Swat Valley – Home Away From Home Part 2

Make sure to check out Part 1 of this story here.

After leaving Syed and Muhammed one night we went for a meal (yep, kerai again) when the typical Pakistani hospitality was again displayed. We were eating our meal when another local, Sheppy, came and said a quick hello and left us to eat. As he left he quietly paid for our meal without even seeking thanks. A few days later we were in the next town about 10kms away and were looking for a ride back when out of the crowd I heard someone shouting my name. It was strange to hear my name and I was unsure who could possibly be shouting it. Our friend Sheppy appeared with a smile and offered us a lift. As our car rolled back into Madyan I felt as if we were returning home rather than entering a small Pakistani village. Sheppy then invited us out to dinner with him where we had the region’s famous trout. He took us out for another meal and to meet his extended family while we were in Madyan. We felt welcomed at every stage.

These gentlemen from Peshawar were having a few days off in Swat. Was great to share some tea, mango shakes and conversation

Even the local teenagers went out of their way to make us local blokes feel at home. One such teen was adamant that we must join him and his friend for an ice-cream. The ice-cream was delicious and refreshing and of course the conversation was better. Both teens seemed wiser than their years but still showed youthful enthusiasm in their enjoyment of the desserts. Our young friend paid for the treats; he wouldn’t have it any other way. We felt uneasy about this, his generosity genuinely bought a tear to my eye, and when we bumped into him later my brother put the money for the ice-creams into his pocket. He tried to return it to us but we couldn’t accept. On our last night in Madyan we again encountered our friend working in his family’s store. We got some drinks and snacks which were offered to us for free but we made sure to pay. We had a laugh with our friend and said goodbye. When we took our goods out of the bag we found cash hidden amongst the items; it seemed to be the exact money we had given him for the ice-creams. Our friend had obviously kept our money on hand, waiting to return it to us and had slipped it quietly into our shopping to avoid argument. This boy, this man perfectly typified the generosity of the Swat locals. They are friendly, welcoming, hospitable; they are polar opposites to the Taliban.

Our ice-cream buying friend on the right.

Madyan locals take time out from swimming in the river to pose

We also spent time in the village of Kalam. It was here that our love of cricket helped us negotiate a military checkpoint that seemed closed to us. The ride there, crammed in the back of a car on a seriously bumpy road, wasn’t at all comfortable but we made it into town. We had been advised by military that we shouldn’t go to Kalam due to some tribal arguments occurring in the area and told that if we did go there we had to report to the police and stay at a hotel adjacent to the police station. When we arrived we decided that the vicinity of the police station was the last place we wanted to stay as it was evident the authority’s headquarters had been the target of bombing and fighting. We were made most welcome by the police and as luck would have it a new arrival to the force spoke some English and was happy to chat with us. He dispensensed another officer to go and buy some fruit juice for us which seemed extra generous considering the run-down, ruins of the station and its lack of resources. After a chat a taxi arrived for us and we headed to our accommodation; luckily this was in the centre of town rather than next to the ruins of the police station.

Kalam, like Madyan, is a drawcard for other Pakistanis to escape the heat and relax. We quickly fell in with a group of men also staying at our hotel and spent most of our time on the balcony drinking tea and smoking the local herbal Pakistani cigarettes. The men spoke very little English but that didn’t stop us from having a chat and a laugh with our tea and smoke. Kalam is renowned for the beautiful surrounding landscapes of mountains, lakes and glaciers. Unfortunately for us we didn’t get to explore much of this as we weren’t in the best of health at this stage and needed to stay close to the bathroom. This wasn’t too concerning though as again it was the people we meet that provided the beauty.

A highlight of our time in Kalam was engaging in conversation with a Pakistani female. Sadly, this is a rarity as females aren’t able to be as active in public life as they should be. This is very noticeable throughout Pakistan as men are the ones who fill the streets and shops and it is they who most tourists will get to meet. This is a regional issue rather than a religious one. As mentioned, our male friends from the balcony spoke little English and we spoke even less Pashto or Urdu, but luckily a wife of one of the men spoke good English. We chatted about their children, their family business in Lahore, her university studies, our travels and about how much she preferred Lahore, home, to Kalam. She was very proud to be able to speak with us, stating that her :husband didn’t think I was smart but now that I can talk to you and he can’t he knows I’m smart”. It is a great shame that women aren’t able to participate in public life more; they deserve equal opportunities and rights. They, like all the inhabitants of Swat deserve to be free.

Swat River flowing through Kalam

There may be other places in the world, such as Switzerland, that compare to Swat in regard to its natural beauty but I think most would struggle to find a place as friendly. Swat and its people will always hold a special place in my heart; it is a home away from home; a place full of friends. It is not Switzerland; it is not Taliban country it is Swat and it is beautiful.;