Be careful where you enter Pakistan. There's no internal boarders shown and like I did its very easy to enter a tribal area where you need special permission to enter, you'll know your there because of the regular, army and secret police that ask you for paperwork and shadow you around the streets (for your safety). Don't ride the Balochistan desert at night. Very dangerous. I did, broke all the rules and was chased and later jumped on by mountain guards. It was very close. Also they tried to kill me by sending me to a down bridge hoping I would crash over it. Have a good trip? Jake.
Here's another view ...
If coming from Iran the only place where you will be able to enter Pakistan
is Zahedan, they are well used to dealing with overland travellers there
( checking visa's, carnets and the like plus they all speak english )
When ever you cross they will ask you where you are headed Quetta
being most peoples answer, the road to Quetta is right across Balochistan
with Afghanistan to the north the road follows the Afghanistan boarder, there
are police / army check points along this road ( they will ask you to fill out a
log book with your details and then radio ahead to next check point to say
you have left.... if your nice you also get a cup of tea
)
The road to Quetta is about 600km, Dalbandin being halfway the road is good
to there but from then on it is crap. There is a guest house in Dalbandine with
place to eat down stairs, you will also be able to get petrol here it is sold out
of jerry cans at side of road. As Jake says never ride at night !!!! Be this
Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, India or where ever...
No matter where I was in Pakistan i recieved a warm welcome, from the public
to the cops to the army. I look on any country I visit as being a guest in their
lands and go with the flow and their customs, infact to be honest i was
treated as a film star ( but this may have been down to me flim star looks
)
After Quetta I was given a route that I must take to Lahore...
And had an armed police escort the whole way which is a right pain in the
arse ( but there was a state of emergency on at the time )
So there you go thats my views ...
Always use your head your feet are for dancing...
Common sense is all you need
If entering ENGLAND What ever you do dont try and enter England by
hiding in a container lorry in France, you may be met by John Smith from HM
Customs and his rubber gloves. When travlling around England and you come
across a sign saying "MOD LAND DO NOT ENTER " dont what ever you do
enter otherwise you will have the Army, Police and MI5 on top of you as
quick as a flash ( esp if your name is Paddy, Mohammed or you work as an
electrician and your from Brazil ) Dont ride the Brecon Beacons at night its
very dangerous. What ever you do DONT ask a local police man in London
"if he knows a good place for a coffee ?" I did and he sent me to Covent
Garden... where i was robbed of £3.50
Have a great trip. Joe
