One of the joys of travel is talking to people and listening to their view of the world. Pakistan was no exception. Every new person I met began with the question 'where are you from?'. When I said 'Australia' the inevitable response was 'Australia very nice'. The next question was nearly always 'are you married?'. When I answered 'no' there was universal surprise, especially when I had my daughter with me. Sometimes I responded that I had been married before, but not any more. On hearing this explanation, a bookseller in Taxila told me that the problem with the West was that marriage was not permanent - it was just like visiting. So bear that in mind all you marriage visitors in the West!
Many people were at pains to talk about religion, and explain that really Islam and Christianity were 'the same thing'. Both believed in one God, and had the same ancient prophets like Abraham, Isaac and Jesus (whom Muslims call Isa). This was often followed up with a diatribe against Hinduism, with its multiple gods. In Rawalpindi, the people with whom I spoke seemed to be more antagonistic towards India than to the West.
Women in Pakistan were practically invisible in public places. In just over a week there, I probably only saw a couple of dozen women in the street, and none at all in shops or restaurants. All of the conversations I had with women were at tourist sites, like the Damon-e-kah lookout, when they were in large family groups. Having now arrived in India, the contrast is even more stark, where the streets teem with both men and women in more-or-less equal numbers.
There are also other tourists in Delhi, whereas I did not see another Westerner in Pakistan, even at the tourist sites. What with women and tourists all around me, I am no longer stared at wherever I walk. My days of feeling like a nameless film star are over! :-)
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