Nguyen Thi Minh Hue (30 years old, Dien Bien), currently living in Hanoi, is a travel enthusiast. Hue's "travel gifts" are independent trips to provinces and cities in the country, mountain climbing in the Northwestern provinces and even out into the world such as Laos, Thailand, Pakistan...
2024 is the most memorable year for the girl when she had 29 days traveling across Vietnam by motorbike and a 12-day independent trip to Pakistan with a stranger. If cross-Vietnam is a memorable milestone before the age of 30, the Pakistan journey is Hue's most realistic, free and reckless experience ever.
Subsidence in South Asia
Pakistan is located in South Asia bordering China, India, Afghanistan and Iran, and plays an important role on the historic Silk Road connecting the continents of Asia - Europe - Africa. According to media research, Pakistan's image is mainly war, violence, security conflicts...
However, the northern part of this country is a paradise for adventurous travelers. This place possesses majestic nature with valleys and majestic mountains and is a land with unique cultural blend.
As someone who always wants to challenge himself with adventurous trips and Pakistan is an ideal destination that brings many opportunities - Minh Hue has long cherished the dusty trip to Pakistan. The 9X girl invited a friend to go with her and hunted for cheap tickets many months in advance.
Without a strict schedule like going on a tour, Vietnamese girls travel on a backpacking trip like "wherever they are happy, stop by wherever they are beautiful, stay longer where they like". If you have to choose one of the most impressive destinations in Pakistan, Hunza Valley is the first name to appear. This is a beautiful land located in the Karakoram mountain range, famous for its wonderful natural landscape, fresh air and extremely friendly people.
Hunza Valley is completely different from other places in Pakistan. The majestic Karakoram Mountains with year-round snow-covered peaks, lush green valleys and small, beautiful villages hidden in the wild nature. The scenery here really makes people feel overwhelmed, like they are lost in another world. Especially in the fall, when the leaves turn yellow and red, the scenery becomes even more mysterious and attractive.
Hue recalled: In the fall in the highlands like Hunza, I can feel the quiet, completely isolated from the noisy big cities. The autumn morning is cold but the sun is warm and golden, sitting and enjoying hot tea, watching the snow makes me miss all the fatigue on the way here.
Not only amidst the beauty of the Southern Asian cosmetic brand, the Vietnamese girl is also immersed in indigenous culture, living amidst the enthusiasm of local people.
Hunza people are known for their hospitality and enthusiasm. They are always willing to share everyday stories and invite visitors to participate in traditional meals, Hue shared.
Only dusty tourism exists
A package tour to Pakistan from Vietnam costs 35 - 45 million VND, but Hue has a 12-day trip for only half of the above cost. To save money like that, the girl chose to go completely self-sufficient, research all the necessary services and information from travel, accommodation, communication... and accepted the challenge of having a time to eat for free, stay for free, and travel for free.
When traveling, you mainly use public transport such as trains, buses or book a car through applications, asking to go to areas without many cars. The accommodation when traveling is small enough to accommodate the needs of sleeping and personal hygiene. To find a place to eat, Hue went to local shops where many locals came.
A stranger companion is also an unforgettable memory for Hue. The two girls, one in Hanoi, the other in Ho Chi Minh City, met through social media and were both passionate about backpacking and met for the first time at the airport. Hue said: "At first, I was a bit worried but opened up to talk to make them understand each other better. This trip is a journey not only to have beautiful scenery but also to build relationships, helping girls connect with new people and have many memories together.
Having read a lot of information and experience in groups, Hue still encountered many unexpected situations such as car prices, immigration procedures, etc. The most memorable memory is when she could not find a place to live in Islamabad, Hue was helped sleep by her new friend named Kumai. Kumai prepared a place to sleep, food very carefully and even arranged a car to Hunza for the two Vietnamese girls.
In Pakistan, people are mainly converted to Islam, and their food and clothing are very different from Vietnam. The dishes are mostly seasoned, spicy and come from chicken and Lamb. The two girls ate so much chicken that they jokingly called Pakistan a place that truly "destroyed chickens".
Traveling in an Islamic country, Hue advised girls to wear covering-up clothes and respect local customs. The weather in Pakistan is very cold, especially in mountainous areas that can be below zero degrees Celsius, so bring full warm clothes. If it is difficult to eat, remember to bring more dried food from Vietnam.
