Dear All,

By no means a guide to anyone else - just our experience. We are in a 4x4 and travelled with another couple in a 4x4. We were escorted from Bam in Iran through to the border and by the time we had faffed about with different escorts managed to get into Pakistan by 4pm. We stayed in the customs house carpark in Taftan and were advised not to go out at night.

We got to Dalbandin the next day and were taken to a prison to stay. We said we would try our luck with the hotel and stayed in their carpark instead for 100 rupees.

Next day Quetta - Bloomstar hotel has a carpark that overlanders can stay in. The day we arrived the education minister had been killed in Quetta so security was tight. Again, we were told not to go out on the street by the hotel and police.

We went out during the day and I would say the reception from people is mixed - some pleased to see you, some indifferent.

The journey from Quetta to Lahore was police and armed escort all the way. We were not allowed to stop and sleep in the vehicle at any hotel and had top stay in police stations. This was not a pleasant experience.

We ended up at the PDTC motel in Wagah at the border. This was fine.

We were pleased to cross the border.

I am unaware of what danger, if any we were in because it is hard to be objective in that situation. We were not free to do much apart from drive. I do know that the universities, schools and colleges had been shut for a few days when we got to Quetta due to concerns for terrorist attacks, although some say that the gov't is concerned about potential uprisings and so on.

We ended up in transit which was nto what we wanted, but we got through and are enjoying India!

Sorry not to be more positive, but that's the state of play.

Jo