday I went from Chakwal to Jhelum. Instead of taking a private car, I decided to take a local bus which cost me only £1.00 (179 pkr). That’s more than 81 km’s worth of driving (the driver took many detours) for only a pound!

But it WAS NOT comfortable. There were about 20 people in the minivan so I hardly had any movement. Instead, I had to sit in one place for almost 2 and a half hours. We took multiple stops along the way, picking and dropping off other passengers. We made a few deliveries too, like chicken medicine 🐔🤦‍♂️ ALSO, some parts of the roads were a disaster and under construction, so clouds of dust and sand poured into the car

Despite all of the above, I’m 100% glad I took local transport. I’m a big believer in raw, authentic travel. Luxury travel limits the experience and doesn’t give a full insight into the country’s true customs and traditions.