of Quetta , at night was probably the most intense ride I ’ ve ever had and when we finally rolled into a hotel compound , behind tall walls and barbed wire , I was just happy we ’ d made it alive .
In the hotel we met other travellers , mostly Chinese , and together we would spend the next few days sorting out paperwork for the journey onwards , but for now we just hung out in the garden , eating yet another biryani and celebrating our survival with a few glasses of ice cold coke . There was no beer here ! Relaxing in the cool night air I reflected on the past couple of days , a totally unique , once in a lifetime adventure .
I remembered that morning , only two days ago , approaching the border , the Afghan mountains painted red by a rising sun . Of course , I did a lot of research before the trip , but no stories or videos really prepare you for that first introduction to western Pakistan ; the desert roads , the military posts , the sense of danger . Although it didn ’ t really feel prohibitively dangerous . Yet mostly , it was the people , the hospitality , the friendliness , and the curiosity . These first two days in Pakistan I will never forget , never regret and happily do again . AP
Alex Petrov rode his Yamaha FZ8 Fazer around the world finishing in Australia just as the Covid-19 pandemic started to sweep the world . His bike was said to be ' unsuitable ' by many , he didn ' t listen and proved the naysayers wrong , see our Adventure Bike feature in TRAVERSE issue 18 .
Alex , as with many travellers , is assessing what the worldwide situation will be in a post-pandemic world and is keen to get back on the bike and hit the road .
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