What Happened When I Decided to Hitchhike With Three Pakistani Guys

Iceland

I grew up in a household where cricket trumps everything. I mean everything! And as true Indians, the matches especially against Pakistan were the ones to be won. Losing against Pakistan was a shame that nobody wanted to endure. It was more than a game, it was about pride, honour and most importantly being better than the neighbour.

Years passed by and our relationship with the neighbour turned sour and sour. The competition had passed into every field, the national crush Fawad Khan was sent back, and news channels had declared them the enemy. While I am not here to preach politics to anyone, this upbringing had a huge impact on how I saw or imagined them as humans. A mentality which is impossible to change as most of the population would never come across one in our own country.

Let Me Tell You a Story About How My Perspective Changed

It was the year 2020, the year of lost dreams and hopes. The year all the travellers lost their sole purpose and were confined to travelling from their kitchen to the living room. In the summer of 2020, Iceland opened its gates to tourism and had travellers tested on arrival. So, I could once again explore this beautiful country if I pushed through 30 seconds of excruciating pain? Hell yeah. The plan was set, I would hike the Icelandic highlands for 4 days and then "hitch"-hike through the country.

Gullfoss

I met Rizwan, Zeeshan and Baber in a hostel in Reykjavik. I arrived at the hostel after completing 60 Km through the Icelandic Highlands and they were just starting their trip. I started talking to Rizwan and figured they were going in the same direction as I planned to and asked them if they could drop me on their way. In return for their politeness, I could be their tour guide as I knew all the places to stop on the way.

Exploring Iceland With New Friends

The next thing I know, I am exploring Iceland with three Pakistanis and secretly hoping that it never ends. The conversations began with the basics about each other and then turned deep as time passed. We stopped at everything beautiful, blasting the best of Hindi music and just appreciating life. I fell in love with the way they spoke and I felt like a imbecile with no manners every time my Mumbaikar Hindi popped up! “Abe tu kya khayega be” was now “Aap kya khaoge?” lol

At the end of the day, I was heartbroken, but every good thing comes to an end, and this was it. Then it hit me, plans could be changed any minute and I literally had none. I asked them if I could stay as far as my route is merged with them and now, they were booking a room for four instead of three. How random is life?

Stories That I Would Tell My Grandchildren

We crossed the entire southern ring road together, from Gull Foss to The Diamond Beach. From the most touristic places to the hidden waterfalls, we saw it all. But most importantly, I was making memories. Memories that would last me a lifetime. I remember Rizwan being obsessed with all the locations in Gerua and posing like Sharukh khan, I remember our little cottage and Zeeshan’s stories about Pakistan, I remember Baber being extremely polite about taking my “n” numbers of pictures. I remember finding friends for life, friends beyond borders, friends beyond prejudices, and friends that are now a part of my life. Rizwan soon would be visiting me in Paris, and I can’t wait to go visit Zeeshan in Pakistan.

At night they would tell me tales about their college and the one thing I knew immediately that the Muslim college I studied in was not even close to what they experienced. They had way more fun! Duh! Being a Muslim in India, we would always look at the general population of the Middle East and Pakistan as Ideal Muslims (In certain aspects). I recall having a conversation with Zeeshan on religion and him telling me “I know I have a 100% faith in Him but am I the best at following everything? I don’t think so.” That stayed with me for longer than I expected. He had spoken words that I so long struggled to put together.

It was extremely difficult to not continue with them at the end of the third day. But they had to go back to Reykjavik and I wanted to move further up east. In our last stretch together, Rizwan ends up playing "Abhi na jao chodke, ke dil abhi bhara nahi" and I knew this was a friendship that was going to last.

One of my favourite pictures taken by Baber

Travel Teaches You More Than You Think

As travellers in a third country, we are going to be civil with everyone around us but we always have our prejudices against certain people. I had an idea of Pakistan that was shattered in the car with these three incredible humans. In all the differences that were pointed out to me all my life, I realised we were so similar. They introduced me to the most amazing qawwali and the best of Pakistani coke studio. They definitely made me more polite and changed my perspective about their beautiful country.

It was the year 2020, the year of fucked up plans. But I am happy (a privileged point of view) because then I wouldn’t be in Iceland, Rizwan, Zeeshan, and Baber wouldn’t be in Iceland and I would have missed out on knowing some of the best people in my life. Now, imagine this, you are driving through Iceland, with three strange men who turned friends, listening to Rahet Fateh Ali Khan, and smiling ear to ear. life is good!

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