Office day out

Our Engineers and staff team decided on a day out and organised for . Cosy Water Park It's about 45 minutes out of Karachi, so I was told. Easy, so we set off to join everyone. 2 hours later we finally found it!!! Miles out of Karachi, in what can only be described as desert/shrub land. Not one road sign indicating where is was all the way along the 30 kilometers of Super highway!

(Photos from Cosy Park Web page)
Anyway we made it. Place has several pools and some high level slides. When we arrived the team had organised a shaded area, placed out the matting and ordered the biryanies. So far so good. It was a hot day in the low 30's and dry. Middle of a desert really. Once up on the slides you could see for miles and it was only adjacent to the area that there was any greenery. In its way very spectacular.

I even managed to brave the big slide and come out intact!

Party time

Just got home from work to see lots of cars outside our condo block. And lots of Ladies, great or what?!!!! All descending on to the Art College next to my Condo. Looks like a big dance is about to happen. It's great to watch from up in the Condo. From the rear bedroom, I can see into the College gardens and just watch the activities. Normally you are not able to see these parties (no pun intended) unless invited to these events. Not being from here, means the invites are few and far between. So I'll keep an eye on it all as the evening goes on, and see what transpires. The great thing is to see everyone out and enjoying themselves. Feels a bit strange to be watching like this as a sort of impostor but who cares. They do not even know I'm here. The ladies are nearly all dressed in local dress and most wearing spectacular colours, off set so well in the afternoon sun. Really fun to watch.

A week in Karachi

God this week has gone quickly!

Only yesterday it seemed like Monday and today it’s Saturday. Must be getting old quicker that I thought. And now it’s arrived. The big day when I move from the hotel to the Condo.

The day started at the Hotel. Once breakfast was over I had to get into action. Ok up and out!! Packed my gear, one last check of the cupboards, bathroom and of course the hotel fridge!! Nothing left behind so off I go. Reception organize a porter. My stuff appears down to the lobby and believe it or not, at the same time my driver appears out of thin air ready with the car. Good omen me thinks. Off we go.

Amazing so far all has gone according to my time table. Having departed the hotel at 9.30 am we (me and my driver!) arrived as agreed at the Condo at 10.30. Oh yes, I did a quick stop at the supermarket to buy some bread and bits. Interesting all the staff are male. Only females in the shop are shopping!!! Shops here seem to have everything even non-alcoholic beer!!!!! I’ve left that firmly on the shelf. No way I’m buying that stuff. If you ask me it’s a daft idea to be selling pretend beer especially when alcohol is banned!!! Completely stupid, I mean if you don't drink the stuff why pretend you do!!!!!!

On arrival at the Condo I’m greeted by my Land Lady who is still sorting out her final bits and pieces. Fussing about to complete the paint job etc. (Hope it is quick as I want her out ASAP. I did tell her she could stay on a few days to get things finalized, just hope that is taking a few days and not weeks. Could be difficult if more than a couple of days).

Her first question of the day “How are you and would I like a cup of Tea, I’ve got one ready?”. “Fine thanks. Of course, I love my cuppa!!!!”. Off she goes and within seconds reappeared with a steaming hot cup of Liptons.

But just as I’m about to sit down and enjoy my tea my mobile rings. It’s the Internet provider. “Can we come round this morning and sort out your new connection?”. Ok I need to check where is the existing cable coming in. I knew there was one because the Land Lady had told me so. Not in the lounge so I checked the bedrooms and finally located it in a corner of the back bedroom. Good. Done, I’ll be ready for Mr Internet when he turns up. Now to back to my tea.

Just sat down again and there’s another knock on the door. Up we get, tea will have wait. Open the door and there standing before me is Mr Internet himself, complete with briefcase and forms. After a quick introduction we agreed on a service package. Fastest connection he could offer was 200kps unlimited usage for 1,850 PKR per month. (that’s about 30US$ to you!!!). “But sorry we can’t connect you till Monday’. Seems the finance department has to set up my account before hardware can be authorized. ‘OK, thanks see you Monday’.

Now for my tea. As I’m about to sit down the door bell rings again. Open the door and there standing before me is Mr Estate Agent, he is also complete with briefcase and forms!! Well finished with him and yes, you’ve guessed it, my tea is cold! Time for a new pot. Not to be. I’m informed its lunch time!! The morning has just flown by. Is this old age again or my being busy.

Well after all this weekend I’ll take a quick look round the place to see what is the general layout and locality. I know I’ve seen it before but again now I see it in a slightly different way, perhaps in the knowing that I will be here for 12-15 months. The front balcony overlooks the sea and main beach road. I

can faintly see in the distance the crowds of people walking along the beach and there are horses and camels available for rides.

We've even got our own communal garden. To the back of the condo there are more condos and a lot of open spaces. Also directly behind the condo is the School of Architecture set in a lovely old sandstone building. I’m told it was build somewhere else in the Sindh province and recently was dismantled and re-erected in its current location. Might one of these days go and see if I can get a look round it. Its proportions are quire magnificent and the sand stone texture fits in so well.

The interior of the condo is spacious and you can get some idea what it’s like from the photos below.

So that’s it, done, I’ve done the internet, done the estate agent, done the unpacking, done lunch and now its time for that elusive Tea. Only thing left to do this evening. Sort out which one of the 99 TV channels I’m gong to watch! Think I’ll make that decision while drinking my Tea. On second thoughts perhaps I should have bought that non alcoholic beer after all

Bye for now.

My first Saturday in Karachi

Saturday morning and no work. Great. At last a chance to look round Karachi. I’ve got a small map from the lonely plant guide book. Not very details and the hotel one is even worse.

Having studied the map of down town Karachi I realised there were a lot of things to see. One thing clearly missing. Bars. There are no bars or clubs but what the hell, they can wait till next holiday making that beer all the more sweet when the time comes.

I decide to walk around. First the markets. The main on is Saddar Bazzar which is about 1 1/2 kilometres from the hotel. Easy to find just leave the hotel hang a right then a left!!!! Easy? And easy it was. Only thing to watch for was the traffic. As with all city centres it does not have a clear start or demarcation line but before you realise you are in the bazaars. If you needed directions the best advice is follow the dust. The whole place is dusty but the nearer the market the more the dust. Easy!!

It sells everything from pots and pans to outlandish plastic flowers and the ever present assortment of T shirts and jeans. It would not have been complete without the street hawkers selling ‘genuine ray bans’ and fabulous ‘Rolex’ watches.

There was one block of shops that specialised in leather coats and sheep skin jackets. Really good quality. You can pick up a decent leather jacket for about 100US$.

Then there are the gold shops. If there was one there were 100 all selling the same type of jewellery. The gold is that bright yellow colour you associate with Middle East gold. And no I did not check the prices.

But what is a bazzar without these things. All part of it right. I wondered thought a range of streets some small some pedestrian only. One of the first things you notice if the lack of women. I’ll rephrase that to the ‘absence of women”…

The few I did see were pretty. The ones covered in black from top to bottom..? Well they could be attractive underneath it all but I did not get to see...

The walking in the sun and heat and the ever present dust made me want of a long cold beer. I fancied finding some shady place, some little hidden away bar of café where I could sit down and watch the world go by. Not to be. No beer and no hidden away café. So next best thing was to get myself a cool fresh orange juice at a street sided stall. You know what? It was great! Took Abdul about 5 minutes to hand crush the oranges and make me a long cool drink. You know what? It was good, very good but did not quite make t to being as good as a cold beer!

Then I sat at the juice bar, juice in hand people watching. I don’ for one minute think I fooled anyone that I was a local just watching the world go by but it was fun and totally hassle free. The place, it never stopped, people rushing from one place to another, jumping on and of busses and constantly haggling on the price of whatever they were after. The whole place is a kaleidoscope of colours, sounds and the smells. Almost a totally new range of sensations.

The people and the shops with all their bright colours to the busses painted in very colour of the rainbow. I got to wondering just how long does it take to paint a bus. Years surely?

It was such a wide range of smells for deep fry to fragment curries and spices and that sort of mixed humanity that comes for some many people together.

Anyway enough of the sitting I’ve go to go. When I set out this morning I had given myself 3 hours max as this afternoon is apartment hunting.

And last but not least Karachi Supreme Court. Be good!!!