From Kabul to the West
Afghanistan Blog | 12th November 2007
Desolation, unhappy memories and western arrogance haunt our Afghanistan field director's journey west from Kabul.
We board the plane and the pilot gets ready to taxi. Kabul airport has some interesting scenes. You would not be faulted in thinking you have landed at US military base by mistake. Only army women from the west would have the audacity to jog in the airport in their skimpiest shorts and vests. People stand all over the place with machine guns. I am not sure of the make but they look very ominous. Hundreds of Air force fighter planes.
As the flight takes off, it looks as if there is a dust storm coming our way. only later I realised entire stretch had dusty clouds.
The view from the plane is stark. Stretches and stretches of mountains. It is like looking at an Atlas for hours. Brown mountains without a single blade of grass or a drop of water. By the time I reached Kandahar, I was desolate as I realised remoteness of place I am going. Almost felt like requesting pilot turn back the flight. Compared to south and east Afghanistan, the west is a vast stretch of remote valleys ands mountains. it is a hostile terrain. This is one reason why insurgency activities are not high. But also gives ample opportunities for armed criminal activities as it is extremely difficult to have law enforcing agencies posted.
Kandahar evoked strange feelings as I remembered hijack of Indian airlines flight in December 2000. Again I saw a strange sight for Afghanistan - two women in shorts jogging in the Airport.
My onward journey is the same but I am already so depressed by gazing out of plane windows that I am not able to appreciate the beauty. Maybe first timers should never take a window seat or pull the shutter down.
I attended an ex pat party. Well , I did not feel like an expat, it was noisy and more like a cacophony. I was admiring hearing capacities of people who were conversing or chatting. Not my cup of tea, but I am sure I will go to mobile bar party next Thursday, just so that I have some activity do apart from sitting in office and Guest house. Even if I can chat with one on each Thursday would be fine. Oh ! I miss all my friends and our long chats.
In a way life is easy, as you have nothing to do, no restaurants, no cinemas and no shopping unless one wants to buy Herat carpets. I have gathered all books in guest house and plan to read them. But for expats major stress factor is no socialising and no one with whom they can chat. Hence the concept of mobile bar and expat party. As drinks are consumed no afghan national is allowed into party. I find it little difficult to bite it.
