The smells, sights, and sounds

Sarah and I got into Karachi about 4:30 am local time. Our uncle had arranged for someone to guide us through the airport, which was much appreciated. Unfortunately, due to a slight hiccup, my aunt and uncle were not immediately standing outside of the airport with the rest of the hundreds of people shouting and waving down family and friends, amidst the pungent odor of the urban poor. A tiny part of me panicked...I was alone in a relatively unfamiliar city, with two airport personnel, and no working cell phone to figure out where anyone was. Not to mention, my Urdu is quite limited. Fortunately, one of the gentlemen was kind enough to use his phone, and tried to put us at ease while we waited, by continuously drawing us away from the large crowd into a more secluded and remote part of the airport grounds. His intentions were to find us more comfortable seating and offer us tea, but my U.S. conditioning set off red flags and I ended up mumbling something about wanting to enjoy the pleasant weather in the vast open space outside, instead of sitting in a confined room where no one knew of my whereabouts. Of course, my choice involved sitting next to some rather suspect individuals who kept asking if we needed a ride. Just when I'd inadvertently locked eyes with a creepy old man eating an ice cream cone, my family arrived.

It's hard to tell just how much the city has changed in ten years, but one thing that stood out was how lit up and decorated everything is at night. It is Prophet Muhammad's (s) birthday today, known as Milad-un-Nabi, a tradition that some Muslims observe with great fanfare, and a national holiday in Pakistan. It looks like Christmas lights on steroids. Even the mosques are decorated in miles of stringed lights. Something else I noticed is that they've also upped security in neighborhoods, having created armed guard posts similar to our gated communities back home.

I was able to get a short nap in after we arrived at my aunt's house, but it was a bit difficult with roughly a million crows kawing and currently, I can't tell if all the shouting nearby is the result of some successful construction project or a pickup cricket game. I'd forgotten how lively the city sounds. The roar of a motorcycle, the putputput of a rickshaw, and the daily intervals of the call to prayer. And because of the holiday, I can hear singing and additional prayers blaring from nearby mosques in Urdu.

Of course, a visit to my relatives is not complete without at least a dozen remarks on how much weight I've put on.

My aunt and uncle.

With my grandma.

It'll be hard to post pictures of the city, as I don't really think standing in the street with my Instagram app open is a possibility. But I'll try my best!

Random note: To get the driver in front of you to either speed up or move out of your way, it is perfectly acceptable to honk at them until they oblige, which they usually do.

Food check: Mr. Burger, fresh naan.

NAAAAAN.