we're heading upto europe from india via pakistan iran turkey etc .consulate advice is not to go to pakistan. how is it presently and does any one have any route 'tips' for us
aussie paul

The Australian Embassy would be happy if we all stayed home and let them get on with the silly games they play. They said the same things when we travelled through that part of the world in 2001 and am sure that they will tell us the same thing on this trip.
Do you remember in 2003 they put out a travel alert for New Zealand.
You are more at risk from an oncoming drunk/bad driver than anything the embassy will warn you of and you can 'run' into a drunk/bad driver anywhere in the world, embassy warnings or not.
Where are you now? E mail us direct and we may be able to meet up one day.

Do a search for seanh on the HUBB. He is there now and should be able to give you an idea of what its like at the moment. Last I heard was its a bit dodgy in the South West on the road to Iran.

Greece is a no go too as far as the Australian gov is concerned...fortress australia..great to be back!

http://users.netlink.com.au/~asimpson

__________________
Close to Antarctica and a long way from reality

>I have had thýs emaýl from jackýe they past thru last month ýt about as up to date as you get I am ýn Diyarbakýr at the moment wýth a few probs not sure whých way we are goýng take care chrýs
>
>No... There were no problems with the border. Everyone
>on both sides seem happy to see tourists.
>Didn't see any Bandits!!
>
>There are a number of Police checkpoints on the
>Pakistan side, before Quetta, where you have to enter
>your details in a book. This is so they can track you
>down in the unlikely event that you go missing.
>
>Have fun...
>
>Trent and Jacqui
>
>
>--- chris stone <chris_stone@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>---------------------------------
>
>hi jacqui
>
>thanks for the info we are at brindisi at the moment
>and are going to take the ferry the csme tomorrow was
>any problems with army or bandits around iranian
>border
>
>thanks for the info may see you on the road some time
>
>cheers chris
>
>
>
>
>
> >Hi Chris,
> >
> >I hope we catch you before you leave, or that you'll
> >be checking you main en-route!
> >
> >The road from Taftan to Quetta is pretty good. It's
> >quite narrow but has a good tarmac surface. There are
>
> >some roadworks over the last 100km or so, nothing to
> >slow you down too much though. We rode from Zahedan
>to
> >Quetta in a day. Petrol is available from drums on
>the
> >side of the road.
> >
> >Quetta to Lorali, there is about 30kms of roadworks.
> >It's a bit rough, but we found going faster helped
> >smooth out the ride. It doesn't slow you down too
> >much. About 30km after Lorali towards DG Khan, there
> >is a 100km or so stretch where the road is being
> >rebuilt. Again, we went quite quickly, but it get's
> >really tedious. The roadworks finish just before the
> >hill that goes up to Fort Munro, although they are
> >widening that road a bit too so there may be some
>hold
> >ups. DGK to Multan is a good wide road, just full of
> >very slow moving overloaded trucks and other traffic,
>
> >that's the only thing that slows you down on this
> >stretch.
> >
> >We're in the Northern Area's now. We rode over Lowari
>
> >Pass to Chitral last week, then over Shandur Pass
> >towards Gilgit. These roads are jeep tracks, with a
> >similar surface to the roadworks, but only 1 lane.
> >Over the last few days we've been out to Skardu, and
> >up the Khunjerab Pass at the top of the KKH. All the
> >roads up here have good tarmac surfaces. There are a
> >few slips and streams running across the road, but
> >nothing that can't be ridden over!
> >
> >You're not allowed to ride on the Motorway, so don't
> >include the m/way from Lahore - Rawalpindi in your
> >plans...
> >
> >We're riding BMW F650's.
> >
> >Cheers
> >Jacqui and Trent
> >
> >
> >--- "chris.stone" <chris_stone@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > hi jac
> > > I am leaving the uk 31th July for a trip to nepal
> > > any info about current road conditions and stuff
> > > would be grateful
> > >
> > > cheers chris
> >
> >

im currently in islamabad...the only thing you have to worry about is the traffic...idiots.
we have had no problem at all any where in pakistan.dont be worried at all. baluchistan was a breeze, now heading to north west frontier territory, should be fine.

I came through Pakistan in August, the people were great, although it seems like a place where anything could happen at any time, exercise caution in some places. Some Mediciens Sans Frontiers guys told me about some recent incidents of militants shooting people on the main roads in Baluchistan, not specifically targeting tourists though. I had a police escort for 800km from Sibi to the Iran border. I wasn't asked, they just sent two guys with a kalashnikov and a 70cc honda to protect me. the escort was a relay really, and eventually i just took a single policeman on the back of my bike, great guys though the Baluchistan levies!