Where the grass is greener...

Today’s title comes from an article in the Economist, which was published Aug 22nd 2007, but only came to my notice this week, it is reproduced below:


‘With low crime, little threat from instability or terrorism and a highly developed transport and communications infrastructure, Canada and Australia are home to the most liveable destinations in the world. Four of the ten most liveable cities surveyed by the Economist Intelligence Unit are in Australia, and two of the top five are Canadian. Vancouver is the most attractive destination, with a liveability index of just 1.3%.

(Click on the image to read)


While liveability considers factors of recreational and cultural activity, the "big city buzz" can hamper the scores of some cities, although not to the extent that a city will present significant challenges. Global centres such as New York, Tokyo, London, Hong Kong and Paris may find themselves let down precisely because of their size and attractiveness. Traffic congestion and higher crime rates associated with large urban centres have, to some extent, offset the obvious cultural gains of living in such locations. This has also been compounded by fears that large centres like London and New York will remain targets for high-profile terror attacks. Despite this, most major centres do not present any significant challenges to liveability.


Of the 132 cities surveyed, only nine cities present the worst-case scenario in which most aspects of living quality are severely restricted, reflecting general improvements on a global scale in areas such as education, health care and infrastructure. Four of these are in Asia, mainly South Asia. The other five are in Africa (accounting for three) and the Middle East (accounting for two).


The threat of terrorism and civil unrest is a major contributing factor to the cities that suffer from the worst liveability scores, as are poor development indicators. Algiers is the least liveable destination in the survey, with a score of 64.7%.’


So according to the article Karachi is the fourth worst place in the world to live. Both Thomas and I read the article and have to disagree! And Thomas’ first comment about the top ten places was, ‘Yeah, but they are all so boring!!’ and that is not an adjective you could ever use about life in Karachi!


Yes there are headaches about living here, for example I am typing this during a power cut, something that happens on nearly a daily basis here, and means that at the moment I have no AC or fan so the temperature in the apartment is going up.


There are also other things, like the driving and rubbish on the streets, the threat of terrorism, etc. But I am sure that I am much happier living in Karachi than I would be in sterile, save and sanitised Vancouver!! It is also a darn sight cheaper to live here as well, I am already bracing myself for the cost rises when I return to the UK in 11 weeks, I can hear myself saying ‘How Much?? I’m not paying that!!’ and ‘Do you know what that costs in Karachi!’


Today was another first for me as I have driven to and from the airport to drop Thomas off. Previously, I have always had a driver but as we had to be there at 9.15 this morning I thought I could manage that on my own and as I am now back and Thomas, Emirates willing, should be heading down the runway, I think I have been successful.


It has been wonderful having Thomas here for the last two weeks, and I will miss him now he has gone. It’s been good to talk, see new things together, play endless games of Cribbage, at which we are fairly evenly matched, to be able to polish of a large bottle of Bailey’s between us and just to have him around. I know I have told you all this before but it bears repeating, I am inordinately proud of my godson and thankfully to him and to God that he is a part of my life, I don’t know what I would do without him.


He has a hectic few weeks ahead as he arrives in Cairo tonight, then leaves again on Tuesday for Tucson in Arizonia to visit his girlfriend, Andrea. This involves a 12 hour flight to New York and then a four hour flight to Phoenix and then a 2 hour car ride to Tucson, oh young love!!! Then two weeks later the whole thing in reverse.


After that he has a month left in Egypt then back to the UK and then off to Spain for an 8 week placement before returning to Manchester University in October for his final year. Oh to be young again!


One thing I have enjoyed about Thomas being here is having the linguistic upper hand for the first time ever. In the past he has always been the one who has know what is going on and I have stood there as ‘stupid Englishman’. Now I am not saying my Urdu is as good as his Arabic, Spanish, German or Portuguese, but there have been times over the last two weeks when I have know what is going on and he hasn’t, or I have been able to say something to someone else and then Thomas has had to ask for translation.


It’s these little things in life that keep me going…