Travelling the World on Wheels.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Hello, hello Karachi. 

I did reach on Saturday afternoon and as soon as I got seated in the car with my parents, to our way home in Karachi I called both of my Grand-Mothers (my Dad’s Mom and my Mum’s Mum) first from my Father’s mobile. My Dad’s Mum said she’ll come late in the afternoon as she had to visit a relative and my Mum’s Mom was free so we picked her up on our way home. I also called up Sana (my oldest friend best-(eeest) friend from school) who never received the phone! L And then my friend Farheen, who is a doctor who was delighted to receive my call. And this blog post is going to be all about her, Dr. Farheen Saleem and how I spent the first Monday, 7^th of February 2011 with her. X

Monday morning it was, Farheen had already booked an appointment with ‘Sabz’ (beauty salon) a week before, she picked me up from my house at around 10am. The salon itself is not wheelchair accessible (it has 4 steps at the entrance) but the owner and everyone else over there are very helpful and cooperative. They lifted my wheelchair up and took me in (well, we did break all health and safety rules) but I was safely inside the beauty salon. I wanted to get my hair permanently straightened (relaxing/rebounding) as I have naturally curly hair. Yes, my hair shall be straight for the next 6 months, I thought with pleasure. Therefore before the treatment in order to check the strength of my hair a hair test was done. No, oh no! My hair was way toooo week this was because I had already died my hair when I went to Fuerteventura 2 months back, I also wrote about this on my blog. My friend and me were devastated, that means I shall be using hair straighters for my entire vacation in Karachi, Pakistan.

The hair specialist consoled me by saying ‘my child, don't be sad, just apply oil in ure head, use vitamin ‘E’ and use egg and yogurt as conditioner, hopefully ure hair will become stronger.’ Honestly, this didn’t make feel any better in fact even right now (while writing this blog-post) I have oil in my head. Farheen and me did not like this situation at all but the hair specialist saw our sad faces and suggested that its good if I get a protein treatment done in order to strengthen my hair where as Farheen decided to get high-lights in her hair (she already has a nice brown colour and straight hair) with her hair colour high-lights really looked good.

The protein treatment process was very elaborate. First my hair was washed, then a whitish paste was smothered in my head (I have taken loads of pics of Farheen and me during our hair treatments, shall be uploading hem along with my blog-post) it then had to stay on my head for 45 minutes (by the way this time exceeded to almost 2 hours and I’ll tell you why).

While sitting patiently with the protein paste in my head I somehow made friends with the owner, he was so impressed by me that he told his wife that I should be given a complementary pedicure. Yes! It was the best and the lady who was doing my pedicure massaged for over an hour and that is how my 45 minutes hair protein treatment turned into a 2 hour treatment, which was also good for my hair.

After my pedicure was done and my hair was washed I was then sat and my hair blow dried. Oh My! Tina Sani came and sat next to me (Tina Sani is an Pakistani female singer renowned for her classical and semi-classical Urdu Ghazals, and I simply adore her voice). She was reading a book and getting something done to her hair. I should have gotten a picture with her and should have spoken to her but honestly speaking didn’t know how to react with celebrities when spotted at places like beauty salons!

Anyways, but I had a good relaxing morning with Farheen, both of us were happy with big smiles when we sat in the car, our hair looking all grand and posh.

Do keep an eye on my upcoming blog-post. Its going to be all about how we spent the rest of the afternoon, Farheen and me. Xs

Thursday, February 24, 2011

“Everything we do at Emirates is dedicated to making your travel experience more comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable.”

This is so true about Emirates, although it’s a bit expensive. And if lucky one can get a cheap ticket like I got one this time; flight travel to Dubai is great. And yes, it was a great experience. Just like I explained in my previous blog-post (on visiting Fuerteventura) about getting into the plane on a isle aircraft wheelchair it was exactly the same way. I had already visited the loos at the Gatwick Airport therefore didn’t really need to go but the toilets on the aircraft are accessible and assistance is available when required.

I enjoyed the food on the flight. Although I was travelling in the economy class but still we were given food menus. We (economy class passengers) were given a choice of foods, I choose Chicken Coconut Curry with spinach and rice. The other choice was Baked Salmon with roasted vegetables. Then came the desert, Chocolate Fudge Brownie with hot chocolate sauce, yum and it was yum! They also gave me a bag full of Cadbury’s chocolates. As the flight was seven hours long we were given a small pack with small round shaped crackers, and a small sealed pack of salsa dip, this small pack was given the name ‘Nibbles’. The on-flight entertainment was great; all passengers had a variety of films (old and new), television programs (dramas, news, kids, etc) and music to choose from. Emirates was great, although economy but lots of leg room, plus the flight was half full therefore the seats next to us were empty and all passengers could lay on the seats. I’d say I enjoyed my seven hour flight from Gatwick to Dubai. J

It was six in the morning (Dubai time) when our plane landed at Dubai Airport. The airport is huge and my stop-over here was three hour long. Apparently there is a separate terminal especially for flights to and from Pakistan due to heavy load of passenger travel. I visited the toilet then waited in the transit lounge in fact slept for a bit, was too tired from my previous exciting Emirates flight experience from Gatwick to Dubai.

At exact 1 o’clock in the afternoon on the 5^th of February 2011 I reached Quaid-e-Azam International Airport.

Please do stay tuned to read my next blog-post, Waiting anxiously for you comments.

Take care.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

‘A friend in need s a friend indeed’ Thankyou Safia, Aasim and Aayaan.

So at 3pm I was at Gatwick airport. At the same time my friends had arrived the airport as well with my luggage, very nice of them. If Safia, Aasim a nd Aayan would not have been there I’d probably be crying and would have missed my flight (life savers) because I was 10 kilos over weight regarding luggage. It took two hours to sort the luggage out but it was all sorted in the end because of them. In the end that is after two hours of struggle like literally sweat and blood struggle we managed to check-in the entire 40 kilos of luggage and I’ll explain you how.

Perks of being on a wheelchair: (this is when being disabled helps, and being sympathised truly helps, it saved me a £250) The Emirates lady was determined to take £250 for access baggage. Oh my God, I cannot afford that! My friends were there (now this is true friendship my folks ‘a friend in need, is a friend indeed’) and if we are lucky enough, my friend Safia would tell us the entire story in detail in the comments box.

Well after loads of times of unpacking and repacking and sulking and misplacing my own keys many, many a times (this is what happens when I am under pressure and I panic, be calm at all times whilst travelling). The Emirates lady felt sorry for me when she saw lots of medicines and my wheelchair charger (I also took a picture with her, which I shall upload along with my blog post), and yes I also felt sorry for the excess luggage and a £250 payment or leaving my Mom’s medicines with Safia, so I went along with the drama. Soon my luggage was all checked in and we were all relaxed.

‘When there is a will there is a way!’

All four of us with gigantic smiles J went upstairs for a cup of coffee. Instead all of us had cold coffee and Aayaan enjoyed it the most. It was soon time to check myself inn, we all hugged and exchanged good byes and soon I was in the Gatwick Airport huge waiting lounge waiting for my flight. Thank you Safia, Aasim and Aayaan, I couldn’t have managed my journey along with my luggage to Gatwick Airport without you all. Therefore, I am dedicating this blog-post to you and company.

Love you and take care. X

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

At 1 o’clock in the afternoon I left my house in Maidstone. My friends Safia and Aasim and their little baby boy Aayan also wanted to come and drop me to Gatwick airport. As I was on my heavy motorised wheelchair I had to travel to Gatwick by train. My friends took my luggage in their car to Gatwick which was very kind of them. It takes approximately 45 minutes by car and 2 hours by two train, as one has to change at Victoria Station and then Gatwick Express (which takes exactly 30 minutes from Victoria Station London). I have all the pictures while travelling on trains and I am also going to be uploading them along with my post.

I reached Gatwick at 3 pm. My journeys via trains and the change at London Victoria Station all went smoothly. The trains tickets from Maidstone to Gatwick cost me £22.

Friday, February 11, 2011

How I ended up vacationing in Karachi, Pakistan?!!

Initially I was off to Israel for a ten days vacation in February this year. I am so dying to check-out the Dead Sea, Wailing Wall and the famous Masjid-e-Aqsa. I also found a great, reasonably priced, group travel package, especially for wheelchair users; which was perfect for me. Awesome, I thought. Quickly, filled with excitement,I sent the travel agency an email asking them for further details. (The name of the travel agency is Imaginative Travel and their website is http://www.imaginative-traveller.com). That evening I also spoke to my brother-in-law online (on my facebook group page ‘Travelling the world on wheels’ as well as on twitter, I had already mentioned about my travel plans to Israel and asking if anyone could be of help?!!) ‘You mentioned travel plans to Israel on ure facebook status?!!’ he asked. Yes, you did read correctly and hopefully if alls well then I shall be leaving next month (February), I told him. ‘Nadia, did you know if gone to Israel, you are then not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and a few other Muslim countries!’ Astonished I was on hearing this. Are you sure Zohair (thats my brother-in-laws name), I asked as I was very worried and aggravated to hear such disturbing news. But after a bit more research I found out that just visiting Israel then its alright, entering Saudi Arabia is fine, although still one cannot entre Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and a few other Muslim countries (so please make sure to find out before arranging a trip to Israel, its certainly the Forbidden Land not to sure about sanctified anymore). I guess everywhere on earth its so troubled by natural disasters and wars that no place can be called blessed or sanctified anymore! L

Anyways, so the next day I received a reply email by Imaginative Travel with all the travel information, all sounded good but they were fully booked for February and said that I can book a place for the August trip. I though thats good might as well pay a visit to Pakistan, Karachi and check-out my family there before visiting Israel. And that is how my folks I came to Karachi, Pakistan for a month and a half’s vacation on the 4^th of February 2011 by Emirates Airline from Gatwick London.

Hopefully my next blog post is going to be all about my ‘adventurous’ travel experience from Maidstone (where I live in UK) all the way to my destination Karachi (where my family lives in Pakistan). My following blog posts shall have more pics and less text, therefore creating a visual read.

Enjoy, shall be anxiously waiting for ure comments and feedback. X

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Hi my friends, Happy New Year and hope alls well.

I know what I am gonna say now is completely not about travelling, but for this year I somehow managed to invest a bit of money in a business. I have now my own fashion collection called 'nadiahmed COLLECTIONS'. I dunno if its gonna be successful or not, but at least I can say I tried it and its a great learning experience.

Please support me by checking out my blog at http://nadiahmedcollections.blogspot.com/

I also have a facebook page athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Nadiahmed-Collections/132730403454228?ref=ts

And if you do like something you can always contact me here and special prices for my friends on my blog. Thank you and take care, Nadia

Friday, December 31, 2010

Hello United Kingdom!

The Fuerteventura airport was huge, shops and dutaty frees and restaurants everywhere. I roamed and roamed around the airport. Did not use my snack voucher as I was tired of eating, oh God I have gained weight, my entire holiday I just ate and ate and ate. So I gave the voucher to another passenger waiting as well.

It was ten now and the guy who left me in the waiting area had came back. He then guided me towards a queue and placed me right in front of the queue. All of us in the queue where patiently waiting to get into the air craft. At exactly 10:30 pm the barriers were opened and all of us one by one got into the aircraft. I was the first to entre, the same process, I was picked and placed in a small wheelchair and then taken into the aircraft. After being placed into my aircraft seat the rest of the passengers came in. Oh I was dead tired, just wanted to eat and then sleep and that is what exactly what I did.

I woke up when we were landing at Stansted airport, it was 2:00 am. I could see the snow, beautiful and brrr. Thank God, I had kept my jacket in my hand baggage. When the plane had landed and it was safe and the door of the aircraft had opened (the cool breeze came in...oh the sun in Fuerteventura) and all the passengers had left, except for me. I had to wait a long time in the aircraft for my wheelchair and the entire cabin crew had to wait with me. Soon the pilot came and all of us got talking. One of the crew member asked where I was going. ‘I have to go to Maidstone, Kent I live there but first a Thomas Cook taxi will take me to Gatwick from where I catch a train to London Victoria and then from there I catch another train to Maidstone’. ‘Oh God!’ said one of the crew members. ‘But Maidstone comes before Gatwick, I’ll speak to Thomas Cook staff at the airport to book you a taxi straight home’. that would be lovely I said. Anyway, finally my turn came and I was taken out of the aircraft.

From then on I was taken care of by the ‘Special Assistance’ staff. They were all lovely and funny. Finally I had arrived to the luggage arrival area. After getting hold of my luggage which the ‘special assistance’ girl helped me with, I was then taken to the taxi office inside the airport. The man at the desk told us that no taxis are willing to go to Kent as the weather is really bad over there. Oh no! Now what?!! The ‘travel assistance girl asked me to follow her to her office. They were all very nice and asked if I’d like a hot drink, all of them were very busy searching for a taxi to take me home (I even got a picture with them).

After a very long wait Thomas Cook called the ‘Special Assistance’ staff and asked them to put me in the next door airport hotel, where I can have breakfast and take a nap. I was then transferred there, where I had waffles for breakfast and was then provided a room to rest. Which was all provided by Thomas Cook and I am very thankful to.

At 11:00 am the phone rang next to my bed. I woke up with a jolt from my nap. ‘Good Morning...Miss. Ahmed, a taxi driver has agreed to drive you all the way to Maidstone.’ I was so happy to hear that ‘when will it be here?’ I asked. ‘In 20 minutes’ the lady replied ‘I’ll send someone upstairs to help you with ure luggage’. I was so happy got up visited the lu, washed my face, and soon someone came to pick up my luggage. I followed him downstairs. At the hotel reception the taxi driver was waiting for the customer and thats me.

It took me one and a half hour to reach home. There was fog or hails just loads and loads of snow everywhere, but soon I was back hosme safely at around 1 o’clock in the afternoon, on Thursday the 2^nd of December 2010.