Monday, August 28, 2006

Fortnight...

Fortnight. Do you know what a fornight is? I knew that it meant two weeks but why does it mean what it does? I had to find out and I'm sharing my findings with you.
A fortnight is a unit of time equal to two weeks: that is 14 days, or literally 14 nights. The term is common in the British Isles and many Commonwealth countries, but rarely used in the United States. It derives from the Old English feowertiene niht, meaning "fourteen nights".

And did you also know that love is just a word? It is the connection between it that matters. I found that out in the matrix (of all the places?!). I continue to be amazed at the Matrix trilogy. I've recently had the opportunity to watch half of the first part and as I'm typing this out watching Revolutions. I was at the Fortress Bazaar in Lahore and they have all these music and dvd shops. They have every movie available, even the ones in theaters ;) For approximately a dollar each you can go home and watch anything your heart ever desired to watch.

It has been some time since I have been able to write any of the events that have traspired. We last left off in Rawalpindi. Where I became ill. Also I was joined in my travels by Ingrid Maria Johansen, from the wedding party. A blonde haired, steel eyed Swede. There was no mixing in with the locals between her and I. We ventured off to a food park together and took in the sights as the sights took us in. We had the opportunity to meet the vice president of the National Bank of Pakistan - a breath of fresh air. He invited us out for dinner. Ingrid, myself and my cousin Inam went to his home where he and his amazing family entertained us. We managed to squeek out of the house by about 11pm to have dinner. The restaurant was named The Phoenix and we were ushered back into a private room. I enjoyed some wonderful company that evening. It is rare when you come across angels, but that night the most lovely people welcomed us and made us feel quite loved.

My cousin Ahzar in Peshawar had arranged for us to go to the Khyber Pass. This is something that cannot be easily done.
The Khyber Pass (also called the Khaiber Pass or Khaybar Pass) (Urdu: درہ خیبر) is the most important pass connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan. Throughout history it has been an important trade route between Central Asia and South Asia and a strategic military location. The actual pass summit is 5 kilometers inside Pakistan at Landi Kotal. The pass cuts through the Safed Koh mountains which are a far southeastern extension of the Hindu Kush range.

My illness became severe enough for me to be admitted into a hospital. I'll tell you one thing, you most definitely start self healing once you are inside those walls. I barely remember being taken to the hospital, although there was one part where I was being taken in on a wheelchair, hearing all the people in line ups in the hallway waiting to be treated. There was a bright light and I thought this what they were always talking about in those death experiences. Not so was the case. I was just being taken from inside one building and into another and it was the sunlight beating down on me ;) The pains and screams of violently ill people right to the quiet whease from the little boy beside me who was refused treatment and had no where to go was the symphony playing it's melancholy piece. All the while, poor Ingrid is enduring this revealing moment and the support through it is more than admirable. She read to me... how sweet is that? It was great comfort in the midst of all my discomfort. The next day we headed back to Islamabad after sucking back through an I.V. a few bags and needle full of goodness. We stayed in Islamabad until Tuesday and headed to Lahore.

I've been in Lahore resting and recuperating and busy learning about flickr.com ;) I'm preparing for my cross over into India. Lots of reading, planning and plotting to do. I have roughly mapped out the trip but I know I'll just go with the flow...

I have been with family the month that I have been here and I cannot explain the bonds that form. This past week I met some relatives that I had yet to meet. I have family all over Pakistan and it's finally nice to be in there presence. Of course there are family dramas - I've been a fly on the wall for most of them, but it's interesting to observe family relationships from somewhat of an outside perspective. What was gained from that outside perspective is that I don't make the opportunity to tell my brothers how much I love them and appreciate all that they have ever done for me. I am very grateful to have such amazing brothers that I would like to have much closer to me.

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh
(May Peace and Mercy of Allāh be on you)

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