Tracé de la route 
d'Islamabad à Amritsar
du 31/07 au 05/08/2007 

The day before my departure for Lahore, Mark, a German traveller, organized a barbecue for Walter, another German traveller, a Frenchman by bicycle and me. During the conversation I learned that I was to request from the embassy of France a letter for the Pakistani and Indian immigration departments declaring the validity of the visas of the old passport of which the higher right corner is cut to cancel it.
The 31/07 I went to the embassy to obtain the two letters of validity of the Pakistani and Indian visas. I obtained them without difficulty. I left Islamabad about 10:30 to go to visit the mines of salt in Khewra (N32°38.807'-E073°00.457') at 48 kilometres from the exit of Kala Kahar on the motorway M2. The visit was very interesting, highly recommended. Then I went again M2 at Lilla to have the night on the service area of Bhera as to the outward journey.

The 01/08 I reached Lahore and the Alliance Française without difficulty using the plan given by the website, www.aflahore.org. The director accepted me with much courtesy whereas he was at one hour of his departure for France for one-month holiday. He presented to me with the personnel and the guards considering that I stationed during three nights in front of Alliance. He advised me to take a guide to visit Lahore with who he fixed me an appointment for the following day.

The morning of the 02/08 accompanied by Asif I visited the Fort of Lahore, Shahi Qila, and the great mosque, Badshahi Masjid. The afternoon was devoted to traverse the lanes of the old city and to see while passing two mosques, Sunehri Masjid and Wazir Khan Masjid. The Fort is always under restoration, an immense work. The visible pavilions are the testimony of the sumptuous life of the Mughal emperors and the delicacy of the art of this time, synthesis of the art of Central Asia and art of Persia. Badshahi Masjid is one of the vastest in the Moslem world. It can contain more than 100,000 people. The tangle of the streets of the old city is inextricable without the accompaniment of a guide. Cleanliness is rather exemplary for Pakistan, no refuse.

The following day Michael was my guide to admire the tombs of Jehangir, Nur Jahan and Asif Khan in the north of Lahore. After lunching in the old city of which I traversed other streets I went in this Friday to the mosque of Data Ganj Bakhsh Hajveri. The spectacle was exceptional. Under huge tents covering the courtyard, groups of men surrounded Sufi prayers, singing, speaking or in a trance. The afternoon ended by visiting the Urdu and Anarkali Bazaars.

The choice of a guide to visit Lahore in two days was a good investment to go to main things with excellent comments. I recommend him. Moreover the two guides are on the website of the Alliance Française of Lahore.

The 04/08/2007, I arrived at the Pakistani Indian border. The Pakistani formalities were done in about fifteen minutes. On the other hand it was necessary nearly two hours for the Indian customs authorities to rule on my case. Indeed I had already remained five months in India and in theory the temporary import of a duty-free vehicle cannot exceed six months. After discussion and reading of books, the customs officers filled my Carnet de Passage en Douane. Indeed it would seem that the six-month limit applies to the same Carnet de Passage en Douane. However my stay in India was on two carnets. During this time the checking of the truck was very superficial.
I reached Mrs. Bhandari's Guest House around 16:20 to install me in an alley. Mark, the German traveller, was already there since the day before.

The following week I went again to Ladakh awaiting the end of the hot seasons