There are generally three chapters of the story:

1. Regale Internet Inn

This travelers hostel situated on the Mall street, main street of Lahore, actually walking distance from the Old city … Doesnt look much from outside, but offers accomodation only for foreigners for 150-200 Ruppes per night (SO cheap compared to others) and that includes free drinking water, european style washroom, washing machine, internet, TV, comfortable roof-terrace, library, non stop security and most of all – lots of other random travelers who can give You the best advises…

Apart from this, the owner Mr. Malik has lots of interesting things to talk about and organizes every Thursday a trip to a Sufi shrine where the “mystic” drumming and chanting and tranceing is going on…

2. The sightseeing in Lahore

Very nice time – going around and seeing all the (most famous) interesting places. Lahore has lots to see and You dont feel like a “normal” tourist, because there is nearly no foreigners and the places are really interesting.

On the flip side, YOU are often a bigger attraction for locals than the places (so they keep staring at You and try to find out: “what is Your name”, “where are You from” etc.) and to every nice place You go, there will be somebody who wants to show You “something beautiful” and ask for money afterwards

I have seen e.g. Badshahi mosque (after 400 years, still one of biggest mosques in the world), Minar-e-Pakistan, the trio of Jahangirs, Asaf Khans and Nur Jahans Tombs, Food Street, Daata Darbar (Sufi saints shrine) and lots of other random places…

3. Being stuck in LUMS uni

Which happened due to the assasination of Benazir Bhutto …getting bored and having enough time to update this blog.

…. EnD …. if You have only few days to spend in Pakistan, go to Lahore and life in Regal Inn.

Here are some of my impressions:

1. city full of history (unlike Karachi – built 100 years ago and Islamabad – built 30 years ago)

2. with its disorganized (on first sight) outfit, it looks like Karachi placed in middle of green and old houses.

3. City with problem with smog, which is something that is obvious during some evenings… It is not unbearable, but its bad (at least for me, who knows smog only from newspapers…)

4. city of wandering on Your own, unlike Karachi (because of nearly no places to go) and Islamabad (with its hugeness), Lahore seems like a good place for random walks and short trips, discovering the city…