Steven Raucher's World Tour

2000-11-30 in Quetta, Pakistan
Finally in Pakistan

taking the desert road east.

We made good distance on a very good road and arrived in Donalbin, a halfway town between the border and Quetta. After a truly Raucher-bros style spat between Robert and myself (I threw his helmet on the ground and he kicked my bike over) we were escorted to the local hotel by the local bigshot (who also arbitrated our truce!). We were relieved to meet 2 English couples riding two-up on some beemers (Richard, Rachel, Paul and Jillian). They have become good friends and we spent the next day in convoy to Quetta. The road turned into a more typical Pakistani road and our average speed was about 70 km/hour. We rode some parts across the desert where the road was not yet finished! (see pics) The hotel, Hotel Bloom Star, in Quetta seems very civilized with European toilets and a lovely garden (which is where I am typing this now). Our French friends, Laurent and Talguad and Jo and Nadine (who we first met on the way to Tabriz), are all here. One big happy family. Tomorrow we head in the general direction of Lahore from where we will cross into the north of India. Unfortunately, the Karakoram Highway is closed (which is supposed to be one of the highlights of the trip into Pakistan). So India beckons and hopefully the beaches of Goa are only a couple of weeks away.

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our little desert convoy

snap happy sand busting

your handsome author (i couldn't resist!)

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