Afganistan

Cover letter

I heard Afghanistan is issuing visas to travelers when I was in Peshawar. I didn’t pay much attention to it.

Backpackers actually never stopped to going there in the past decades. But just those intrepid ones do. For most, the hippy trial was cut off for two decades since the war started. The situation improved a lot after U.S took over.

But, but Afghan just doesn't sound a tourist attraction anyway. What the hell u can do there, btw?

It's not in my itinerary until I came across a Korean who just came back from Afghan.
I start to believe there maybe a chance for me to go now. There is over 1 month before their general election. All 'experts' claim it will be 'safe'. Since all the info all point to a 'GO'. I went to their consulate office the 2nd day after I talked with the Korean guy.

30 bucks for a 30-day visa, Hassle free. It feels like if we don’t' care to go why they bother, just come. :)

It's a lifetime chance for me to visit a country, which just got out of 25 yrs civil war. To be able to see those scars left without makeup, to be able to talk with people and listen their stories, sample their food and share the tough time in the toilet afterwards.

There have been lots things going on there, people are getting back on their feet, the NGO there has built up schools and drilled wells and built up new roads, hospitals etc, etc. But it's really also awful a long way to go start a new country from scratch again.

On the positive side, people are happy and they are REALLY tired of war and ready to give in anything for the peace.

There are more and more smiles and laughers as I can count. It does means something when changed from having nothing to have something, or more important a good start.

For myself, it's a tough journey. Tormented by food poisoning, bed bugs, fleas attacking.

And my worst road experience ever.

Bumpy dusty road is not something new. But if it’s so dusty that every 2 hours you start to feel less and less air coming in nostrils because the dusts accumulated there. And you have to dig them out in a frequency of every 2 hours so u won’t need to breath using mouth.

Also never let the idea of throwing out to cross your mind. Because the window are all sealed dead, to get the nearest outlet from the last row, you need to ask the van be stopped and the 3 on the left get off after the 2 in front of u get off first. Then u can secure a passage to get off the van to throw out. Can u hold that long? If not. Then forget it.

The fleet of public transit is mainly consisted of used Toyota imported from Japan. The seats are most likely has very little foam inside, yes, u are sitting on frames. When the van is dancing. (Why it dances? Because there’s no road, it’s driving on ‘something’). U will be hearing the sound of bone crashing if not from your own.

I was going to throw the towel, admit defeat and break down after 2 weeks.
I guess I didn't only because the quit is not an option. There’s no way out.
That’s my Afghanistan lesson. I guess.

Okay, Then, enjoy the pictures.

Opium field, needless to say Afgan is still the place where 'crops' come from.

Band-i-mir lake, Central Afgan

Band-i-mir lake, Cheese lake, Central Afgan. There are total 7 lakes in Band-i-Mir. This is my favourite. Cheese. :)

Band-i-mir lake, Central Afgan

Castle, Bamiyan, Central Afgan

Band-i-mir lake, Central Afgan

Masoluem, Bamiyan, Central Afgan

Afgan couple, Bamiyan, Central Afgan

Bamiyan, Central Afgan

Foreigners in town! Unknown village, Central Afgan

Chakalang, Teashop, Cental, Afgan. A night stay including dinner cost 1.25 cents US which means sleeping on the floor with 40 other people. My friend told me some bizare story about those young Afgans watching porno at night. I ususally passed out quikly after dinner.

Central Afgan

Alley way, Old city, Herat

Our flying coach got a flat. Those 'retired' Toyotas (mainly from Japan) make the connections between major towns. They are relativly cheap but they won't leave until all the room on the car are used up. (From the roof to inside). Central Afgan