My trip to Quetta took much longer than Google Maps estimates. I read a number of blog and travel guide sites that featured this stretch of road, and it was plain to figure that my camper couldn’t manage the 729 km in eight hours. The roads along this plain are less than perfect and quite damaged in places. I read a terrific blog entry for someone who did this trip just 18 months ago and said that he got to Quetta in just over 11 hours on a motorcycle. Not good for my camper friend. Given the stories I read, I would have arrived in Quetta in the early hours, which wouldn’t have been great. I could have ‘booked’ a hotel, which would have had a late open reception, but the cost of a hotel in this city is three times the cost for any previous night.
Instead, I found a very small village near the train line at Kardagap that runs alongside Highway N40. I drive down to the train station, which is little more than a shelter and a few storerooms. All very open. I know I wouldn’t be too happy to camp up and sleep here, but the option isn’t there.
Kardagap village and station
I suspect I don’t sleep too well, but I think this is a better place than in the city, which does have a history of unrest and trouble.
 Beautiful in the day. |
 Noisy trains in the morning. |