Lahore

A big thunder and lightening and rain storm. Sharp start 8pm and drove off on motorway for Lahore, making a couple of motorway stops, one of which was lunch. No veggie food at all - all burgers and meat pizzas and KFC. I had a banana left from yesterday. Some of us did big crosswords - one started it, did what they could and passed it on. The rain stopped as we got further south.

Lahore is a lovely city, very green with lots of trees and gardens and old Victorian buildings from days of the Raj. We went to the museum which was in a lovely old building opened by Albert Victor, Prince of Wales. It contained Buddhist, Sikh and Chinese artefacts, plus weapons, coins and lots of photos relating to Pakistan’s struggle for independence.

There seems to be little communication between the UK and local guides. They had 5 hours on the bus to discuss plans, but we got to the museum and nobody knew what was happening. Eventually they decided there would be no time to visit the fort, and that we should go to some up-market rooftop restaurant at 6.30pm to beat the rush. It took a while to get to the hotel, and once there they discovered that the restaurant they had suggested was closed to the public tonight as important government officials were eating there. Hopefully we’ll can see the fort and Shalimar Gardens in the morning before we head for the border, though( the UK guide says they are gardens like any other. (She has never been to Pakistan).

Wonderful buffet dinner in the restaurant. A woman was led in, so totally covered up she couldn’t see. Apparently it was an engagement party. She was sat in the corner with the Black off, opposite the young man, with another woman sitting with her. They did not speak.