HELLO FROM KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
The jet lag's setting in (working on only 2 hours of sporadic sleep.. flew overnight from Doha, then Dubai, then on to Kabul). Here are some random thoughts upon arrival:
Just arrived about an hour ago.. and get this: it's 12 and HALF hours ahead of San Diego here. Pleasant 40s-50s temp spring weather (though spring brings on "war season" as they say here.) I'm staying at Camp Eggers, right near President Karzai's palace. Kabul and the countryside reminds me of my trip to Tibet in 1997... SOOOOO much in the "developing country mode"... lots of dirt... beautiful snow in the mountains. Pretty so-so aircraft on the Kabul leg of travel ..but the 2 and a half hour flight went well. Ancient Airbus plane, though. It's very definitely "war zone" here. Armed forces (emphasis on "armed") picked me up at the airport. The airport is the most primitive I've ever seen.. and it's better than it used to be! You can see bomb damage from old wars (like with the Soviets) on buildings... lots of the mud-hut kind of dwellings... You'd love the meat markets.. like rural China... dirty stalls and skinned meat carcasses displayed for sale, hangin' in the wind. Enjoy! All in all, pretty amazing to think that I'm here. And the Afghan people I've met so far have been friendly... though the older Afghans have been through so much. The history of this area seems chiseled on their faces.
Just outside the compound where I'm staying with Coalition forces in Kabul.
Just arrived about an hour ago.. and get this: it's 12 and HALF hours ahead of San Diego here. Pleasant 40s-50s temp spring weather (though spring brings on "war season" as they say here.) I'm staying at Camp Eggers, right near President Karzai's palace. Kabul and the countryside reminds me of my trip to Tibet in 1997... SOOOOO much in the "developing country mode"... lots of dirt... beautiful snow in the mountains. Pretty so-so aircraft on the Kabul leg of travel ..but the 2 and a half hour flight went well. Ancient Airbus plane, though. It's very definitely "war zone" here. Armed forces (emphasis on "armed") picked me up at the airport. The airport is the most primitive I've ever seen.. and it's better than it used to be! You can see bomb damage from old wars (like with the Soviets) on buildings... lots of the mud-hut kind of dwellings... You'd love the meat markets.. like rural China... dirty stalls and skinned meat carcasses displayed for sale, hangin' in the wind. Enjoy! All in all, pretty amazing to think that I'm here. And the Afghan people I've met so far have been friendly... though the older Afghans have been through so much. The history of this area seems chiseled on their faces.
Just outside the compound where I'm staying with Coalition forces in Kabul.
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