Sometimes the best memories come from the plans that don’t go exactly as we imagined. Our recent camping trip at Mabali Island proved just that — a night filled with music, fishing, laughter, and even a little chaos on the lake.
Planning the Camping Trip
It started with a simple plan: just three friends — me, Rehan, and Faizan — spending a night by Khanpur Lake. We invited Salman Sheikh too, but as usual, he was busy (or maybe stuck at home without permission!). Kamal was in Saudi Arabia, and Salman Khan (Sufi) was in Qatar, so the group felt incomplete, but we decided to go ahead anyway.
Rehan and Faizan arrived at the resort around 7:30 pm. We set up the camp Rehan brought along, unpacked snacks, coffee, and cigars, and even prepared a fishing rod. The evening was ready to begin.
Music, Stories, and No Fish
Camping isn’t camping without good music. We played some old English classics — Rasputin by Boney M, Cheri Cheri Lady — the kind of songs that bring back memories and spark conversations. Between jokes and stories, we tried our luck with fishing. Sadly, luck wasn’t on our side that night — not a single fish!
To add to the magic, we walked over to the resort’s live violin session. Iftikhar sb, a talented musician and teacher, was performing. We even requested a few ghazals, which he played beautifully. Dinner followed soon after, with the perfect weather and peaceful lake view completing the night.
Rain, Drones, and a Magical Sunrise
Just when we thought the night was settled, rain arrived. Our plan of sleeping in the camp was canceled, and we moved into the huts. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad trade — warm, cozy, and still close to the lake.
At Fajr, we woke up early to record the sunrise. Rehan flew his drone and captured breathtaking views. Watching the first light spread across Khanpur Lake was nothing short of magical.
The Speed Boat and Parasailing Mishap
Morning brought more adventure. We packed snacks and coffee for a tour of the lake on a luxury speed boat. The ride was smooth, refreshing, and the scenery felt as if we were in the Maldives — blue waters, green hills, and complete peace.
Then came parasailing. Rehan went first and enjoyed it fully. But when Faizan’s turn came, things got funny. The boat suddenly malfunctioned, and his parasail refused to take off properly. Instead of flying high like Rehan, he ended up landing straight into the lake!
Of course, we didn’t let him off easy. The rest of us couldn’t stop laughing and kept teasing him that his “parasail never learned how to fly.” It became the running joke of the trip.
The bigger disaster, though, was that my Insta360 camera was strapped to Faizan’s arm. When he fell, it unlatched and sank deep into the lake — along with all the content I had recorded. Luckily, divers were able to retrieve it later.
Wrapping Up the Trip
After all the drama, we sat down for breakfast at the resort. Rehan and Faizan had to rush back to their offices since it was Monday, while I stayed behind to get back to my usual Mabali work.
The trip didn’t go as planned — we didn’t catch fish, we almost lost a camera, and rain ruined our camping night. But honestly? That’s what made it unforgettable.
We shared all the pictures and videos in our WhatsApp ‘Friends Forever’ Group, and even though Kamal, Salman Sheikh, and Sufi couldn’t join us, they made plenty of fun out of the photos and videos.
And yes… we’re still laughing about Faizan’s parasail that never really flew.
