Driving a Tacoma around the world

I hope not! I bought them over the counter in the US and were quite expensive, i think $10 a piece

 

Thanks!

No I didn't ask him why Tacoma versus a Hilux. Although an extra cab Hilux is quite rare in Europe but has the advantage of a 2,000 lb payload capacity. Maybe he bought it because he needed some way to ship the four-wheel camper overseas

 

Y'all are inspirational. I think there might be another another around the world Tacoma in the future!

 

For those interested, here's an excerpt I had in a private conversation that might be useful for some people.

For cash withdrawals internationally we have a Charles Schwab account which reimburses us for foreign ATM fees. It's really convenient and have always found a couple of banks in each country that is willing to take the Charles Schwab ATM card.

We have two Visa credit card accounts and two visa debit cards. We each carry one of each in our wallets. That way, if one of our wallets is stolen or lost we can still withdraw money with the debit card and use the Visa card for gas, food etc. Getting a replacement Visa card overseas is basically impossible.

I carry a Capital One Venture X visa credit card and my wife carries a Chase Sapphire reserve visa. Both of these have high annual expenses but give 3% back. We redeem these points from both cards on hotels.

The two Visa debit cards are from Charles Schwab and the other is from the local credit Union.

 

Kyrgyzstan and Crossing Western China


Driving the empty mountainous roads of Kyrgyzstan

Our journey across Kyrgyzstan was actually split into two parts - but we describe it as one contiguous trip here. We entered the northern part of the country from Kazakhstan, then exited through Uzbekistan to Tajikistan. Then we re-entered Kyrgyzstan briefly from Tajikistan to access the border crossing open for tourists to cross a piece of extreme western China. Planning border crossings in this region is critical as access is limited for foreign travelers. There is only one border open between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and only one border from Kyrgyzstan to China open to foreigners. Our son Nicholas was traveling with us for the latter part of the trip in Kyrgyzstan and for crossing China.


Our route through Kyrgyzstan and China - gap in between on the map is when we were in Tajikistan

Crossing China was another milestone for us - one of those complicated logistical pieces we thought through well in advance and planned for. In terms of visa complexity, it was up there with crossing Nigeria or Russia. In all it was a very unique experience - more details below!

Kyrgyzstan

First wild camp in Kyrgyzstan - Jyrgalan Valley

As soon as we entered Kyrgyzstan from Kazakhstan, the geography changed wildly. No more flat empty steppes. Instead, there were mountains everywhere we looked, beautiful rugged peaks. Cold rivers flowed through green valleys and dense forests. Villages were small and rural, many people using horses as their main form of transport. The roads were empty, most of them gravel but in decent shape.

The Kyrgyz people are welcoming and kind although communication was a challenge for us. As the country was part of the USSR until it declared independence in 1991, most of the people spoke Russian as a second language. We tried to learn how to say “hello” and “thank you” in Kyrgyz, people laughed at our pronunciation but our bumbling was a good ice breaker.

Most of the country is rural and over half of the land is in agriculture (wherever it is flat). Although 90% of the country is Muslim, it is rare to hear the call to prayer, it is loosely banned. The Kyrgyz government takes the official stance that religion should be a private matter and listening to the call to prayer should not be inflicted upon non-Muslims. In general we missed its beautiful haunting sounds, but maybe not the 4:30am call when we were sleeping near a minaret.


Setting off for a hike from camp

After a few days in the beautiful Jyrgalan Valley, we made our way to Karakol, the fourth largest city in the country. Karakol was easy to navigate, with wide open streets. It was an easy re-supply point.


Trying the local staple - noodle soup or Ashlan-Fu typically about $1 in a cafe.


Learning to slurp, the kind host brought us forks as we were struggling


We really enjoyed the food in Kyrgyzstan - lots of flavorful noodle and rice dishes, definitely spicy! The food was not as heavy as in some of the neighboring countries (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). We loved, (what seemed like to us and our ignorant palates) the mix of Arabian, Chinese and Central Asian flavors.


Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Karakol, completed 1895

In a crazy coincidence we ran into a group of young Kazakhs who had seen our truck in Almaty and now we were all reunited in Karakol. They were on a self organized tour of their neighboring country. Typical for their generation they spoke perfect English so it was fun to have a conversation with them.


Fellow travelers - a friend group from Kazakhstan and Russia


Hiking in the “Fairytale Canyon” locally known as Skazka Canyon

In addition to green valleys and rugged mountains, Kyrgyzstan had geologically interesting desert areas with fantastical rock formations.


Colorful sandstone cliffs


The spine of the fairytale dragon - legend has it he froze after the princess he loved did not return his affections

Then we were off to find our next wild camping spot. Like the rest of Central Asia, wild camping was easily accessible and finding stunning spots to spend the night and enjoy the scenery was simple.


Driving the remote “Canyon of Forgotten Rivers” to get to a camping spot in the shore of Issyk Kul (translates to “warm lake”)


Found a flat spot with a beautiful view!


Never far from a mountain view in Kyrgyzstan


Not often do you get mountain, lake and desert views in one spot


The next day heading back through the canyon to the main road


The main road

One of our favorite aspects of being in Kyrgyzstan was the stunning and varied hiking - there was never any shortage of interesting places to walk.


Heading in to hike Ak-Sai Canyon


Beautiful canyon hike with narrow walkways


And opening up to sweeping red cliff views



With a few tricky bits to add excitement


Heading up Kalmak Ashuu Pass


Spotted our first yaks!


Camping in the high mountain plateau at nearly 10,000’


Yurt camp by Song Kul - an enormous alpine lake


Lakeside road at Song Kul

In one of those happy travel moments, our next mountain pass drive was our favorite in Kyrgyzstan. (It was not on Andy’s famous planning spreadsheet but we stumbled upon along our route after a few Google mis directions along non existent roads.)


Heading up the mountain pass to the Kowe Cheleng Buwajingan area above Song Kul


A stunning road


Andy was pretty happy about it


Beautiful mausoleums common for the area


Briefly back on the flat road


And then, more mountains


Walking the track to a potential wild camping spot


A great place streamside for the night


Traveling more mountain canyons


And more steep mountain ranges


Blufftop camping spot

That was the end of our first trip through Kyrgyzstan, exiting to Tajikistan, excited to pick up our son in Dushanbe for our Pamir Highway adventure. After our trip through Tajikistan (separate blog) we re-entered Kyrgyzstan via the Kyzl-Art pass, the only border between the two countries that is open for foreigners to cross. It requires free pre-registration through a Kyrgyszstan government site. We had heard of travelers having trouble with the pre-registration process working, which meant showing up at the remote border and waiting a day or two for the paperwork to get sorted out. To avoid this we paid a private operator, Erali through Destination Pamir, $15 a person to register us and our vehicle. It worked beautifully, he sent us proof by Whatsapp and we had no trouble at the border. (And we felt compassion for the two French cyclists camped outside the border gate waiting for their registration to come through.)


The road was a little rough over the pass


Road side camp after crossing the Kyzyl-Art border from Tajikistan back into Kyrgyzstan

We crossed the 15,000 foot pass and had a couple of days to take a side trip in Kyrgyzstan to the Lenin Peak Base camp before entering China.


Wild camp with a view of Lenin Peak - 23,406’ tall, on the Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan border


Beautiful area to explore


Walking through the closed base camp for Lenin Peak - not climbing season in September


Found a spot on our own


Glad to have our son Nicholas with us for this leg - and his tiny grey tent bedroom


Late afternoon hike


Roadside camp behind some hills, last night in Kyrgyzstan before crossing the border into China

China
China is one of the more difficult countries to drive through as an overlander. Foreigners are required to be accompanied by a guide. There are a few Chinese companies that specialize in organizing travel to key destinations, like the Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan route we wanted to take. (The alternative for us would have been to cross Afghanistan which we did not feel comfortable with as US citizens in a US plated vehicle.)

We chose to do the trip with Drive China and they were fantastic, very professional, communicative and helpful. They provided all the documentation for the three of us to present at Chinese embassies to secure tourist visas (Nicholas got his in San Francisco, Andy and Dawn in Yerevan, Armenia). They bundled a group of 10 vehicles (6 motorcycles and four campers) together so we could share the cost of a guide. The total fee for our five day trip for two of us and the truck including four nights accommodation was $1272. When we added Nicholas into our vehicle it was an additional $300 (including a single room occupancy fee).

Drive China also provided critical pre-trip information - links for the app we would need to pay for things in China, the mapping program, and the VPN so we could communicate with friends and family back home. Our itinerary was to spend one night in Wuqia, near the border, two nights in Kashgar and one night in Tashkurghan.

It quickly became clear how critical our guide was - we met Hedy on the China side of the border at Irkeshtam. She jumped into communicating with the border guards for us, efficiently herding us all through. She got us through customs (despite the fact that many of us did not have our VIN numbers engraved on our vehicles which was a huge point of consternation) and after a few hours we were in China, meeting our fellow travelers in the group (all awesome!) and seeking out a lunch of the first of many delicious noodle dishes.


Row of restaurants at the border, lots of smiling and pointing at pictures to get our food (our guide was still working with customs to release our vehicles).


Our first caravan journey, our guide riding in the lead vehicle.


Our group of intrepid travelers - no surprise that everyone was fantastic - they were all long term overlanders, everyone else was from Europe or the UK.


Late afternoon walk from our first hotel in Wuqia

The accommodations were all basic but clean, comfortable hotel rooms with wifi, hot water and a hearty breakfast included (luxury for us).


With the administrative help of Drive China, Andy was given a Chinese driver’s license and the truck Chinese plates.


Stopping for gas, our guide Hedy had to register us with her passport so that we could buy gas as foreigners

We immediately had fun exploring the wide range of food and drinks available - so much! (Our last stretch on the Pamir highway and through Kyrgyzstan there had been very minimal groceries available.)


Chinese stores take candy seriously


And we had never seen so many kinds of oreos

The next two nights we spent in the historic Silk Road city of Kashgar. Our guide Hedy took us to see the sights one day but we were also free to explore on our own.


Giant statue of Chairman Mao in Kashgar’s People’s Square


Nicholas jumping in to try the street food


Metal artisans at work in old town Kashgar





Military parade in People’s Square

Kashgar was fascinating but definitely felt a little bit like Chinese cultural Disneyland. The old town had been completely torn down and re-built with cafes, bars and a myriad of souvenir shops.


New, modern gate built as entrance to ancient Kashgar


Many women posing in for photo shoots in traditional clothing


All of the fellow tourists we saw were Chinese nationals so we were an obvious oddity - many requests for photos


Pictures made ordering anything very helpful


Our tour group posing in front of the statue of the fragrant concubine


Beautiful traditional decorations

In addition to exploring the old town, our guide took us to the “tomb of the fragrant concubine” - Xiang Fei - a woman who reportedly smelled so amazing that she became the concubine of the Emperor.


Welcome ceremony to the mausoleum site









At first we were a little confused by the ceremony and what it was about but the sign we saw afterwards made it all clear.


The mausoleum


Id Kah Mosque

Although we deeply enjoyed our guide Hedy and her insights, we did have the sense that our visit and what we were allowed to see was being highly regulated. The mosque in the photo above was open for visitors to enter with a purchased ticket. But like many other mosques in China, it was closed for worship. The local Uyghur Islam population has not been able to pray there except for on a few restricted holy days since 2016.


Wondering the back streets of Kashgar


Some of the flavors we found in supermarkets were definitely unique


Stocking up for our next remote journey through Pakistan - lots of noodles on the menu. Not surprisingly the instant noodle mixes and spices in China were fantastic - and cheap.


Our favorite style of local restaurants - hot pot dining, you are given a pot of hot broth and oil and pick your items to cook from an enormous buffet

After our two nights in Kashgar, we left to drive to Tashkurghan along the Karakorum Highway.


Back on the road - Chinese camels!


Nicholas had fun using Google Translate on his phone to figure out how the frequent billboards and signs were instructing people


Stopping along the way at Karakul Lake





Along the way were many police check points, typically requiring at least an hour stop. When there was not an official stop there were many pretend reminders that we were being watching.


Spectacular scenery along the Karakorum Highway


Our last hot pot in China - this one started with 5 lbs of yak meat


Good spirits abound in the group








Our last customs and police check point in Tashkurgan - Nicholas has figured out how to wait them out


Dawn saying goodbye to our guide, Hedy


After a couple of hours of paperwork being signed out of China, we are on our way


But to ensure we do not get out of our vehicles before Pakistan, Chinese customs stickered our doors closed



Our experience in China was mixed. The people were fantastic, friendly and welcoming, wanting to take pictures with us and helping us communicate even though we did not share a language. The food was tasty and spicy. We learned to enjoy noodles and rice for breakfast. Travel was slow as a foreigner because of the multiple police check points and need to be registered to buy gas. We appreciated the information and background provided by our guide, but also enjoyed wandering on our own when possible - once we were booked into our hotel in a given town. The area we were traveling is troubled with conflict between the Chinese government and the local Islam Uygher population. We were not given opportunities to have real conversations about this and were very aware of our status as outsiders and visitors to the country.

We will be crossing China again with Drive China, on the Nepal to Laos route through Tibet and look forward to another efficient and well organized experience, along with the opportunity to develop friendships with fellow travelers.

Thank you for reading!

 

Sorry, its been a long time between posts.

Pakistan



Wild camping at the entrance to Shimshal Valley

Pakistan was an intriguing and pleasant surprise for us. It was, honestly, a country we were a little bit worried about traveling in. As Americans we had heard through the decades about the complicated history of internal strife, ongoing conflict with India, a country which was depicted in our media as violent and prone to religious intolerance and extremism. Travel advisories for the country ranged from “exercise extreme caution due to terrorism” to “reconsider travel.” We were also going during the time that the Israel/Hamas war was at its peak causing increased tension between Western countries and predominantly Muslim ones. In general we mitigated our risk by staying in the northeastern area of Pakistan, staying away from the more troubled regions.


Our 800 mile route through Pakistan

Our actual experience was that it was a country with extraordinary mountainous beauty and a family centered warm and welcoming culture. The food was delicious and always freshly prepared (we learned to wait patiently in roadside restaurants as our meals were prepared from scratch) and wild camping was readily available and easy to find. As in many Muslim countries, in many regions women were rarely seen with all of the external facing service jobs (hotel clerks, waiters, retail sales) being held by men. But Dawn felt comfortable on the streets. She dressed modestly but did not cover her hair unless visiting a religious site. In some areas, the desire for people to have their photo taken with us was overwhelming and we would get caught up in crowds of friendly locals posing with us as the foreigners. We did not see a lot of other visitors when we were there. We were traveling in late September and early October which felt like an ideal time to see the mountains in their glory - snow capped but still accessible.


One of our favorite things in Pakistan - trucks were beautifully and intricately decorated - informally known as “jingle trucks.” We were also thrilled that our oldest son, Nicholas, was continuing to travel with us throughout our time in Pakistan.


Entering Pakistan from China on the Karakoram Highway over the Khunjerab pass, one of the most scenic drives we have ever done.


Still caravanning with the group we crossed China with


We loved seeing yaks along the way


Friendly welcome from Pakistan security


More yaks!


Extraordinarily beautiful but stark mountains


Roads sometimes sketchy - lots of landslides


And erosion was an issue


First night - wild camping along the river


The jingle trucks everywhere were absolutely stunning, obviously decorated with love and care

The first province we explored in Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, was our favorite. Cut off from the rest of Pakistan until 1978 due to mountainous terrain and lack of roads, it felt remote and wild. Filled with glorious mountains, glaciers, rivers and valleys dotted with small villages, there was an adventure around every corner. The scenery was stunning, although we did discover the limitations of our relatively tall and heavy truck.

One of our first planned adventures was to drive into Shimshal Valley - a famously rugged and beautiful drive to a remote village.


Entering the Shimshal Valley road, narrow gravel path wedged in between a cliff and a river


Starting to feel concerned about our ability to make it without losing our canopy


Despite our truck being relatively small for a camper in the US and Europe, internationally it is sometimes just too big


Eventually the road just got too overhung for us, and walking ahead to check it out we realized it would be a long way before we reached a spot where we could turn around if the road became impassable


So we turned around where we could and gave up on the drive


The drive turned into a hike, we did not reach the village at the end of the road on foot but still had an extraordinarily scenic day


Maybe this was a warning sign for the road? Not sure.


It was probably even more beautiful on foot - without the danger of falling off the road or scraping the rock cliff










In the end we set up camp on a bluff near the entrance to the valley


Nicholas set up in his bright orange bedroom

The next day we went in search of glaciers. Some of the areas were not well marked, so for us, hiking without a guide, we didn’t always get to our destination, but the adventure was always worth it.


Fumbling around looking for the trail to Batura glacier.


View across Hunza Valley

After some challenging hiking which did not get us close to glacers, we were thrilled to find a clearly marked trail to the beautiful Passu Glacier in Hunza Valley.


Enjoying the view as the sun goes down on Passu Glacier


Pretty incredible that less than an hour of easy hiking got us close to the edge


Admiring the ice formations





Camped at the trailhead to Passu Glacier

After days of admiring nature, our next adventure was to cross the man made Hussaini Suspension Bridge over the Hunza River. It was definitely the most challenging bridge we have crossed (Atlas Obscura calls it the most dangerous bridge in the world.) Dawn stayed back for the initial photo then found herself trying to cross alone, one slow step at a time.


Andy and Nicholas crossed the Hussaini Suspension Bridge, linking two faces of the Karakoram Range.

A kind older woman who lived in the village on the other side, grabbed Dawn’s hand and helped her across. No shared language was spoken but she amusingly mimed for Dawn to relax.


Dawn being helped by an older Pakistani woman


The gaps to the glacial water down below were no joke!


Climbing up the cliff on the other side


Exploring the bluff top path





Remote village gardens

After a beautiful hike, we returned back across the bridge and got on the road to Karimabad. Built into the hillside, initially as a caravan stop, the town is the capital of the Hunza Valley. We had decided to stay in the center to explore the old bazaar and forts. In case we give the impression that everyday is full of sunshine and roses, arriving in Karimabad was a challenge. We were trying to find a place we could actually park our truck. Booking sites did not have accurate information on the parking situation (free parking included meaning good luck finding your own spot on a crowded shopping street). Places recommended on the iOverlander app were no longer operational or impossible to find along steep single lane streets that we could barely pass along. It was one of those days where Andy (driving) after several frustrating dead ends on steep streets, was ready to fire the town as a place to stay. Nicholas was busy in the back seat researching hotels online. Finally, we found a place to park outside a pleasant outside cafe and while we were waiting for lunch, Dawn set off walking, found a place with a small parking lot that we shared with a tour van and we got safely landed.

Karimabad was a pleasant city, the most touristy place we had seen in a while, but the cultural amenities were interesting and the old bazaar shops fun to wander around.


Another beautiful view from the road to Karimabad


Baltit Fort, over 700 years old and seat of the rulers of Hunza for centuries


Nicholas exploring the guest house at Baltit Fort


Unique architecture of Baltit Fort and stunning mountain views


Intricate wooden carving and views down the Hunza Valley


Filled with traditional art


Beautiful hand woven rugs everywhere

After visiting Baltit Fort and receiving an excellent and informational tour included in the admission price, we were inspired to look for some of our own Pakistani art and set off to the bazaar shops.


Father and son at the rug shop where we bought a Hunza Valley rug

We left Karimabad to explore the Nagar Valley and ended up in the village of Minapin with crystal clear views of the majestic Rakaposhi. We set off on the trail to base camp hoping for some even more extraordinary views. A much more ambitious hiker and climber than Andy and Dawn these days, Nicholas made it the whole way but Andy and Dawn turned back after reaching their first glacier views.


Traditional stone buildings along the trail to Rakaposhi Base Camp


Village accessed only by donkey or foot





Photo from Nicholas of the glacier near base camp


Dawn’s photo of the edge of the glacier where she and Andy turned around

Although it was not initially in our travel plan, we decided to throw a trip to the basecamp of Nanga Parbat into our itinerary and it ended up being a highlight. Although set up for tourism with guest houses and restaurants, reaching the Fairy Meadows area is not easy. Also, because of a 2013 terrorist attack killing 10 climbers and a guide, until recently all foreign tourists were required to be accompanied by an armed guard. But after our time in Pakistan we were feeling more confident in our ability to navigate the logistical complexities and less concerned about our being in danger.

It was a little difficult to find information so here is the breakdown of what we did:

Nanga Parbat - Fairy Meadows Trip

• You cannot self drive but must hire a local driver to take you into Fairy Meadows
  
  
• In early October we did not book anything in advance
  
  
• We arrived in the morning and parked at the large hotel at Raikot Bridge. (Parking was 1000 rupees or $3.50 a day, guard on site)
  
  
• We packed light backpacks with clothing for 3 days (also brought our own toilet paper which was a good idea)
  
  
• If you are squeamish about shared blankets (Dawn is) you might want to consider bringing a lightweight sleep sack
  
  
• There is no need to bring food, you can buy snacks and bottled water at Fairy Meadows and guest houses all cook meals for you - breakfast is usually included, lunch is about 1,300 rupees and dinner about 2,000
  
  
• The hotel staff arranged for a jeep to take the three of us, roundtrip cost for the jeep 16,100 rupees ($58)
  
  
• The road is steep, curving, very narrow and in general, hair raising, but local drivers seem to know it well. It takes about 90 mins to get to the end of the road from Raikot Bridge
  
  
• From where the driver drops you, it is a 6km walk into Fairy Meadows. The trail is easy to follow, moderately steep but not difficult. It took us a little over 2 hours. There are tea houses along the way and also the option to ride up on a donkey.
  
  
• Fairy Meadows is a large grassy field with excellent views of Nanga Parbat and a range of guest houses. We stayed in the mid range- 7,000 rupees ($25) for a private room with a cooked breakfast (our place was called Shambala, it had been recommended to us so we did not ask around much but it looked like there were definitely fancier places). Dinner was a separate charge - about 2,000 rupees each. Hot water was available on request for a shower - it required staff heating the water with a fire and took a while so we only asked once.
  
  
• The second night we hiked further toward the mountain and stayed at Beyal Camp. It is much less touristy than Fairy Meadows, accommodations more limited and basic but same cost at 7,000 rupees for a private room with toilet and breakfast.
  
  
• We were there in fall and it was COLD (well below freezing) at night! Luckily our room at Beyal Camp had a little wood stove in it.
  
  
• The next day we hiked up to the official “base camp” - no accommodations but a basic tea room, then returned all the way back to Fairy Meadows for our third night.
  
  
• All in all the views were extraordinary and the hiking excellent so it was worth the extra time and effort.

Road in to Fairy Meadows


Mostly single lane track with steep drop offs


Dawn sitting in the back of the jeep so she doesn’t have to look


Hike in to Fairy Meadows


Cabin in the woods


Starting to see the glacier and Nanga Parbat views


Fairy Meadows Accommodations and local homes


Morning view of Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows


Setting off to walk to Beyal Camp


Trail from Fairy Meadows to Beyal Camp


Lunch at Beyal Camp


View of Nanga Parbat from Beyal Camp


Cabin accommodations at Beyal Camp


Freshly cooked dinner - all over a wood stove


Hike from Beyal Camp to base camp


More glaciers! They never get old


Abandoned house along the way


Last glacier pose from Nicholas


Trail to basecamp


Tea house at basecamp


Crossing the glacier - hardest part of the loop we did


Heading back down the trail to Fairy Meadows


Third night in view of Nanga Parbat - back at Fairy Meadows, Dawn attempting to stay warm under all the blankets


Warming up at the morning breakfast fire


Village along the cliffside drive back to Raikot Bridge

After three days in the mountains we were refreshed but also ready for a long hot shower. We made our way to Chilas to see the ancient buddhist petroglyphs. This was the only area in Pakistan where we felt unsafe, there was an edge that is hard to describe but all of our “spidey” senses were going off. The camping areas on iOverlander all had recent notes that people were being moved on because of security concerns. In the end we booked into a hotel known to welcome foreigners and stayed behind their gate with an armed guard.


Buddhist petroglyph near Chilas

Our next stop was Islamabad where we sadly dropped Nicholas off at the airport for his flight home. Strangely, we spend two days in the city but never took a photo. The city was large, modern, easy to navigate and had excellent food and shopping. We took care of business and moved on.

Our last stop in Pakistan was Lahore. With many more older buildings and cultural attractions than we had found in Islamabad, Lahore had a unique charm. It felt chaotic and interesting, people crowded the streets with food carts and motorcycles competed with pedestrians.


This beautiful young woman requested a selfie with Dawn (if Dawn looks red faced its because she was, it was hot and sticking to long sleeves and long pants for clothing was sometimes a challenge for her, locals managed with ease)


Central square of old Lahore


What most of the streets looked like


Always something to look at

Then it was time to head to the Wagah border with India. Leaving Pakistan turned out to be quite a challenge. Our USA based agency that issued our Carnet de Passage refused to cover Pakistan due to some ongoing dispute. We had spoken to a Pakistani guide who told us we would be able to enter the country for a few weeks without a Carnet. Based on this, we had mailed our old Carnet from Tajikistan back to the US and picked up our new one which covered India onward in Islamabad. When we entered Pakistan with no Carnet, customs gave us a hard time. We explained the whole situation, they called and spoke with the guide who advised us and in the end let us in. Luckily Dawn had a photos of our old Carnet which was technically still valid for another month and they printed those for our file and decided to let us in. The customs officer even emailed Dawn documents she said to show the agents at the border upon leaving. We thought we were set.

We arrived at the Wagah border at 9am feeling optimistic. But we caused a huge consternation, hours of phone calls with supervisors, the border officer who let us in from China . . . The fact that we did not have a Carnet which stamped us in to Pakistan was an issue. We discussed and negotiated all day. Eventually they agreed to take our current Carnet that we had picked up in Islamabad and stamp us in and out of that one. We did feel that it was ironic that the point of the Carnet is to make sure that you do not offload your vehicle in a country, selling it without appropriate paperwork and paying taxes but all we wanted to do was leave WITH our vehicle. It was clear that the concern was bureaucratic, a desire to have the right trail of paperwork and people were consistently trying to find a solution for us - with kindness and lots of offers of tea. Finally at 4pm they told us that they would stamp us out but it was too late to leave, the border was closing. So we popped up in the parking lot and spent the night.


Our last night in Pakistan - camped at the customs office

But at least parking there put us in excellent position to walk to the famous Pakistan to India Wagah -Attari border closing ceremony. Since 1959, border guards on each side of the gate have engaged in an elaborate call and response battle style step ceremony. The whole ritual symbolizes the relationship between the two countries - ongoing rivalry and strife but also a recognition of brothers in arms.


Walking toward the border closing ceremony, we were painted up appropriately for the Pakistani side


Pakistani border guard preparing for the ceremony


View from the packed Pakistan side ceremony to the stadium on the Indian side

We were surprised what a huge deal the ceremony was- each side had a huge stadium filled with spectators.


Pakistani border guards posing for the photo opp



People in the stands wanted an overwhelming number of selfies with us - we were the only obvious foreigners in the crowd


The next morning, Leaving Pakistan to India at the border gate where we watched the ceremony the night before.

That’s a wrap for Pakistan. It was a unique, fascinating experience to travel there. The scenery in the northeast is breathtaking and the villages enchanting. People are curious and kind to visitors. Tourism infrastructure exists in a few places, but for much of where we traveled we had to rely on our own maps and researched information to find trails and attractions. But that is the way we like it, so it worked for us. Thank you for reading, we appreciate all your support and questions. Safe travels!

 

I was getting worried about you two. Thanks again for sharing!

 

Incredible!! Thanks for the update and for posting this amazing journey.

 

This thing is amazing. What an adventure!

Joe

 

Yeah sorry for the big delay. We've taken some time off over the holidays to be with family and to continue our building of our guest quarters in Central Oregon.

We're flying back next week to India to continue our journey east thru India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, China/Tibet, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Should be exciting!

 

I've been following your thread for a while, and thanks so much for posting. Your photos and write ups are amazing.

I recently spent a few weeks in Bhutan and India. If you can get the time/visa for Bhutan when you are headed toward Tibet, I highly recommend it. See it before it changes from its current culture to something more modern.

Safe Travels.

 

Thanks for the recommendation! Yes, we're planning on flying to Bhutan for a few days since we're not allowed to drive there

 

We are building a home in Costa Rica and the Hilus is everywhere there! What are the main differences between the Tacoma and Hilux?

 

How many days on the road ?

 

Over 5 years and 120,000 miles. Driving the most-of-the-time insane streets of India right now

 

beep beep!

 

Omg! The horns are endless

 

Yesterday the Hill Ascent Assist feature decided to act up intermittently in stop and go traffic on a completely flat road

Wish i could disable it. Either that or the parking brake is intermittently engaging

 

I hope you guys are doing ok!

 

Yes we are! We've left the truck in Mumbai and are being driven around Sri Lanka for 12 days. Its a beautiful, relaxing break from the crowed chaos of India.
From beautiful Buddhist temples to


Hiking up Adams peak where he landed on earth after being booted from the Garden of Eden