Today Hikam and I took a drive around town with a tour guide / taxicab driver. The idea was that we’d tell him what we needed to buy on a souvenir hunt and he’ll know the best places to take us.
Although we tried very hard, we couldn’t find a T-shirt that reads My Friend Went To Karachi and All He Got For Me Was This Lousy T-shirt. In fact very little T-shirts were sold at the souvenir stores. They mostly have leather and fur goods, onyx-carved trinkets, ornate metal-ware and beautiful cloth for traditional wear. Like Malaysia, there are lots of motorcycles on the streets but wearing helmets are voluntary.
![Biking in Karachi, overseen by Sony Ericsson Biking in Karachi, overseen by Sony Ericsson](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting02.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Biking in Karachi, overseen by Sony Ericsson
Other unlikely vehicles found on the streets of Karachi is this human-powered banana-carrying cart and the donkey cart. We missed an opportunity to take a photo of a cart carrying metal drums (stacked at least 10 feet tall) drawn by a camel.
![Going bananas at the Regent Plaza corner traffic lights Going bananas at the Regent Plaza corner traffic lights](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting01.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Going bananas at the Regent Plaza corner traffic lights
![Donkey no! What an ass](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting03.jpg?resize=450%2C366&ssl=1)
What an ass
A candid shot of me looking out the Karachi streets in the taxi.
![Dust is ever-present and ubiquitous around here](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting04.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Dust is ever-present and ubiquitous around here
Finally, we found a modern mall named the Forum but we bought nothing there though it did cause us to yell out, “This looks more like Kuala Lumpur!”
![I wonder if they have discussions at The Forum I wonder if they have discussions at The Forum](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting05.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
I wonder if they have discussions at The Forum
Beside the Forum was a market that sold nothing but cloth. All colours and all kinds. The booths look like cloth-sellers in Kelantan where there is a raised platform from which the storekeepers sit as they do business, and patrons sit on chairs during purchases.
![Ain would have a field day here Ain would have a field day here](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting06.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Ain would have a field day here
![Hikam knows more than me, obviously Yes, but do we know what we're buying in the first place?](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting07.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Yes, but do we know what we’re buying in the first place?
We then went on for Hikam to hunt for spices. As he bought spices in a small supermarket, I chanced upon a poster ad for DSL across the street.
![More life on the streets More life on the streets](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting08.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
More life on the streets
![Shopping centres along Clifton Street Shopping centres along Clifton Street](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting09.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Shopping centres along Clifton Street
![That's just extreme, that is I miss broadband](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachiouting10.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
I miss broadband
When we got back to the hotel, we ordered some room service before retiring for the night. Biriyani rice for me and fish & chips for Hikam.
![Delicious Room service](https://i0.wp.com/hishgraphics.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/karachihotelfood01.jpg?resize=450%2C338&ssl=1)
Room service
oooo looks cool. did you buy any cloth?
My darling…..”kain Sari 5 meters” for me please….
The market at Karachi looks like at Rantau Panjang, emmm….wish to be there too…
Love,
ain & irfan shafiq
Yes. It looks like Kelantan doesn’t it? I’m now at the exhibition booth with Hikam. It’s almost 1400 local time. They just fixed a broadband cable for our laptops. yay!