The Long Road Home: Nine Borders, Nine Lessons

In 1970 my parents made a decision that shaped my life. After 12 years in Pakistan, my mother wanted to return to England. Most families would have flown. But my parents loved history and adventure and together they chose to travel overland, from Lahore to Leicester.

For a 10-year-old boy, it was the journey of a lifetime. I had only been to England twice before on short visits. This time it was permanent. We crossed Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Austria, Germany, Belgium and finally England. Nine borders, each with its own risks, delays, and surprises.

Looking back, it wasn’t just travel. It was a masterclass in resilience, patience, and perspective.

Afghanistan: Hospitality and History
We entered through the dramatic Khyber Pass. My father told us how Alexander the Great had once marched his armies along the same route, leaving descendants with blue eyes and lighter features. He also told us the well-known story in Islamic and Persian tradition that Alexander the Great asked to be buried with his hands showing outside the shroud, as a statement that even the mightiest conqueror leaves this world empty-handed. Historians of his time don’t record it, but the parable has endured for centuries because of its truth: we come with nothing, and we leave with nothing. 

Afghanistan was full of warmth. A shepherd invited us for tea at a roadside café, black tea, sweetened by holding a sugar cube between your teeth. In Herat, near the university, we saw young women in mini dresses and men in smart shirts. Decades later, it is hard to reconcile those memories with Afghanistan today.

Lesson: History leaves traces, but kindness endures.

Iran: Scale and the Silk Road
Iran’s deserts and mountains seemed endless. My father reminded us we were travelling a branch of the ancient Silk Road, connecting Herat through Tehran, Baghdad, and out to the Mediterranean ports.

Lesson: Journeys are part of bigger networks. In property, every deal is part of a wider plan.

Turkey: The Gateway
Crossing Turkey felt like forever. At Istanbul we took a ferry across the Bosporus, the bridge had not yet been built. Watching Asia fade behind and Europe ahead was unforgettable.

Lesson: Progress is never instant. Every gateway is also a crossing.

Bulgaria: Simple Generosity
One afternoon we stopped near a waterfall to cook. Two young farm girls appeared, carrying corn on the cob. They roasted it over an open fire and shared it with us. No explanation just hospitality towards total strangers.

Lesson: Small gestures build lasting trust.

Yugoslavia: Uncertainty
I remember little of Yugoslavia itself, only the sense of passing through. Years later, when I saw the country fracture, I realised stability can vanish quickly.

Lesson: Don’t take stability for granted. Build resilience.

Austria: The Mountains
Austria meant winding roads through towering mountains. About 62% of Austria’s land area lies within the Alps, making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. It felt vast and immovable.

Lesson: Some challenges are mountains you can’t move. You learn to navigate them, not fight them.

Germany: History Everywhere
Germany carried a sense of trepidation. One of my favourite films was The Great Escape with Steve McQueen’s motorbike chase. Driving through the countryside, I half-expected him to fly over a fence.

Lesson: History shapes the present. Every street and building carries a story.

Belgium: The Edge of Excitement
By Belgium, my memory fades except for Calais. The anticipation of the ferry was electric. Dover meant arrival.

Lesson: The final step often feels the hardest, but it’s the most rewarding.

England: A New Heritage
Finally, England. Leicester became my new home and a new identity. That journey across nine borders was more than adventure. It was preparation.

Lesson: Journeys shape us. Every obstacle crossed, every kindness received, becomes part of who we are.

Risk and Resilience in Every Journey
That overland trip in 1970 taught me that risk is part of progress, resilience is what carries you forward and kindness can be found in unexpected places.

Property is no different. Deals fall through, valuations shift, tenants leave, lenders hesitate. But if you stay the course, cross each border, and remember why you started, the destination is worth it.