Today we head to Pakistan, the gateway to the Indian subcontinent.

What I knew about Pakistan before today

I came very close to visiting Pakistan back in 2008. I was travelling around India and reached the blistering hot city of Amritsar. We took an evening trip to the Wagah border to watch the bizarre Wagah-Attari border ceremony. It can only be summed up as a boisterous explosion of nationalism, pomp and ceremony. It was a spectacle unlike any I’ve ever seen since. It was so tempting to cross the border into the unknown. Probably not a great idea for two gay 22-year-old backpackers. 

What’s Pakistan’s top tourist attraction?

According to my very diligent Googling skills, Faisal Masjid, a mosque in Islamabad is Pakistan’s most visited tourist attraction. Dominating the landscape of Islamabad, Faisal Masjid was built in 1976 using the money from a Saudi King who just so happens to have the same name. I have to admit, it is a pretty striking building.

What was the last war or conflict Pakistan took part in?

Pakistan is widely known for its numerous wars with India, but most recently it’s been fighting an ongoing insurgency against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in North-West Pakistan.

A Bizarre fact about Pakistan

I’m not sure how bizarre this is, but Pakistan is home to the world’s second-highest mountain K2 and is also home to the world’s highest paved road (and border crossing), the China-Pakistan friendship highway which reaches 4800 metres at the Khunjerab Pass.

Was Pakistan a former colony?

Yes, Pakistan was formerly part of India before partition in 1948 when it was part of the British Empire. You probably already knew this thought.

What are Pakistan’s main exports?

Pakistan’s top two exports are linens and rice.

What’s Pakistan’s National dish?

This is such a hard call. Pakistani food quite rightly has a phenomenal reputation. Punjabi food may be my absolute favourite cuisine. Pakistan’s national dish is widely considered to be nihari, a spiced, slow-cooked lamb or mutton stew. Now I’m hungry.