A ‘full-time’ globetrotter, Katie, has shared her experience of visiting a country against advice, where she was told she might not come back alive, only to find it becoming one of her most cherished destinations.
Known as Simply Katie on social media has been exploring the world almost non-stop since ditching her 9-5 job in 2022 for what turned out to be an epic journey through Australia and Southeast Asia.
Katie, who transformed her passion for travel into a profession, has now ticked off over 40 countries from her list, including New Zealand, Iceland, and Romania, all while offering travel tips and insights to her impressive following of 392,000 on TikTok.
However, it was her latest escape that truly won her over, as she confessed that despite warnings about the danger and fears she wouldn’t make it back safely, this place has become her favourite destination.
On TikTok, Katie disclosed that she had jetted off to Pakistan for a lengthy getaway with pals. As of April this year, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) branded Pakistan as “too dangerous” a destination for Brits, highlighting multiple safety threats such as abduction, crime, conflict, terrorism, illness, climatic extremes, and natural calamities.
Situated between India, Iran and Afghanistan, Pakistan only gained recognition as a country in 1947, following the partition of British India. This independence marked the end of three centuries of colonial rule, resulting in the formation of two independent nations: India and Pakistan.
Despite the concerning travel advice, Katie embarked on an over 10-hour flight to Karachi, kick-starting her month-long journey to discover all the wonders that the beautiful country has to offer.
Through a series of videos, Katie expressed her hope that her experiences would inspire others to visit, as she believes Pakistan is unjustly portrayed by the West.
In one video, Katie shared her visit to Skardu with her friends, where they were able to marvel at the stunning beauty of one of the world’s most admired landscapes. Nestled among mountains, the airport itself is often labelled as dangerous due to its precarious location.
In another clip, the globetrotter detailed how she and her companions required round-the-clock security on the train as they journeyed from Karachi to Lahore. She also mentioned that she didn’t get much rest as there were people knocking on their door throughout the night.
Despite initial warnings about the country, Katie disclosed that Pakistan had swiftly become her favourite destination. She was full of praise for the people, cuisine and culture.
She further noted that she was able to indulge in so much as everything was incredibly affordable, allowing her to experience five-star restaurants and hotels.
In one of her videos, she wrote, “New favourite country! This country gets such a negative portrayal, when in fact Pakistan is full of such beauty which isn’t shown or spoken about enough.. From this video alone I hope it sheds some light on the true beauty this country holds..Pakistan Zindabad! Viewers of her videos were delighted to see Pakistan and curious to find out more about it.
One viewer responded: “Yess, I want to visit Pakistan. From Europe to Pakistan!!” Another commented: “I’d never have considered Pakistan before but it looks stunning. I can’t wait to go.”
Another fan enthused: “Love your videos! I’m Pakistani and haven’t been since I was five years old – I’m totally inspired!”
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