Novel: AN UNWANTED FLIGHT
CH # 16
Flying Lahore to New Islamabad
'M-2 motorway is best option to travel fast and
save from Lahore to Islamabad, so we’re leaving at weekend. The flight to cargo any fowls is only offered from Islamabad.The tickets are confirmed,’
Zain announced while scrolling his fingers and eyes on mobile.
He was tired of long vain journey from Siberia or was missing his buddy, the Siberian crane but he didn’t wish to get well in any way.
These warning signs and even slippery road couldn’t slow down the Prado to run fast towards Islamabad. The light music at prado was compenying the weather. Yong was little drowsy at front seat.The vehicle stayed at Pindi Bhatia for while. Yong and Zain enjoyed sandwiches and hot coffee to bear the engulfing cold as the temperature was decreasing towards Islamabad.
‘I’m not mouse who cut the cage with its teeth and save the lion, you silly chicken. It’s again just because of you; you wished to board a plane like humans in start of our journey. Before it comes true, like your other silly wishes, do something! Now chase me till airport and look for any chance for my escape,’ Houbara yelled from the cage.
M 2 has highest pillared bridge in south Asia at salt ranges. M2 is also used as runway by Pakistan Air Force in practicing to land, refuel and taking off at time of war and emergency,' Zain proudly broke the mysterious silence around.
'These mountains have also witnessed the great warriors passing by like Alexander the great and Mahmood Ghaznavi...,' Yong excitedly searched on google.
'Yes, you know, Alexander's horses were first who began to lick the rocks while he stayed here with his troops. After investigation, it was discovered that rocks taste salty and now this area has biggest salt mine at world in Khewra,' Zain added. Houbara was also listening at them that he forgot about his chasing friend above in the sky.
Houbara bustard was unwell since
Zain and Yong lugged him to Lahore from Baluchistan. Despite care and
medication, he remained dull and drowsy all day on roof at Zain’s house. The
sun remained mostly out of sight at foggy and cloudy Lahore at February.
He was tired of long vain journey from Siberia or was missing his buddy, the Siberian crane but he didn’t wish to get well in any way.
On that day, Yong came to see him
again.
‘Our project about routes, threats,
distances and breeding areas of migratory birds is almost finished. We started
from Siberia with you and chased the migratory birds at Kazakhstan, Iran,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Now the end notes at Lake Baikal, China will
done my efforts. Soon we’re leaving for China, dear big chicken but I’m worried
for you. It’s very disturbing to see a vagabond like you giving up without
hope. Please tell us how we can help you?’ she looked at Zain and then at
Houbara Bustard.
‘Why not take this guy with us?
He’ll surely cherish at Beijing,’ suddenly an idea burst in her mind.
‘That will be great. he'll also know about our friendship that is sweeter than honey, stronger than steel and higher than Himalayas, lovely than...,' Zain commented looking straight into her eyes.
'Stop it now, Zain,'
'I was talking about friendship of China and Pakistan...what were you thinking of?' Zain stopped at Yong's staring eyes.
'Just shut up,' Yong turned its face.
'Ok...umm...from Beijing it’ll be easy for him to leave back to Mongolia for summer. Let me check any schedule to cargo a bird with us on plane.
'Stop it now, Zain,'
'I was talking about friendship of China and Pakistan...what were you thinking of?' Zain stopped at Yong's staring eyes.
'Just shut up,' Yong turned its face.
'Ok...umm...from Beijing it’ll be easy for him to leave back to Mongolia for summer. Let me check any schedule to cargo a bird with us on plane.
‘Get ready buddy, you’re going to
cross snowy and lofty peaks of mighty Himalayas without skirmish your wings
against the harsh winds,’ Yong tried to bucked up Houbara Bustard.
‘Lake Baikal, China...Please looks
for my friend Siberian crane to fly with us. It’s his destination actually. Our friendship is also as blue as sky... ,’
Houbara tried to explain its feelings by hooting.
‘He’s looking excited at our plan,’ like always Yong gave an idiot guess according to Houbara Bustard.
‘Have you talked about our next
project at CPEC? There should be national parks for conservation of birds
around highways,’ Yong asked.
‘I’m on it. We’ll have few meetings
at Beijing as well,’ Zain’s voice was near to the ground now.
‘But…listen…can’t you locate the
Siberian crane that started with me with help of bird ring…listen…he was lastly
seen at India…don’t you remember?’ Houbara kept on whooping until he heard at
the last steps of Zain and Yong but they didn’t turned up.
The time to wing towards China was
on head. Zain arranged a big cage for Houbara to lug in airplane and put him
inside it.
Houbara was gazing at sky upon
flying local eagles, crows and sparrows hopeless, when he spotted something. Am
I dreaming? He suddenly felt life inside him and twittered high
‘Crane…,’
The Siberian crane stopped and
followed the shriek, fluttered down and got surprised to see his best friend.
‘Oh my…I don’t believe this…I’m
looking at you again…,’ Crane was going mad with excitement.
‘It’s time to go back…we’ll make it
together again…how you come across this cage…wait…let me see any way out,’ Crane
circled around.
‘Hello big chicken, it’s time to
leave to Islamabad from Lahore,’ just then Zain and Yong approached the roof.
‘But…I don’t want to go with you,’
Houbara whooped loud and fluttered restless in the cage.
‘Ok…calm down…I know you’re
excited,’ it was Yong again.
‘Oh…look here Zain…a Siberian crane…what
a pleasant surprise!’ Yong peeped at one corner.
‘Yes…but what is he doing here?’
Zain gazed in air for any clue.
‘I’m sure…he is the crane who left
from Siberia with Houbara and had been caught at Indian border,’ Yong walked
closer to crane.
‘Maybe you’re right but we don’t
have time to deal with it. He’ll surely fly to near wetland at Indus. We’ll
complete our notes with other cranes on Lake Baikal, just leave’ Zain picked
the cage and moved to staircase.
‘No…no…free me…I don’t want to go
with you…,’ Houbara fluttered in the air.
‘Set him free…let my friend go with
me…,’ Crane chased the Prado carrying Yong, Zain and Houbara Bustard. The
vehicle crossed the metro station towards ring road. Leaving behind the signs
of Mughal history at Lahore fort and Badshahi mosque, the vehicle crossed
minaret Pakistan towards Ravi River; a river which is flowing from centuries across
small
town of Lavapuri that ebb into cordial
Lahore of today.
The vehicle was on motorway now. Houbara bustard was
continuously hitting the cage to get it free.
‘Please stop….I’m heck of your quacking…what
happened to you? You’re not caged for whole life,’ Yong held her head at
constant fluttering and whooping of Houbara inside cage. Zain didn’t answer but
observed the chasing and restless Siberian crane behind its jeep.
RAINY M 2 ACROSS SHEIKHUPURA TOWARDS ISLAMABAD
Dark clouds covered the sky and the
drizzling blurred the outlook of lush green fields and orange orchards across
375 KM long, the busiest motorway M 2 of Pakistan across Sheikupura.
The Houbara Bustard made an effort to peep up from cozy vehicle to spot it's free buddy, Siberian crane who was struggling against strong and cold wind gushes above them.
‘Light music, rain, motorway and
a divine companion; sometimes life is so much blessed on you,’ Zain expressed
his feelings while trying to spot the view on road which was very blurred due
to rain.
‘You look weird while being
romantic,’ Yong smiled.
‘Really…,’ the vehicle felt a
slippery jerk.
‘Oh please concentrate on
driving,’ Houbara Bustard whooped angry.
The Houbara Bustard made an effort to peep up from cozy vehicle to spot it's free buddy, Siberian crane who was struggling against strong and cold wind gushes above them.
‘Drive slow while fog and rain,’
‘Better to be late than never’
These warning signs and even slippery road couldn’t slow down the Prado to run fast towards Islamabad. The light music at prado was compenying the weather. Yong was little drowsy at front seat.The vehicle stayed at Pindi Bhatia for while. Yong and Zain enjoyed sandwiches and hot coffee to bear the engulfing cold as the temperature was decreasing towards Islamabad.
‘Hey, can’t you cut this cage and
jump out. I’m shivering with cold,’ crane found a chance to knock near the
window at rest point.
‘I’m not mouse who cut the cage with its teeth and save the lion, you silly chicken. It’s again just because of you; you wished to board a plane like humans in start of our journey. Before it comes true, like your other silly wishes, do something! Now chase me till airport and look for any chance for my escape,’ Houbara yelled from the cage.
‘Ah, I always wish to take to the air without
tiring and winging my feathers like humans but here you’re going to be lucky
one to meet my longing,’
‘I don’t want to be lucky one. I’m a
bird…I born to and love to, fly by my own. See your human friends they even
didn’t recognize you because you lost your bird ring, selfish creature,’
Houbara whooped again.
‘It’s too cold,’ Yong rubbed her
hands and zip up her jacket while coming out of restaurant.
‘Yes, it is,’ Zain unlocked its
Prado while observing Siberian crane shivering at near tree.
As soon as the vehicle tracked
again at M2, crane again started to chase it.
MYSTERIOUS SALT RANGES AT M 2
‘What would if Houbara left Pakistan
without me…I’ll be…I’ll be…it’s ok…I’ll try to set him free…if…,’ crane breached the heavy rain drops and dense clouds on sky.
‘Humans are too lucky to have ideas
and resources to escape from cold but we warm blooded fowls…,’ Crane looked at
running cozy vehicle.
Prado was crossing among mysterious
and rocky salt ranges across Jhelum city now on M2. The ear drums were bumping
open and shut at passage as some baffling supremacy don’t want to unveil their
secret whispering to humans.
M 2 has highest pillared bridge in south Asia at salt ranges. M2 is also used as runway by Pakistan Air Force in practicing to land, refuel and taking off at time of war and emergency,' Zain proudly broke the mysterious silence around.
'These mountains have also witnessed the great warriors passing by like Alexander the great and Mahmood Ghaznavi...,' Yong excitedly searched on google.
'Yes, you know, Alexander's horses were first who began to lick the rocks while he stayed here with his troops. After investigation, it was discovered that rocks taste salty and now this area has biggest salt mine at world in Khewra,' Zain added. Houbara was also listening at them that he forgot about his chasing friend above in the sky.
The snake road among ridges and
forests of salt ranges along Kallar Kahar peter out the vehicle from crane’s
sight. Houbara bustard also instigated crying and whooping restless to outlook
his friend on sky but failed.
The heavy rain was still streaming
the road when the Prado touched the beautiful capital of Pakistan, the
Islamabad after an hour. It now turned up to Benazir Bhutto, international
airport among stunning and wild green Himalaya ranges.
NEW ISLAMABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
They
entered the airport… Zain and Yong moved forward from one of 15 gates at
airport for clearance. Yong took off mobile from her jeans and sat at food court near four star hotel. Caged Houbara Bustard was put at side to lug on. He wasn’t
fluttering anymore but gazing at the dark cloudy sky from only airport at
Pakistan which can handle Airbus 380.
‘Oh, I missed you again,’ Houbara sighed.
 |
| new islamabad international airport,pakistan |
‘Sorry dude, I’m late. Again there
is no chance except to leave ourselves on fate. I’ll fly back with other Cranes.
You just enjoy your way,’ just then Siberian crane knocked at big window of
airport near cage.
‘But…it was you who wanted to stay
at China not me actually,’ Houbara groaned.
‘It doesn’t matter now. The winters
have been passed, It’s time to fly back from east,’ Crane felt wet eyes.
‘I’ll come to see…,’
‘Ok, put this cage inside,’ a man came
closer and put the cage with other luggage to slide on.
‘Take care, my friend,’ Houbara
whooped high again while crossing immigration counters. They both were singing;
a farewell song…
All passengers at Islamabad
international airport cherish with the rhythmic and melodious duo song of fowls
at airport.
Zain was checking its boarding when
he listened at the gala. He thought for while and moved at one corner.
The plane was about to take off. Houbara
bustard’s cage was boarded to airplane. He tried to peep out from window but he
couldn’t spot crane anywhere out.
Just then he got-up-and-go by looking at a
man coming inside with another big cage having his buddy, the Siberian crane.
The door slides shut and plane took off to China in minutes.
'Look, I told you humans are not that selfish but take time to decide,' crane jumped in cage with excitement.
'Yes,till than you were about to die with cold,' houbara was not still convinced.
'don't disturb, i just want to see down from window of plane. what land looks like without tiring my wings,' crane moved up side big cage.
‘Good bye, the cordial and plucky
Pakistan. Wishing to visit you again at next winter,’ they looked down. The
plane was flying above mighty Himalayas, creaking at the Khunjrab pass
(the
highest paved border) among Karakoram ranges. Leaving behind the signs of ancient
silk route they entered China.
‘Yeah…get ready China, we’re
coming,’ they both screamed with joy in their cages....
TO BE CONTINUED
Really want to travel with these fowl guys from start then just click:
https://www.amazon.com/BORN-EXPATS-Jouney-migratory-buddies-ebook/dp/B07QLZTYVW