Gef’s Travels: Emily and Connor in Pakistan

After a short summer break from Gef’s Travels, Ruth is back for a chat with Emily Ashe and Connor Gorman.

The couple began their grand world tour in December 2022 and have since visited eight countries. Before embarking on their adventure they made the joint decision to explore less mainstream places and so they found themselves in Pakistan.

Why Pakistan?

The couple explained that during their travel research, Pakistan came up in many blogs as an intriguing destination. Emily said: ‘Everyone who has been to Pakistan has said the people are amazing.’ The pair are also keen hikers and Pakistan is well known for its diverse landscape and glorious mountain ranges.

The country is completely different to anywhere they have been before. Pakistan is an Islamic country and they visited during Ramadan. They both found it interesting but were often faced with some setbacks – no restaurants were open during the day. Emily said: ‘We want a challenge and when we go to these places we find it more rewarding’.

What surprised you most about Pakistan?

Connor was most surprised by how highly educated the people living in the mountains were considering how isolated the area is. ‘They’re modern in their thinking which made it easy for us and meant we could communicate easily.’

Similarly, Emily was also surprised by the people and how everywhere everyone was so friendly and hospitable. She added that it’s very easy to travel in Pakistan by overnight buses and taxis. For 10 days they hired a car and found it effortless to drive around on the smooth roads. Emily said: ‘They were actually quite quiet. It was heaven compared to driving in India.’

Favourite Location in Pakistan

Without hesitation the couple both said their favourite place in Pakistan was a little village called Jannat Ghulkin.
Emily explained: ‘We found a little heaven. The family took us in and cooked our meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and pakoras all day. It was a really simple way of life.

‘We would get up, have breakfast outside and then go for a nice hike. We’d come back and have some nice food with the family then sit outside in the evening with them and chat about general life.’

Not only the family but the whole village was very welcoming. They even invited Emily and Connor to play cricket after a day’s work. Emily said it was like being in primary school again – everyone meeting at a certain place after school and playing buzzy or tag. It made them feel very nostalgic.

Pakistan Cuisine

In contrast to their neighbour India, Pakistani cuisine is largely centred around meat, especially beef. After a heavy veggie diet in India, Connor welcomed these new Pakistani meat dishes with open arms (open mouth).

Normally, Emily is a vegetarian but for her travels, she became a bit of a flexitarian. ‘I’m not a strict veggie so I don’t mind trying different dishes. Part of travelling is trying different types of food.’

They had a lot of kebabs, biriyanis, chicken dishes and lots of pakoras. They also tried some unusual food that left them both feeling guilty. Emily revealed: ‘We tried a yak burger and if you Google a yak they are the cutest things ever. I won’t be having one ever again.’ Connor thought the burger was tasty but found it hard to devour while looking at the baby yaks nearby.

The People

Before Pakistan, the pair had been in India. They explained that its very crowded and a lot of people are in your face. They were pleasantly surprised in Pakistan as Pakistanis were a lot more reserved, so much so they even spoke quietly. Emily revealed: ‘Everyone was very peaceful. We weren’t hassled and our space was respected much more’. The people were always extremely hospitable and attentive.

Even in Islamabad when they could walk down a high street workers would invite them in for tea.

Being safe and sceptical, Emily said: ‘We were worried about it in the beginning…is there a catch to this? But people were genuinely interested in talking to us and practising their English.’

More often than not, when they grabbed a taxi in Islamabad the taxi drivers would refuse payment and say ‘You’re a guest in our country.'(hint hint Telecabs). In the guest houses, the couple were well looked after with evening meals for free. Connor explained: ‘They couldn’t have done anything more for us. They wanted to do anything to make us feel welcome and comfortable.’

Hiking in Pakistan

Throughout the year, many hikers flock to Pakistan and explore the Karakoram mountain range which is home to renowned peaks such as K2. Due to snowy weather, Emily and Connon were limited to the hikes they could accomplish. However, they both vowed to revisit Pakistan to rectify this.

They did complete a summit in Jannat Ghulkin with their guide Qurban. During the trek, they saw lots of baby ibex (similar to big goats) and also walked across glaciers. Emily said: ‘It’s strange to think as you’re hiking the glacier is actually moving constantly and you can hear the ice creaking.’ At some points, the guide would hurry them along as often landslides can occur. They both found it super surreal.

On the same day, the brave pair tackled the infamous Passu Bridge. For locals, this is a mere suspension bridge that they casually use every day. The 300m swinging rickety bridge with spaced-out planks hangs above a fast-flowing river. Moving very carefully and slowly, whilst 80-year-old locals with firewood on their backs bound across, the couple made it to the end. Emily took more of a lead and grew more confident as she travelled across. Although she did mention her confidence dwindled when she realised she had to return along the bridge.

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Portrayal of Pakistan

Emily and Connor both believe the media’s portrayal of Pakistan can sometimes be unfair.

‘We only see the news about Pakistan when there’s a terrorist attack or the floods or a political situation. The media picks out these worst pieces which makes it seem like a dangerous and unwelcoming place. At the end of the day, stuff like this goes on in many countries even the UK. No matter what you’re best off seeing and deciding for yourself.’

They explained that when they first told people they were going to Pakistan their first reaction was sceptical and even worried for them.

Especially during the political protests, they did consider going elsewhere but Emily said:’ F*** it, everyone who has been to Pakistan has said it is an amazing place to travel and we didn’t have any issues. We’re so glad we did. As soon as we got there we thought …what’s all the fuss about?’

Travelling the World

The couple hope to travel for two years. They plan to stay in Europe for a couple of months exploring again some less mainstream countries – Bosnia and Montenegro. They aim to make their way towards New Zealand to see Connor’s Dad and step Mum who they haven’t seen for five years. They hope to find some work and save up again to take on South America. ‘We basically want to go everywhere’.