Passport - ahh what Passport?

We packed up quickly and left the PC Lahore hotel on Saturday noon. It was hard saying good bye to such a top notch hotel; I can’t wait to get back. We rented a driver (Shabir) and car for 8,000 rupees ($115) for our 6 hour trip to the PC Bhurban hotel at 8000 feet overlooking the Kashmir Valley. The new six lane Motorway was smooth and the trip rather uneventful, other than the 2 speeding tickets. We arrived at 7:30pm to check in.

The young man behind the counter asked for my passport. No problem and I went into my bag. And it is when the shock hit me – I did not empty out the room safe in Lahore!!!! My passport, credit card, money lay now in someone else’s room. Quickly I asked the staff to call Lahore PC. Lahore staff told me that they would empty the content and could courier it, however since tomorrow would be a holiday it would not go out till Monday and may – MAY arrive Tuesday (the day we depart). Should I stress leaving it there and would I enjoy the holidays thinking about what could possibly go wrong. Anxiety filled me up and I called the driver back (good thing I had his cell number). He would take me back and bring me here AGAIN for another 8,000. Ralph stayed behind so at least one of us would enjoy the evening. We left at 8pm and took turns driving while one slept and arrived at Lahore at 2:30am. I was back in PC Lahore as I wished. This all felt as if I was in a dream. I got my things from the Duty Manager and off we went back towards the capital Islamabad and then to the PC Bhurban. It was now 18 hours of constant driving and we were approaching Islamabad, now the drive was getting exhausting! It was now 7am and we had 2 hours up the mountain to go when we got pulled over by the police.

Pulled Over! What else could go wrong ? One officer (Mazher) left his superior sitting in the police car and came over to my driver Shabir and asked for the paper work for the new 2008 Toyota Corolla we were driving. What a surprise - the paper work was INVALID and NOT up-to-date!!! He was going to seize the car. Ohhh when was I arriving to relax in PC Bhurban now – would I need to find a cab? Then Officer Mazher turned to me and asked me if I was renting the vehicle, not knowing I honestly answered ‘Yes!’. Shabir gave me look that sunk my heart. The officer asked for the rental agreement. What Agreement? Now I was going to be ticketed for 500 rupees, money I did not have. I may have to go to holding the officer said if I don’t pay on the spot. Holding where and for how long, when was I going to PC Bhurban now. We tried pleading our case that we were on a trade mission. He started walking to his boss to write up the ticket. I got 100 rupees from Shabir and with the 20 rupees in my pocket I walked over the officers in the car. I told the lead officer that we had a 9:30am breakfast meeting with the Minister in PC Bhurbon ( a few white lies ). I offered the bundle of small bills to officer Mazher as a down payment on the fine, he did not count them thank God and hurrying he advised his boss to let us go. Mazher counted it with disgust and handed it to his boss saying it’s only 120. The boss now frustrated gave me my paperwork back and said ok we will not ticket or seize the vehicle, but it seemed as if the wanted compensation. He then said its not enough - take this money back as well! This was good I thought. Latter Shabir explained Pakistani / Indian culture: what the officer was saying was that the amount was an insult and I in shame should offer more to win his favor. Not knowing the custom I grabbed the money asked his full name and advised him that the Minister would be hearing about this 0and started to walk towards Shabir. Shabir recounted that the officers did not know what just took place – they were looking dumbfounded. The 120 was enough for breakfast and even that was taken way. They started to argue about the mismanagement of that transaction. Thank God some good luck! We arrived in Bhurban at 9:30 – I met Ralph at the buffet Breakfast and went to see my room. I have a corner unit with huge corner windows overlooking the valley.

Up all night and now its time to see the sights, I'm going to sleep well tonight. From 38 degrees in Karachi and 32 in Lahore it’s cool up here and a good thing a packed a light jacket.