Hello Local Guides!
I hope you’re all having a fantastic day and soaking up the blessings of these last 10 days of Ramadan​
.
March 10th turned out to be an absolutely wonderful day. After quite a while, we Local Guides gathered together, and what started as a fun get-together quickly turned into a high-energy learning and knowledge-sharing session. How did that happen? Well, keep reading to find out!
We invited friends from all over Karachi who live for travel, especially the hardcore bikers and those who explore every corner of Pakistan by car. Our main host was the famous Local Guide from @KhurramKSK Sahab, who isn’t just a fan of these gatherings but a regular organizer. And why wouldn’t he be? He has personally explored every inch of Pakistan by road and even holds the incredible record of driving his own car all the way to Turkiye and Saudi Arabia! Talk about a travel legend!
Iftar, “Hath Saaf,” and Chai Pey Charcha :
We I, @DrFoodieOfficial , @Swalay , @Bilal_shaikh , @MuhammadAsimAli @Qasimabbas arrived shortly before Iftar at the event place, where Khurram Sahab had arranged a grand feast. Before the Maghrib Azan, we spent time catching up and exchanging notes with new faces.
As soon as the call to prayer echoed from the mosque, we “cleared the plates” (as we say, hath saaf kiya! @Kumaarsantosh bhai​
) on some delicious pakoras, dahi barray, fried chicken, dates, and fruits, all washed down with the classic Rooh Afza. Then came the mandatory “Chai pey Charcha” (@TusharSuradkar Bhai Yahan bhi hum ney Chai per Charcha kerdiya ).
Our main topic? The current “epidemic” of spam on Google Maps. We discussed practical steps to tackle it, including the campaign mentioned in @ShafiulB ’s recent post.
The “Mast Biryani” Trap… I mean, Dinner!
Next up was dinner: Chicken Biryani and Kheer. It was so delicious that I must confess, by the time I was done, any sign of hunger had vanished until the next Sahor ! 
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Kashif Misidia, this sounds like a food blog. Where’s the learning session you promised?” 
That’s when the real story began! Khurram Saeed Khan Sahab “secretly” introduced us to the rest of the guests, announcing: “This is the Google Maps contributors’ team. I didn’t just invite them to eat food​, you all better learn something from them before you leave!”
Since everyone there was a traveler, Google Maps is like a blessing for them, especially when they reach spots where even the internet says goodbye. Suddenly, we were surrounded by curious travelers and a non-stop barrage of questions!
The Team Off-roaders Pakistan had some specific complaints and queries:
- Complaint: “Google Maps doesn’t show petrol pumps while we are on the move!”
- Our Response: We showed them that the feature is already there! You just start your navigation, click the Search icon, and select “Gas Stations” (or hotels/restaurants). It tells you exactly how far the next one is. We gave a live demo, and everyone was thrilled to see how much easier their next trip would be!
- Question: “Can we share our specific routes and lists with friends?”
- Our Response: Absolutely! We taught them how to create customized Google Maps Lists and even gave them a crash course on My Maps so they could plan and share their journeys step-by-step.
- Question: “What do we do when the internet stops working?”
- Our Response: Simple, Offline Maps! Download offline Maps In your Google Maps of the certain route or area before you leave, and your phone’s GPS will handle the rest.
- Question: “Can we add missing gas stations or businesses ourselves?”
- Our Response: You don’t need a special team for that! We showed them how to “Add a missing place.” Even if it doesn’t benefit you immediately, it makes life a thousand times easier for the next traveler.
It was a truly fruitful event. This meetup was inspired by @MahabubMunna ’s global call Inspiring Ramadan 2026 to motivate Local Guides, and for me, it made this Ramadan feel truly inspiring. Sharing what we’ve learned with the people who show the beautiful face of Pakistan to the world through their vlogs and photos was a moment of pure joy. At the same time, this became the best celebration for us because of the opportunity to learn and teach, all thanks to @NareshDarji Bhai’s initiative Join the Global Wave: Celebrate 11 Years of Local Guides & 10 Years of Connect! , which is successfully running all over the world.
I hope that we continue to light one lamp from another, and this journey of awareness never stops.
Probably you missed a photo
My eyes were completely drawn to the vegetarian options. 
.