I love traveling, exploring around, having authentic experiences, and meeting people. Have travelled and backpacked around 21 countries so far, hosted many travelers at our home in Karachi, and stayed with great hospitable people around the world. I have also traveled extensively around Pakistan; explored mountains and valleys in Himalayas and Karakoram and off the beaten treks inland in Sindh and Balochistan Coast. Would love to share tips if you need any guidance about traveling in Pakistan.

In addition to globe trotting, I love exploring the secrets of my own city, Karachi, in a fun way. I arrange photo walks and urban excursions to explore city's heritage sites, green spaces, beaches, communities, culture, hidden treasures, street food, and what not. Idea is to create belongingness with our city and to appreciate the diversity and inclusion it provides. Do give me a buzz when you visit Karachi, I would send you invite if there's such a tour those days. Photographers and artists are especially welcome. People of all ages and ethnicities are accommodated.

Recently started Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/mozumbus
Please like and follow ;-P

Family traveling: Did fair amount of family backpacking. Misha (daughter, born in 2010) and Mikael (son, 2012) have already seen many countries and places within Pakistan.
There's a new edition Mustafa (son, 2021) whom we already took to sites around Kaeachi; Bhambore, Manora Island, and counting.

Last big travels: In June 2019, we made a loop around Europe covering 5 Balkan Countries: Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia along with Tukey and Qatar. Had amazing experiences, explored stunning beaches, and hosted by great people.
Travel blog: https://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2019/07/serbia-macedonia-albania-montenegro.html

Other Trip Reports on my blog:
Turkey 2018 http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2018/03/istanbul-highlights-topkapi-bosporus.html
Thar Desert 2019 http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2019/02/rann-of-kutch-pakistan-india-border.html
Swat Kumrat 2018 http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2018/07/gabral-swat-badhgoi-pass-kumrat-valley_3.html

Family Outings abroad
-- Balkans Loop: Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia plus Istanbul and Doha
-- United States (East Coast): New York, Washington DC, White Mountains (New Hampshire), Disney Orlando, etc.
-- South East Asia: Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands, Singapore
-- Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Egypt
-- Saudi Arbia and Dubai with my mother

In Pakistan we have explored
-- Swat and Kumrat (2018), stayed with locals in a village away from tourist crowds
-- Shandur Polo Festival, Phander and Yasin Valley stayed with random locals
-- Neelum Valley till last village Taobat, stayed at the brink of a jungle inhabited by Brown Bears
-- Skardu and Deosai over honeymoon!
-- Quetta and Ziarat, Balochistan
-- many trips to Makran Coastal Highway and Ormara
-- Ancient Cave City in Bela, Balochistan
-- Camping at Ranikot – the world’s largest fortification located in Sindh
-- Sehwan, Monejo Daro, Keenjhar Lake and Keti Bander in Sindh
-- Give Free Walking Tours around Karachi Heritage Sites

Explored a number of other places as well with friends:
-- Europe: Italy, Vatican, Greece, and Spain
-- Kalash Joshi Festival which is absolutely recommended
-- Hunza and Khunjerab Pass - border with China
-- Fairy Meadows – base camp of the majestic Nanga Parbat which is world’s 9th highest mountain at 8,126m
-- Camping at Mud Volcanoes – a unique natural phenomena on Pakistan’s coastline
-- Astola Island – Pakistan’s only deep-sea uninhabited island where we camped for 3 days
-- Gwadar and Jewani – towns bordering Iran
-- Nagarparkar - the rich cultural and archaeological desert town bordering India
-- Umerkot in Thar Desert
-- Tando Adam for the sumptuous mutton sajji
-- Chaman border with Afganistan
-- Chowkundi Tombs, Haleji Lake, Bhanbore, Makli, Thatta, Hyderabad, etc.

Have not yet done hitchhiking! But will do that someday :-D

Travel writing:
- travel blog https://mozumbus.blogspot.com where I documented some of my travelogues and itineraries
- Wrote travel articles in leading Pakistani newspapers: Dawn and Express Tribune

Some of the blog entries:
United States East Coast (2016): http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2015/12/itinerray-east-coast-united-states-of.html
Neelum Valley, Kashmir, Pakistan (2014): https://mozumbus.blogspot.com/p/neelum-valley.html
Nepal (2013): https://mozumbus.blogspot.com/p/nepal-2013.html
Kalash and Fairy Meadows, Pakistan (2012): https://mozumbus.blogspot.com/p/kalash-and-fairy-meadows-2012.html
Egypt (2011): https://mozumbus.blogspot.com/p/egyptian-journey.html
Singapore, Bali, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka (2011): https://mozumbus.blogspot.com/p/oriental-outings-2011.html

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To me, hosting and surfing is a way to understand diverse cultures and thoughts so that I can learn aspects of life and broaden my mind. When I host/meet someone, it feels like a proxy to visiting their country!

Our Couch Surfing experiences:

We were kindly hosted by local families in
-- Skopje, Macedonia: cute family of Naum https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/ekstrakt
-- Cuprija, Serbia: amazing Gordana at her family home https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/-username-
-- Belgrade, Serbia: hospitable Svetlana and son Obrad https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/2010503739
-- Istanbul: beautiful family of Salem, Defne, Özge and Ahmet Vidin https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/2003111686
-- Orlando while visiting Disney and Daytona Beach: Rayan Wescott https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/ryanwescott
-- Washington DC over Christmas: Katie's Family https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/kanolan0925
-- Sri Lanka: Dharshana https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/specialtouch
-- Singapore: Family of Jeffery Boon Huat https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/451453

Also hosted by
-- An American expat family at Albanian beach Saranda: Tyanna and Evan https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/tyanna-evan
-- A knowledgeable Kurdish expat in Montenegro: Ayet https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/muhemmed
-- a Swiss expat family in Nepal: Kathrin and Zaeem https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/nepalerin
-- and a Pakistan expat family in Kuala Lumpur

Attended a wedding of Eda’s sister in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/edacoupe

Participated in the World’s Best Festival; Ogoh-Ogoh, in Bali courtesy a Hendra https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/ariem
- Met local CSers in Cairo and Kuala Lumpur who were really kind and helpful

Hosted travelers from around the world at our family home in Karachi (overland backpackers on Europe-Asia long journey are especially welcome):
-- Hadi from Singapore (2019) https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/2005388460
-- Peter from Belgiums (2019) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/pe-ter
-- Yeeming from Hong Kong (2018) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/yeeming
-- Solenne Horellou from France (2018) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/sosoh
-- Ádám Németh from Hungary (2018) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/asdam
-- Kenneth and Annilies from Belgium (2017) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/kenneth-holvoet
-- Berthold Stegemann from Germany (2016) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/berthold-stegemann
-- Eric and Ayu from Argentina (2016) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/ericlancon
-- Tomas Turinek from Czech Republic (2016) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/tomas-turinek
-- Monika Mona Masaj from Poland (2015) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/monikamonam
-- Andreas and Paul from Germany (2015) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/andreas-palatini
-- Willem Dieleman from Netherlands (2014) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/dillem
-- Suko Adi Prastiyo from Indonesia (2014) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/zhukolicious
-- Chris Chen from China (2013) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/ariem
-- Dima Dzhmil from Ukraine (2013) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/dimadzhmil
-- Lana Gevorkian from Azerbaijan (2013) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/lanadonut
-- Artyom Kozmins from Latvia (2012) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/artem-k
-- Benoit Madelenat from France (2011) https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/1259297
-- Marie Madelenat from France (2011) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/fantasia52
-- Oliver Edwards from the United Kingdom (2010) https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/oliverroland73

Interests

Other than traveling:
-- Family and social life
-- Political and religious discussions
-- Healthy Food
-- Oil & Gas, Solar, EV
-- Reading news and business articles
-- Arguing endlessly!

Music, Movies, and Books

Forrest Gump
The Life of David Gale
Slumdog Millionaire
Also like to listen to 'Qirat'; rhythmic oration of Quran: favorites reciters are Qari Abdul Basit (Egypt) and Qari Raghib Mustafa Ghalwash (Iran)
Singers: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Amjad Sabri
Guitarist: Faraz Anwar

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Did a TV Travel show in 2010 - Backpack Europe - and enjoyed the celebrity moment for next couple of years! The show got on air at Pakistan's #1 TV Channel, Geo News https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwacq5

Party 3 days at the uninhabited Astola Island with a group of friends, only nature and us. It was the greatest adventure of my life - used to wake up in the morning only when freshly hatched small turtles crossover the body! https://goo.gl/maps/scnrnsUjbEnd3kfA6

Stayed with random locals around Pakistan's high altitude Northern Valleys (Phander and Yasin near Wakhan Corridor, Gabral Valley in Sway, Kumrat Valley in Dir) with kids and wife and attended the finale of Shandur Polo Festival in 2016.

Celebrated World's Best Festival Ogoh-Ogoh in Bali.

Volunteered during the 2005 South Asian Earthquake and founded a project CAROL with friends to rehabilitate around 50 destroyed schools.

Camping Trips:
- Mud Volcanoes on Makran Coast Balochistan - the real adventure in absolute wilderness with no backup support of any kind
- Kund Malir - we were two families who spent a night at a beautiful virgin beach called Milaan by locals
- Ranikot - arranged a big family outing of >25 people including kids on self help basis
- Mubarak Beach near Karachi - arranged another beach night out the camping style!

Teach, Learn, Share

always ready!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Usually we take traditional Pakistani gifts for our host or sometimes Urooba cooks a Pakistani dish (have done halwa puri and biryani)

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Pakistan

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