Karachi, Pakistan, is full of surprises; consequently, my first day in this city provided me with multiple unforgettable experiences. From tasting a famous local delicacy to riding a camel on Clifton Beach, the experience was remarkable and made me see Pakistan from a different perspective.
Initially, I intended to visit Burns Road, which is one of the most popular restaurant areas in Karachi. In the evening, the street becomes very lively as many restaurants serve food with the delicious smell of food and spices everywhere. One thing that caught my attention while visiting lunch is that I have never seen so many security guards at one place.
I went there to try the bun kebab, which is a common street food in Pakistan. It was interesting to see how the bun kebab is made. A bun is placed on the hot iron plate before it is served with meat kebab, onion, egg, and chutney. The taste is fantastic as the dish is highly spicy.
The greatest surprise happened when I was done eating. After I finished my meal, I offered to pay, but staff members at the restaurant did not accept my money at all. They were just so kind that they wanted to treat me as a guest. I jokingly called this phenomenon the “reverse scam” of Pakistan because it is not about receiving money in Pakistan, but rather about avoiding accepting it.
I decided to do something nice and pay it forward. A local man named Kamran invited me for the ride when I was looking for ice cream. After some searches, we eventually found a place where ice cream called kulfi falooda was sold. I invited him to try this dish together with me.
Then, I bought some biryani and gave it to another person.
When night drew close, I went out to Clifton Beach, one of the most known seaside places in the city of Karachi. This beach has received strange information from travelers and YouTubers, who spoke about fraudulent activities on this beach. I, however, had a different experience.
Clifton Beach was really buzzing with activities: families and groups of friends gathered close to the water and food vendors, quad bikes, beach buggies, and camels create a lively atmosphere around. I hired a beach buggy to ride it toward the water, and it soon became one of my favorite experiences in Karachi.
Then came the most remarkable experience of my life – the ride on the camel when the sun was setting. I could not ever think I would experience this in Pakistan. The name of the camel was Raju, and it was quite well behaved.
As much as I appreciated the picturesque beach, I couldn’t overlook its littered surroundings. The sight of both a breathtaking coast and heaps of garbage was disappointing and revealed how much better the beach could have been serviced.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere was very friendly, and people around were greeting guests and smiling at them. After spending whole day at the place, I understood an important lesson of travelling that sometimes great experiences come from unknown people instead of known attractions.
