Wednesday 13 July 2016

Honeymoon for one: Woman's sad photos after husband denied visa


  • 12 July 2016
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  • From the sectionAsia
Media captionNewly-wed Huma Mobin from Pakistan holidayed alone after husband was denied a visa: "He forced me to go because we'd paid for it already"
Holidaying alone has its complications - even more so if you'd originally expected to travel with someone else. And if that journey was supposed to be your honeymoon, but your husband can't join you, what's a newlywed to do? Why, have her picture taken in every location with a sad face and her arm out to indicate her missing husband, of course.
Huma Mobin and Arsalaan Sever, a young Pakistani couple, married earlier this year. They were planning to go to Greece for their honeymoon, but the Greek border agency had other ideas. Arsalaan was refused a visa, but only after the trip had already been paid for. So Huma went without him - but with her new in-laws, Arsalaan's parents.
Huma Mobin by the pool in Santorini, GreeceImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
Image captionPoolside in Santorini
The idea for the unconventional photos actually started a year ago, when Huma and Arsalaan had just got engaged. He was sent to Budapest for work, and sent back a single snapshot of himself, arm out and a pouty face to show how much he missed her.
Huma Mobin on a balcony, SantoriniImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
Image captionRomeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? And wherefore canst thou not get a Schengen visa?
Huma told the BBC World Service programme Outside Source: "Whenever one of us travels alone without the other, we do this. We can just show that we're missing [each other]."
Huma Mobin in SantoriniImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
The photos were taken by Arsalaan's parents - Huma says she has a good relationship with her mother-in-law. So good, in fact, that the two would go out and hit the bars of Santorini at night.
Huma Mobin at the harbour in SantoriniImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
Image captionAny sailing into the sunset to be done solo
But for all that, Huma says she missed her husband dreadfully. "He's the life of the party, my better half - I wouldn't have gone without him but he forced me to."
Huma Mobin among the white houses on SantoriniImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
Image captionThere's not a cloud to spoil the view, but it's raining in my heart
"The first night I cried my eyes out on my mother-in-law's shoulder, who really comforted me and told me to make the best of it," Huma says. Their friends in Lahore looked after Arsalaan while he was on his own.
Huma Mobin at a lagoon on SantoriniImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
Image captionBlue Lagoon: Huma says she missed her husband a lot
So what was the reaction from other holidaymakers when they saw her putting her arm around her imaginary friend?
"People were literally breaking their necks with the selfie sticks over there, so I came off really quite normal doing this," she says airily.
Arsalaan Sever and Huma MobinImage copyrightHUMA MOBIN
Image captionTogether again: Arsalaan and Huma in Lahore
In the meantime, Huma's photos have gone viral. She's now back with Arsalaan in Lahore, and hoping they'll be able to go away together for their first anniversary.

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