Driving in Ibad

There are traffic circles in Islamabad called "Chowks"; this is the Dhokhri chowk near the Embassy enclave.

These are the Margalla hills that run from east to west at the North of the city.

Driving in Ibad is way more scare from my previoius deployments.  You have to be a very defensive driver as most locals do not follow any rules of the road other than this stop light and sometimes that does not happen.  It is not suprising to see a family of four with Mom and dad on the motorcycle and the kids in between them.  I've been told so far the record is 8 people on a bike and someone has seen a goat being carried too.  I saw a three year old holding on front of the handlebars and fallling asleep at the red lilght.  There are many bycycles and pedistrians roaming the streets and they seem to have no fear at all at going anywhere they want to right in the path of any moving vehicle.  They take jaywalking to a whole new art form.  This behaviour must be partly due to their religious belives that God will protect them from harm or has a plan for them.  So Insha'Allah means "God willing" or it is God's will that whatever path you take is within God's plan.  I will go with InshaAllah too but will use my driver training and defensive driving skills as well.

This is a light traffic day on Sunday.  Up ahead is the Jinnah Ave.  So far I have not seen anything too crazy other than at night it is very dard and many do not stop at the red lights.  Most drive with their brights on or no lights at all.  You will see wild boars or water buffalos roaming the roads too.  Someone said they have seen monkeys being transported on top of a car which to me would be more distracting than anything else.