Ramadhan in Lahore....and Karachi

My PIA flight landed in Allama Iqbal Airport at about 700am.....It was about 1.5 hrs delayed because of God-knows-why. Then, there was a long queue at the Immigration counters......The authorities should do something about the congestion at the counters.....perhaps, introducing e-gate would be a good thing.



I was carrying some screwdriver from Dubai....but luckily, I didn't have any problem with the Customs....I texted my colleague in Lahore that I couldn't join the meeting at 1030am as I definitely needed some rest.....or else I'd be sleeping the whole meeting. He replied that he'd take care of it.....and told that my pick-up would come at 12noon.



I checked in at the PC Lahore at about 900am and slept until about 1140.....I was just out of the shower when Wajid called. He's taking me to the meeting at the Office.



The meeting ended at about 300pm or 330pm......the Wajid took me to his office (actually a service center)



Later, when sending me back to the Hotel, he said that he will treat me for Iftaar and dinner at a famous Pakistani restaurant.....hey....I'd always welcome good and free food. He'd pick me up at 600pm as the restaurant will be fully-packed by 630pm. Iftaar time is at about 705pm.

If you are watching your weight, then don't go near a Pakistani restaurant like this one. Always all food served was either deep-fried or sweet.....I opted for a serving of fried-rice, potato salad, chilly chicken and a sweet-n-sour meat ball soup....definitely not Pakistani. Then I went one step further......chicken kebab, samosa, chicken tikka etc.....I tried to avoid the deep-fried ones......Then...we had some freshly-baked naan roti.....buttered and plain.....and I'd had enough.....

The Salt n Pepper Village Restaurant


Inside the restaurant

He sent me back to the hotel at about 800pm or 815pm......tomorrow, we'd go to the factory where I will train the production people about the new model they were doing.....At 830am, Wajid will pick me up.

I woke up at 840am.....the phone was ringing...It was Wajid....apparently, I overslept.....I guess my body was still following the Dubai time (2 hrs later than Lahore).

I checked out of the hotel and we drove to work which is about 50 minutes drive from the hotel.......

That afternoon, Wajid sent me to the airport for the first leg of my trip back to Dubai....I'd be going to Karachi.....

The flight to Karachi took almost 2 hrs......they served dinner just a few minutes before Iftaar.....but the pilot didn't anounce the Iftaar time....so, everyone carried the dinner box out of the plane when dis-embarking. I ate my Iftaar/dinner at the domestic arrival hall of Jinnah International Airport. I was joined by a middle-aged pakistani who correctly guessed that I'm from Malaysia.....How? He said, "You looked like a Malaysian and you are eating your Iftaar meal...". We talked for a few minutes while I ate my meal.......then, his luggage arrived and we bid farewell.


My Iftaar-cum-dinner courtesy of PIA

I went out and headed for the international check in counters.....as usual, the security was tight in Pakistan....but upon knowing my nationality, the security officer let me go without checking my bag. I checked in, had my passport stamped and went into the international terminal area.

The flight from Karachi to Dubai was filled with a lot of young Pakistanis.....I guess that they were coming to Dubai to work.....The air crew was having a hard time handling them....it could be their first time on a plane.....we couldn't blame them.....

I arrived in Dubai at about 1100pm and reached home at about 1200 midnite....