Ohkay on this website, we have an influx of those regular readers who reside outside Pakistan, so I thought of coming up with an article to which most of them in fact all of them can relate. :)
I think the excitement of visiting Pakistan every single time is beyond explainable. No matter where you live, no matter how much settled you are in your routine, the vacation to Pakistan is the most anticipated thing & worth the wait. I myself always look forward to visiting Pakistan no matter what the time span of my stay is but by the end I always feel that you just can’t get enough of your homeland.
Here’s a list of some of the perks of visiting Pakistan, every single time: :)
The Dose of Urdu:
I must say this fact brings a smile to my face that the moment I step into Pakistan, I get to hear my mother tongue in my surroundings. I think nothing beats the connection you feel the moment you hear Urdu all around you. No matter where you go, the relation & the bonding you feel with the people who share the same language as you is unexplainably appeasing.
Good Old Family:
For me, the best part about visiting Pakistan is meeting the grandparents & all the elders of your family, in fact the whole bunch of relatives. The peace & happiness that you feel after meeting your people, after seeing those familiar faces eradicates all the hassle of travelling. Nothing beats the warm welcome that you experience the moment you meet your family.
Shopping Till You’re Dropping:
Not sure about the gents but for the ladies, hands down, this has to be the best perk of visiting Pakistan. Discussions on the latest trends, the designers & all those shopping trips are the best part of the the whole journey. I mean who doesn’t like stocking up the apparels for your new wardrobe? Coming to Pakistan & not to shop till you drop is something impossible. I enjoy my fair share of those bargains with the ‘Pathan’ vendors, I must say they do come up with all sorts of tricky taglines to sell the fabric, which you can never think of & yes, the most important aspect of the trip to Pakistan is the regular trips to the family tailor, lol.
Cravings of Pakistani Food:
Ohkay, we know, we all have that one specific dhabba that we all want to visit before leaving Pakistan. I make sure I compile a list of the places that I want to visit & the food I want to eat because there are plenty of places that have helped in spoiling our taste buds. No matter where you eat, nothing beats Pakistani food & especially the food of those road-side stalls is to die for.
The Weddings:
No matter what time of the year it is when you visit Pakistan, you always get to attend the wedding functions during your stay. All those vibrant colors, the long discussion, everything related to the festivity is something to look forward to & luckily if the wedding that you get to attend is of the immediate family member then the excitement is sky-high.
The Night Long Discussions:
Who doesn’t do it? The best part of visiting your family is staying up till late hours of the night just so you talk about everything that has been happening in & around your life. I look forward to these sort of sessions with my cousins the most & I think everyone does it because those discussions are the best way of unwinding with your people.
Mini Trips:
That’s like taking a mini vacation within your vacation. Those short trips that you tend you plan with all the families of your immediate relatives are the most memorable moments of the whole trip. My ancestral home happens to be in Murree so for me, visiting Murree is a compulsory part of every trip that I make to Pakistan. All those gatherings & outings are something worth planning so as to experience a wholesome vacation & not to be forgotten the late-night outings with a bunch of cousins to settle the food cravings are another highlight of your stay.
Remembering The Routes:
Remembering the routes to everywhere you go. Remembering all the places, all the markets, all the roads, ways, even the sign boards has to be the best thing about being in your place & then all of a sudden you realize, things might’ve changed but a lot of them didn’t. I totally enjoy how the whole map is sketched into your memory & helps you in remembering everything related to the journeys you’ve taken on these roads.
So, this was my little dedication to the awesome trips we make to our country; our Pakistan. Share what you felt about the article, what you guys look forward to the most when you’re planning your trip & what does your to-do list comprise of? :)
& yes, in the end, nothing beats Pakistan. :D
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.