Holidays in Murree.
It's currently ten thirty at night here, or so says a battered old clock that I picked up from the floor and tried to re-hang on the wall to it's base or whatever the underside of a clock is called, on a balcony overlooking Mall Road (or some other road) currently experiencing a traffic jam with almost all the drivers honking their horns and the occasional "Jazbaati Kocha" blaring a cassette of "Hits from the Himalayas" from his van filled with people like sardines in a tin. Okay, enough mood setting.
So, at 4 A.M. this morning (29 June 2017), I woke up in Islamabad and after a quick breakfast of a slice of bread slapped with Jam at my grandparents' residence, we embarked on our expedition. At 6 A.M. we were at the Islamabad - Murree Expressway. With almost non-existent traffic, we rode on until we reached Murree Cantt, where the Pakistan Army had restricted access. So, a five minute long drive had now become an hour's drive from an alternate route where the Traffic was starting to clog, but somehow we made it to our determined abode, Cecil Apartments, formerly Cecil Hotel. From outside, it looked like those shanty slum apartments where traditional teleplays regarding Burnis Road, Karachi are shot at. Inside was a whole new scenario. Oh, and have I mentioned that a Pathan downstairs is emptying his Kalashnikov at the air right now?
The Apartment had a tiled floor, a TV lounge with a flat-screen Smart TV with Youtube installed (Thank God I packed that EVO), two bedrooms and a kitchen. There was an electric water heater, a microwave oven and a fridge at our disposal along with kitchen utensils and cleaning supplies. The attendant said water would be available for thirty minutes at 11 A.M. and thirty minutes at 7 P.M. which was okay by us as we had a personal water tanker to store water at our apartment.
I immediately took out my Coffee mug I had specially packed and began whisking, taking in the breathtaking views of the Pir Panjal as rain clouds slowly but surely began engulfing the valley. Before the clouds had settled, I could see the whole valley, but after the clouds had settled, I couldn't see three feet ahead of me. Then, as I was snuggled in the couch watching Sherlock, I heard the glorious sound of rain and words simply can not justify any of the breathtaking scenes I saw before, during or after the rain.
After sleepily staring at my umbrella on the balcony violently thrashing on the glass door, I mustered the courage to get up and relieve it from the mercy of the violent wind and upon hitting the couch again, drifted off to an un-easy sleep. I woke up with sore shoulders to the sound of pakoray frying and helped myself up to a whole new world brought by the orange shades of sunset. I thought of having another mug of coffee but God had decided otherwise as no milk was left. Afterwards, still sore from my previous oblivion, I decided to take my chances with the bed.
I was about to sleep very peacefully but fate again intervened and I noticed a stain on the bedsheet which was either dried Industrial Glue or the dismembered remains of a slug. After that, I just couldn't stop staring at the stain right next to me and decided to sit in the balcony where I have sat until now. The weather's getting colder and I've decided to call it a day. We'll be going back to Islamabad, as the traffic has restricted us to the confines of our humble abode. It was a fun day, a sort of rehabilitation after one month of playing GTA Online at home. Now I'm looking forward to starting a Motorcycle Club in GTA by the time I get back.
