Traveling across Pakistan has taught me one thing: this country doesn’t just welcome you, it adopts you.
Once in Sindh, I stopped at a small village to ask for directions. Within minutes, I was sitting on a charpai, surrounded by women who insisted I stay for tea and wear their white bangles till my shoulders. They laughed and modeled for my camera, offered me ajrak chadars as a keepsake, and told me I now had “addis” (Sindhi for Sister) in their village. I left with more than directions, I left with a memory I’ll never forget.
In Hunza, a family refused to let our family leave without sharing their breakfast: freshly baked bread, apricot jam, and steaming chai. And on the highways, I’ve lost count of how many times a roadside café has smiled, waved off my money, and said, “This chai is on us.” And if it’s not chai, they’ll bring out a plate of local biscuits, because here, chai isn’t complete without dunking a biscuit or two into it. That’s just how we love it.
If you live here, explore more. If you’re visiting, prepare to be spoiled. Because in Pakistan, every trip comes with views, flavors, and friendships you didn’t even know you needed. So pack your bags, and maybe leave a little extra room. Not just for souvenirs, but for all the chai (and biscuits!) you’ll be “forced” to have along the way.
