Yes,
I can hear the cries of anguish from across the ocean as my loyal band of reader logs in every day to find......nothing.
Now there is a very good reason for this, I may be in Kabul, I may be working for a mine clearing agency but..........accountancy is boring, wherever you are. In fact, I have made up a joke: What is the difference between accountancy in Canterbury and accountancy in Kabul.................one is comfortable and boring the other is uncomfortable and boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, it is not really a joke, but I am working on it.
SO what is occupying my mind currently on this Sunday morning. First, Friday our DAY OFF and this time I was not sick, so me and Nick (he is ex-UK army and is expert in bomb disposal) went to the ISAF HQ after breakfast. Those of you who are keeping up with the achromyms will know that ISAF is the International Security Assistance Force which is a cuddly name for the poor guys who are in places like Helmand fighting the Taleb. Anyway once we were through the inevitable security we went for a stroll around their encampment, had a nice cup of real coffee on the pizza bar terrace and then had a look around the shops. I bought the ultimate luxury of a bottle of mouthwash, but some of the items on sale were, to say the least unusual, including a vast array of large knives. Now, I realise none of you know Nick, but I am sure you all know a naughty boy who has to pick up and fiddle with anything that is in the shop, well that is Nick. Literally everything had to be handled. (Like a woman in a clothes shop, nothing can be passed without being touched!!!! ;-) )
To cut a long story to medium, in the end he bought a throwing knife. Oh yes, one last thing about ISAF, a sign that "tickled my fancy" Obviously there are a lot of people wandering around with guns etc. Outside the bar 'limit of one beer when carrying firearms' Now, how comforting is that!!!!!
So, back to the house where we are having an extension built. SO we set up a bag of cement on a pile of sand and practiced our circus knife throwing skills. He were complete pants, frequently not even hitting the pile of sand let alone the bag of cement. In the end there were three of us, managing roughly one hit in 10 throws. Curiously Rachel would not agree to hold a balloon in her teeth for us!!!!
It was a warm and sunny day, (Hot is now gone as we are heading towards the beginning of autumn). In fact, only 2 weeks ago I need the fan on the keep me cool to sleep, now I have a blanket on my bed. So a pleasant afternoon was rounded off, sitting in the garden reading a book.
To finish the day, our big, boss man from Scotland arrived and we headed out to a Thai restaurant for dinner where I had a very fine yellow vegetable curry with coconut.
That's almost all folks as Saturday was a work day. You all know by now my ritual of following the mighty addicks on the teletext on Saturday evening, but after that a bit if a result. I have a info sheet that says there are squash courts at; the British Embassy, the UNICA guest house, the Intercontinental hotel and the 'old German Club' so last night we went on an expedition. First up the intercontinental hotel - no courts, next the British Embassy where the following conversation took place - "are you British?" - "yes" - "I am sorry, sir but the embassy closes at 7, could you come back tomorrow" - "thank you, and if I was not British?" Puzzled look from security guard, but there is hope!! Next stop UNICA guest house, result they have a court, OK it is four yellow painted concrete walls with a beige painted concrete floor, but it looked like a squash court and felt like a squash court, therefore it IS a squash court. The bad news, there was a sign on the wall saying the Kabul squash championship was last weekend and cancelled due to a lack of entrants, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME!!!!!!!!
I will search out the old German club tonight and return to the British Embassy before close tonight.
That's all folks!!!!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
my tummy hurts!!!
Once again dear readers, I put metaphorical pen to metaphorical paper to fill you in on the latest in downtown Kabul.
You have probably guessed from the title that your humble scribe and hero has been down with a bit of tummy trouble. As is always the case, or so it seems, on the one day off we get, I am a sick bunny. I will not indulge you with the details, but sufice to say I spent nearly all of Friday in bed. I was only brought round by a large bottle of coke to kill the bugs and a large bar of chocolate to give me the energy to bring back the "will to live".
So that makes today a Saturday and a work day. Off I went this morning and spent the day locked in my office with my team of finance assistants keeping the books and doing accounting sort of stuff. All I can say is "monty Python was spot on". Acountancy is boring, boring, boring. Tomorrow is the monthly programme meeting where we discuss where we are with the projects, donors etc. It is boring but I am looking forward to it because boring is a great improvement on boring, boring, boring.
While I am writing this I am switching to the BBC text service to follow on the "updated every 2 minutes" screen the progress of the mighty CAFC. We are 2-0 up against Leicester, but I remember last week we were 0-2 and drew 2-2 so anything can happen (particularly in the 2 minute gaps!!!) Now I have lost my thread.
What I set out to tell you was about Kabul. I thought I would try to describe it to you as best I can. Only the main roads are tarmaced, with all side streets being dirt tracks. Along the side of each street is a concrete gulley that is about a foot wide and deep. This is somewhere you should never go as most of the houses water waste feeds into this. I dont think the toilets do, but the baths/sinks etc appear to. Everywhere there is building going on with piles of cement, sand/dirt, bricks and rubble dumped all around. walking can be a bit hazardous.
The Afghans are big fans of walls. In the city every house is surrounded by a tall wall, or a wall of the house faces the street with no windows and runs into the wall of the house next door with just a mall doorway or a drive with a large, impeneterable gate. Even the villages are like little mud walled citadels with only a solid mud wall facing the outside world and a small alley between the houses.
The Afghans do not really venture out at night, and with no street lights the street are dark and gloomy. The odd car will go by and light up the way, but generally you have to tread very carefully to miss the holes, piles and gutters.
Well the game has finished with a 2-0 win, so I will quit whilst I am ahead. Take care. "I'll be back".
You have probably guessed from the title that your humble scribe and hero has been down with a bit of tummy trouble. As is always the case, or so it seems, on the one day off we get, I am a sick bunny. I will not indulge you with the details, but sufice to say I spent nearly all of Friday in bed. I was only brought round by a large bottle of coke to kill the bugs and a large bar of chocolate to give me the energy to bring back the "will to live".
So that makes today a Saturday and a work day. Off I went this morning and spent the day locked in my office with my team of finance assistants keeping the books and doing accounting sort of stuff. All I can say is "monty Python was spot on". Acountancy is boring, boring, boring. Tomorrow is the monthly programme meeting where we discuss where we are with the projects, donors etc. It is boring but I am looking forward to it because boring is a great improvement on boring, boring, boring.
While I am writing this I am switching to the BBC text service to follow on the "updated every 2 minutes" screen the progress of the mighty CAFC. We are 2-0 up against Leicester, but I remember last week we were 0-2 and drew 2-2 so anything can happen (particularly in the 2 minute gaps!!!) Now I have lost my thread.
What I set out to tell you was about Kabul. I thought I would try to describe it to you as best I can. Only the main roads are tarmaced, with all side streets being dirt tracks. Along the side of each street is a concrete gulley that is about a foot wide and deep. This is somewhere you should never go as most of the houses water waste feeds into this. I dont think the toilets do, but the baths/sinks etc appear to. Everywhere there is building going on with piles of cement, sand/dirt, bricks and rubble dumped all around. walking can be a bit hazardous.
The Afghans are big fans of walls. In the city every house is surrounded by a tall wall, or a wall of the house faces the street with no windows and runs into the wall of the house next door with just a mall doorway or a drive with a large, impeneterable gate. Even the villages are like little mud walled citadels with only a solid mud wall facing the outside world and a small alley between the houses.
The Afghans do not really venture out at night, and with no street lights the street are dark and gloomy. The odd car will go by and light up the way, but generally you have to tread very carefully to miss the holes, piles and gutters.
Well the game has finished with a 2-0 win, so I will quit whilst I am ahead. Take care. "I'll be back".
Sunday, September 16, 2007
veggie heaven
Hello again my faithful congregation, I trust you are all well and the sun is shining in your world, wherever it may be.
As you can see from the title and the first line your humble scribe and soothsayer is in a good mood this hot, sweaty and frankly, smelly evening (I need a shower).
Yesterday, I regaled you with the workings of the household and extolled the virtues of the cook who had created a delightful soup and veggie bake. This evening after another hard days graft (6am to 5pm) and fasting, I come home, open the fridge and lo; ALL the dishes are veggie. Now this has gone down a storm with yours truly, but my carnivorous buddies are slightly on the down side of underwhelmed. We have veggie soup, veggie pizza, veggie lasagne and salad. Oh joy, Oh joy, there is a GOD!!!. (Sorry God, I am sure you have more important thing to worry about than our fridge).
Talking of more important things, how about that trip to a minefield you promised us days ago, I hear you cry (you see, I am even hearing voices now!!!). So I shall continue, for those who are keeping up, you will remember I described the village in "A Week In The Life" so I wil not bore you again. We drove out to the village along a track. When I say track I simply mean that in the past people had picked a route across the ground avoiding the biggest lumps, bumps and dips. In was a very uncomfortable journey in a 4 ton land rover. It was during this jpourney we were discussing what a great mountain bike route it would make (Full suspension, obviously), more fun, more comfortable and probably quite a bit quicker. Anyway, I digress. A minefield is a piece of land that is suspected (with good reason) of having landmines. The areas mined are usualy known to the local people as they saw them laid and they have lost people and livestock, so they generally will know the areas to check. This may mean a single or double row of mines are somewhere in a field or across a gulley or round a hilltop where there was a gun post, but no-one is sure so everyone stays away and field does not get ploughed, the shepherd cannot take his flock on the hill etc. The minefield is a weird place. The deminers work on their knees with a metal detector and inch forward in a 1 metre wide corridor. As soon as they detect metal they have to go back 10cms and then dig down. Once down to 15cms they then begin to dig slowly forward to come to the mine from the side. If you touch the top in any way, it will explode. Once they have uncovered the side of the mine, it is identified then destroyed in situ. Usually the metal detector reading will just be a piece of metal, or an old bullet etc, but sometimes! While we were there for just about 2 hours, 5 mines were found and exploded all within 500 yards of the houses . In the background you could hear the children playing in the school, soon they will be able to play in the fields around their homes. The minefield is marked by stones painted half red and half white, NEVER walk on the red side of the stones, this is uncleared. Wherever a mine is found a green stone is put in the place it was found to show where the mines were laid and tr to establish a pattern.
So to try to put it into a Western context this is what happens. Our country is invaded and the town we live in is the front line of a battle. We leave and head to family and friends somewhere else in the country. Eventually after 3 or 4 years we come home. The people in our street who stayed through it tell us that our street was a front line and mines were laid. We know we can walk alng the path into our front door, but can we go in the garden, can we cut the grass, can we deviate of any path that has not been trodden by someone else. Where can I take the dog for a walk. What about the park, or around the pond. Then you hear someone has been blown up in the next street even though "peace" has apparently come. This is how the Afghans have lived now since the fall of the Taleban. Many of the mines date back to the Soviet invasion in the 1980's. Thats a long time to live in fear of the very ground you walk on.
Might sneak downstairs for another look at the goodies in the fridge, Oh joy.
Take care.
As you can see from the title and the first line your humble scribe and soothsayer is in a good mood this hot, sweaty and frankly, smelly evening (I need a shower).
Yesterday, I regaled you with the workings of the household and extolled the virtues of the cook who had created a delightful soup and veggie bake. This evening after another hard days graft (6am to 5pm) and fasting, I come home, open the fridge and lo; ALL the dishes are veggie. Now this has gone down a storm with yours truly, but my carnivorous buddies are slightly on the down side of underwhelmed. We have veggie soup, veggie pizza, veggie lasagne and salad. Oh joy, Oh joy, there is a GOD!!!. (Sorry God, I am sure you have more important thing to worry about than our fridge).
Talking of more important things, how about that trip to a minefield you promised us days ago, I hear you cry (you see, I am even hearing voices now!!!). So I shall continue, for those who are keeping up, you will remember I described the village in "A Week In The Life" so I wil not bore you again. We drove out to the village along a track. When I say track I simply mean that in the past people had picked a route across the ground avoiding the biggest lumps, bumps and dips. In was a very uncomfortable journey in a 4 ton land rover. It was during this jpourney we were discussing what a great mountain bike route it would make (Full suspension, obviously), more fun, more comfortable and probably quite a bit quicker. Anyway, I digress. A minefield is a piece of land that is suspected (with good reason) of having landmines. The areas mined are usualy known to the local people as they saw them laid and they have lost people and livestock, so they generally will know the areas to check. This may mean a single or double row of mines are somewhere in a field or across a gulley or round a hilltop where there was a gun post, but no-one is sure so everyone stays away and field does not get ploughed, the shepherd cannot take his flock on the hill etc. The minefield is a weird place. The deminers work on their knees with a metal detector and inch forward in a 1 metre wide corridor. As soon as they detect metal they have to go back 10cms and then dig down. Once down to 15cms they then begin to dig slowly forward to come to the mine from the side. If you touch the top in any way, it will explode. Once they have uncovered the side of the mine, it is identified then destroyed in situ. Usually the metal detector reading will just be a piece of metal, or an old bullet etc, but sometimes! While we were there for just about 2 hours, 5 mines were found and exploded all within 500 yards of the houses . In the background you could hear the children playing in the school, soon they will be able to play in the fields around their homes. The minefield is marked by stones painted half red and half white, NEVER walk on the red side of the stones, this is uncleared. Wherever a mine is found a green stone is put in the place it was found to show where the mines were laid and tr to establish a pattern.
So to try to put it into a Western context this is what happens. Our country is invaded and the town we live in is the front line of a battle. We leave and head to family and friends somewhere else in the country. Eventually after 3 or 4 years we come home. The people in our street who stayed through it tell us that our street was a front line and mines were laid. We know we can walk alng the path into our front door, but can we go in the garden, can we cut the grass, can we deviate of any path that has not been trodden by someone else. Where can I take the dog for a walk. What about the park, or around the pond. Then you hear someone has been blown up in the next street even though "peace" has apparently come. This is how the Afghans have lived now since the fall of the Taleban. Many of the mines date back to the Soviet invasion in the 1980's. Thats a long time to live in fear of the very ground you walk on.
Might sneak downstairs for another look at the goodies in the fridge, Oh joy.
Take care.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
2-2
2-2 away to Colchester, the mighty reds just can't stop..............crawling slowly up the table.
I have just read through my last posting and the spelling is awful, I am sure there is something wrong with this keyboard!
Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you it was the third day of Ramadan today and the first workday, so I thought I would see how it felt, so I had nothing to eat or drink all day until we got home this evening and the sun had gone down, then I guzzled a cold can of 7Up with great relish. Made another fine dinner of soup and the veggie dish.
What a segway, I could have been a DJ, the way I subtly lured you into my veggie story.Let me explain the eating arrangements here in the house, in fact let me explain the house. We have 4 bedrooms and 2 bathroms in the house, 3 beds and a bath upstairs and then downstairs we have 1 bed, 1 bath, 1 lounge, a kitchen and a dining room. Rachel has the room and bathroom downstairs, three of us healthy lads are upstairs and then there are two more men in the bedrooms in the garden annexe. We are also building two more rooms in the garden for extra guests. Did I tell you one of the guys in the annexe stepped on a scorpion in his room the other night, lucky he had his slippers on. You see, all you tough guys out there, slippers can save your life!!
We have a big fridge and a cook comes in every other day, cooks meals and leaves them in the fridge and we can help ourselves. However, the only thing non meat in the fridge for the first week was salad and chocolate, so I became a bit of a salad fiend, (might have eaten a square or two of choccie as well) but this week we have had a rather yummy soup which I can only describe as Spicy Parsnip and a baked veggie dish, all rather yummy after a long days fasting. Not sure if I can keep this up, but I will give it a go.
Finally, we come to the minefields, oh and a discussion on why mountain bikes are much more fun than land rovers, so we shall have to visit that next time. To all those in The Row, hope all is well and village life goes on as normal. You know, I wish I had a picture of our water pump. None of the Afghans here believe we get our water from a water pump in the back garden. I may have missed the small detail of the piped water as well, but hey, why should facts get in the way of a good story!!! What I need is a picture of Jill filing her bucket, now that would get them all thinking!!!!!!
Have I told you that when I go to the ISAF HQ (they have the sexy cash machine), my guard has to wait outside in the street. I mean how unfair is that, we are slightly outgunned if we picked a fight!!!!
I defy anyone to find a spelling mitsake in this episode.
I think next time we should discuss "So what is humanitarian about Mine Action" Thats what we call it by the way, HMA, Humanitarian Mine Action.
BFN
I have just read through my last posting and the spelling is awful, I am sure there is something wrong with this keyboard!
Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you it was the third day of Ramadan today and the first workday, so I thought I would see how it felt, so I had nothing to eat or drink all day until we got home this evening and the sun had gone down, then I guzzled a cold can of 7Up with great relish. Made another fine dinner of soup and the veggie dish.
What a segway, I could have been a DJ, the way I subtly lured you into my veggie story.Let me explain the eating arrangements here in the house, in fact let me explain the house. We have 4 bedrooms and 2 bathroms in the house, 3 beds and a bath upstairs and then downstairs we have 1 bed, 1 bath, 1 lounge, a kitchen and a dining room. Rachel has the room and bathroom downstairs, three of us healthy lads are upstairs and then there are two more men in the bedrooms in the garden annexe. We are also building two more rooms in the garden for extra guests. Did I tell you one of the guys in the annexe stepped on a scorpion in his room the other night, lucky he had his slippers on. You see, all you tough guys out there, slippers can save your life!!
We have a big fridge and a cook comes in every other day, cooks meals and leaves them in the fridge and we can help ourselves. However, the only thing non meat in the fridge for the first week was salad and chocolate, so I became a bit of a salad fiend, (might have eaten a square or two of choccie as well) but this week we have had a rather yummy soup which I can only describe as Spicy Parsnip and a baked veggie dish, all rather yummy after a long days fasting. Not sure if I can keep this up, but I will give it a go.
Finally, we come to the minefields, oh and a discussion on why mountain bikes are much more fun than land rovers, so we shall have to visit that next time. To all those in The Row, hope all is well and village life goes on as normal. You know, I wish I had a picture of our water pump. None of the Afghans here believe we get our water from a water pump in the back garden. I may have missed the small detail of the piped water as well, but hey, why should facts get in the way of a good story!!! What I need is a picture of Jill filing her bucket, now that would get them all thinking!!!!!!
Have I told you that when I go to the ISAF HQ (they have the sexy cash machine), my guard has to wait outside in the street. I mean how unfair is that, we are slightly outgunned if we picked a fight!!!!
I defy anyone to find a spelling mitsake in this episode.
I think next time we should discuss "So what is humanitarian about Mine Action" Thats what we call it by the way, HMA, Humanitarian Mine Action.
BFN
teletext
Hello again dear reader,
Well it is Saturday evening or afternoon to those of you in the UK and I am sitting here trying to folow the antics of the mighty Reds (thats Charlton for the uninitiated) and it is proving very frustratng. Radio 5 Live and Radio London both tell me they cannot broadcast the current programme ie Sportreports outside the UK so I am left watching teletext Hang on I will switch over and see how we are doing. We were losing 1-2 when I last looked. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah, Zeng Zhi,Our plucky little Chineseman has just equalised, oh joy, oh joy, loks like we are at least as good as the incredibly fantastic Colchester!!!! I a sure we will come back to this before the end of this update. I think I shall become Kabul Addick!!
Anyway, where was I, minefields Ice cream men and veggies, oh yes and my new room.
Yesterday afternoon, I went for a stroll around the local streets to see what happens at the weekend. It was very quiet indeed, but there were little groups of children al flying kites in the street. Just made out of some plastic or paper and a wooden frame. I stayed and watched for a while, very serene, very peaceful and a joy to watch. While I was idling away my time a man came by puling a cart with onions and potatoes on it and people would come out there houses and buy from him, then another man came along pulling a cart with firewood. But then the "piece de resistance" a mancame by selling ice cream. Now those of you "of a certain age" will remember on a Sunday afternoon when the ice cream van would come round and play a tune in the street and we children would run out to get an ice cream for pudding for Sunday lunch. (This was before everyone had a freezer and ice cream was a real once a week treat). Well that is exactly what happened yesteray, picture the scene, some small children playing with tehir kites in the middle of the street andthe ice cream man comes along puling the ice cream cart playing a tune as he goes by. He stops and then, like the pied piper doors all along the street open and children come running out. I picture straight from my childhood, obviously except for the dust and the man pulling a cart instead of driving a van!
Also yesterday afternoon I moved into my own room and I have to say it was good to finally get unpacked and setled in. I have been sharing Rachels room so far (OK, she is in Scotland!!!!) My new room is very spacious and even has a set of speakers to plug into my PC to listen to music on, so I am happy with al these developments. I overlok the street outside and peek out from behind the curtains and watch the goings on. They are building a new house up the road and a pile of bricks has beend umped in the street. i was watching one man stand at the bottom of the pile throw the bricks to a man standing on the top of the pile who then throws them one at a time to a man standing on the first floor who is piling them up.
Right, we still have minefields and veggie food to cover, dont hold your breath, I wil get round to it.
Take care.
Well it is Saturday evening or afternoon to those of you in the UK and I am sitting here trying to folow the antics of the mighty Reds (thats Charlton for the uninitiated) and it is proving very frustratng. Radio 5 Live and Radio London both tell me they cannot broadcast the current programme ie Sportreports outside the UK so I am left watching teletext Hang on I will switch over and see how we are doing. We were losing 1-2 when I last looked. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah, Zeng Zhi,Our plucky little Chineseman has just equalised, oh joy, oh joy, loks like we are at least as good as the incredibly fantastic Colchester!!!! I a sure we will come back to this before the end of this update. I think I shall become Kabul Addick!!
Anyway, where was I, minefields Ice cream men and veggies, oh yes and my new room.
Yesterday afternoon, I went for a stroll around the local streets to see what happens at the weekend. It was very quiet indeed, but there were little groups of children al flying kites in the street. Just made out of some plastic or paper and a wooden frame. I stayed and watched for a while, very serene, very peaceful and a joy to watch. While I was idling away my time a man came by puling a cart with onions and potatoes on it and people would come out there houses and buy from him, then another man came along pulling a cart with firewood. But then the "piece de resistance" a mancame by selling ice cream. Now those of you "of a certain age" will remember on a Sunday afternoon when the ice cream van would come round and play a tune in the street and we children would run out to get an ice cream for pudding for Sunday lunch. (This was before everyone had a freezer and ice cream was a real once a week treat). Well that is exactly what happened yesteray, picture the scene, some small children playing with tehir kites in the middle of the street andthe ice cream man comes along puling the ice cream cart playing a tune as he goes by. He stops and then, like the pied piper doors all along the street open and children come running out. I picture straight from my childhood, obviously except for the dust and the man pulling a cart instead of driving a van!
Also yesterday afternoon I moved into my own room and I have to say it was good to finally get unpacked and setled in. I have been sharing Rachels room so far (OK, she is in Scotland!!!!) My new room is very spacious and even has a set of speakers to plug into my PC to listen to music on, so I am happy with al these developments. I overlok the street outside and peek out from behind the curtains and watch the goings on. They are building a new house up the road and a pile of bricks has beend umped in the street. i was watching one man stand at the bottom of the pile throw the bricks to a man standing on the top of the pile who then throws them one at a time to a man standing on the first floor who is piling them up.
Right, we still have minefields and veggie food to cover, dont hold your breath, I wil get round to it.
Take care.
Friday, September 14, 2007
A week in the life!
Hello reader, one and all, how are you?
It has been a couple of days since I last regaled you with tales of not much derring-do so I was just listing a few topics to cover in this latest musing from downtown Kabul. So what have we:
The anniversary of 9/11, My bank card ignoring me, The uncertain start of Ramadan, A walk around the locality, The ice cream man, Visiting a real minefield (yes really full on landmines), moving to my new "permanent room", finally convincing the cook that a vegetarian does not eat meat, I think that covers it, and here was me thinking nothing had happened. You are beginning to see how small my world has become.
So let us start at the beginning. The 6th anniversary of 9/11 was not unlike any other day, except the road our office is situated on is called by some "suicide alley" as most of the suicide attacks in Kabul take place here. I hasten to add not where we are but are aimed at the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force - the Coalition) base down the road. This does not affect us, but would interfere with the drive to or from the office if the attack happened when we are passing by. However, our vehicles would not be affected and the only fatalities are, as always, innocent passing civilians. Anyway, we thought the Taleban may "celebrate" the anniversary with an attack, but this did not happen, which I think again emphasises they have little support in Kabul and outside their "stronghold" in the south and along the eastern border. Sorry, political lecture over.
On Wednesday, I went to the bank machine to get some cash, something we all take for granted. The machine here was rather wizzy and even asked if I wanted Euros or Dollars, so I asked it for $600. Sorry, no can do came the reply. How about $500 then, sorry no can do. I worked my way down to a measly $50 (£25 in proper money) and still the machine refusd my advances. So there was nothing to do but contact the bank. Of course as with all UK banks they have a truly helpful 0845 type number which, of course you cannot dial from abroad, so with some monumental help from Sarah, I eventually got the number of my branch and rang the manager. The conversation went something along the lines of
PQ: I am in Afghanistan, so please can we sort this quickly
BM: Where?
PQ: Afghanistan, Kabul actually
BM: Oh!
PQ: I tried to use my bank card yesterday and it did not work
BM: (laughs) In Kabul?
PQ: Yes, in Kabul
BM: Well, of course not our fraud department would halt any transaction in Afghanistan
PQ: Can you tell them not to
BM: Yes
PQ: How long will it take
BM: About 15 minutes, are you really in Kabul?
PQ: Yes
BM: What are you doing there?
PQ: Clearing land mines, must go, thanks.
BM: OK, bye
Now,where were we, oh yes, its now Thursday (in blog terms) and Afghanistan has been gripped in uncertainty for the past 24hours. You see Ramadan, the month of fasting, is linked to the phases of the moon. Now the phases of the moon have been predicted and known in advance for millennia, in fact, it was probably Arab scholars in the year dotdot that wrote them down for the first time. However, although any decent diary from Smiths would have the information in it and most of the Arab world has a fixed start date and knew Ramadan would start on Thursday, here in Afghanistan they were not sure and were waiting for the word from Mecca that the moon had been spotted and Ramadan would start on Wednesday, so, apparently there were frenzied did it, didn't it phone calls all through Tuesday night and consequently a lot of tired people at work on Wednesday. And of course it began Wednesday night, which conveniently brings me to my activities on Thursday. This was a day off as the first day of Ramadan and there would be no-one in the office, so I took the opportunity to go to a real, genuine, 100%, actaul minefield and see mine clearance in action. We went to a village in the valley south of Bagram airbase (yes the notorious Bagram airbase). The vilage itself was fantastic. It is situated in a valley below mountains and has a strong stream running through it from the mountains. It makes the area where the village is quite lush and the mud houses are surrounded by vineyards, orchards and fields. Well, it is surrounded by these where the mines have been cleared. The minefields are really interesting and I think I shal explain that another day as this entry is getting rather long.
In fact I wil cover that with the ice cream man, my new room and veggies later. Take care.
BFN
It has been a couple of days since I last regaled you with tales of not much derring-do so I was just listing a few topics to cover in this latest musing from downtown Kabul. So what have we:
The anniversary of 9/11, My bank card ignoring me, The uncertain start of Ramadan, A walk around the locality, The ice cream man, Visiting a real minefield (yes really full on landmines), moving to my new "permanent room", finally convincing the cook that a vegetarian does not eat meat, I think that covers it, and here was me thinking nothing had happened. You are beginning to see how small my world has become.
So let us start at the beginning. The 6th anniversary of 9/11 was not unlike any other day, except the road our office is situated on is called by some "suicide alley" as most of the suicide attacks in Kabul take place here. I hasten to add not where we are but are aimed at the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force - the Coalition) base down the road. This does not affect us, but would interfere with the drive to or from the office if the attack happened when we are passing by. However, our vehicles would not be affected and the only fatalities are, as always, innocent passing civilians. Anyway, we thought the Taleban may "celebrate" the anniversary with an attack, but this did not happen, which I think again emphasises they have little support in Kabul and outside their "stronghold" in the south and along the eastern border. Sorry, political lecture over.
On Wednesday, I went to the bank machine to get some cash, something we all take for granted. The machine here was rather wizzy and even asked if I wanted Euros or Dollars, so I asked it for $600. Sorry, no can do came the reply. How about $500 then, sorry no can do. I worked my way down to a measly $50 (£25 in proper money) and still the machine refusd my advances. So there was nothing to do but contact the bank. Of course as with all UK banks they have a truly helpful 0845 type number which, of course you cannot dial from abroad, so with some monumental help from Sarah, I eventually got the number of my branch and rang the manager. The conversation went something along the lines of
PQ: I am in Afghanistan, so please can we sort this quickly
BM: Where?
PQ: Afghanistan, Kabul actually
BM: Oh!
PQ: I tried to use my bank card yesterday and it did not work
BM: (laughs) In Kabul?
PQ: Yes, in Kabul
BM: Well, of course not our fraud department would halt any transaction in Afghanistan
PQ: Can you tell them not to
BM: Yes
PQ: How long will it take
BM: About 15 minutes, are you really in Kabul?
PQ: Yes
BM: What are you doing there?
PQ: Clearing land mines, must go, thanks.
BM: OK, bye
Now,where were we, oh yes, its now Thursday (in blog terms) and Afghanistan has been gripped in uncertainty for the past 24hours. You see Ramadan, the month of fasting, is linked to the phases of the moon. Now the phases of the moon have been predicted and known in advance for millennia, in fact, it was probably Arab scholars in the year dotdot that wrote them down for the first time. However, although any decent diary from Smiths would have the information in it and most of the Arab world has a fixed start date and knew Ramadan would start on Thursday, here in Afghanistan they were not sure and were waiting for the word from Mecca that the moon had been spotted and Ramadan would start on Wednesday, so, apparently there were frenzied did it, didn't it phone calls all through Tuesday night and consequently a lot of tired people at work on Wednesday. And of course it began Wednesday night, which conveniently brings me to my activities on Thursday. This was a day off as the first day of Ramadan and there would be no-one in the office, so I took the opportunity to go to a real, genuine, 100%, actaul minefield and see mine clearance in action. We went to a village in the valley south of Bagram airbase (yes the notorious Bagram airbase). The vilage itself was fantastic. It is situated in a valley below mountains and has a strong stream running through it from the mountains. It makes the area where the village is quite lush and the mud houses are surrounded by vineyards, orchards and fields. Well, it is surrounded by these where the mines have been cleared. The minefields are really interesting and I think I shal explain that another day as this entry is getting rather long.
In fact I wil cover that with the ice cream man, my new room and veggies later. Take care.
BFN
Monday, September 10, 2007
How was your weekend?
Well dear reader, Yes Jiminy Crippet that appears to be you!!!
First, I will start with an apology, the internet connection here is pretty dire and although I have read the instructions and am now an expert on uploading photos to my blog, the connection here simply sees the piccy, rolls over on its back, puts all four legs in the air and plays dead so I am afraid you wil have to make do with the vivid pictures I paint with my expresive prose!!!
Now, where was I, oh yes, your weekend, you see we work Saturday and Sunday so it is not much of a weekend. However, Saturday was sort of interesting. I got back to the fortress we colloquially call a "guest" house, I turned on the tely and what is on some South African sport channel, the England/India 7th ODI, which India respectfuly threw away with only 2 minutes of the England/Israel footie played allowing us to watch that as well. This was followed by a game from the Rugger World Cup, so a bit of a sporty evening, sitting on my bum. This is something I am getting very used to (the sitting on my bum bit as getting out and about is prety difficult). I am beginning to wonder if my organisation is not a bit too protective, and will start talking to others about geting into some sort of sports.
Talking of TV we got back this evening to find we now have a satellite link with 758 channels. Unfortunately, it seems to be pointing at some Arabic satellite and we have 758 totally incomprehensible channels (sighs all round).
However, if you have read this drivvle all the way to this point I will reward you with a story of derring-do which the lightweights wil miss as they will have switched off after all that boring stuff about TVs.
Yesterday, I went out into the field to look at some potential new mine clearing areas. Of course, I had a cover story, as the acountant I am concerned that we are spending too much on gas for water heating at the demining camps and we have put in a solar panel on trial at one camp to see if we can cut costs (sound familiar!!!) so I was gaining information on the solar panel trial - honest, Guv.
Anyway the crux of the story is, other than travelling around the stark countryside north of Kabul I can hardly call it beautiful. Kabul sits on a wide plain at 1800m between two rows of mountains, which in itself is beautiful, but it is all very bare and barren.
We travelled north up the valley to the nearest demining camp where the de-miners live and work for their work period during the month. It is a tent compound built around an old building that is used as the office. This building is full of holes from the wars. I am waffling again.
We were going round looking at places that had been identified as needing clearance by the local population. One family were rebuilding their house and had replanted their vineyard. The house was on land the Soviets had taken to build a barracks which is now destroyed, but right along the edge of the house, no more than 20yards away is the remains of the wall of the compound with a slope up to it.
The slope has not been touched or cultivated as 3 people have had acidents on this slope since the refugees returned and been blown up by land mines. So no-one goes near, but everyone is afraid their children or animals may stray and that they can't grow anything on this land. So we are looking to make this a priority for the next block of clearance. Thats how clearing landmines makes a real difference to the lives of real people. So on that note, take care, I'll be back.
First, I will start with an apology, the internet connection here is pretty dire and although I have read the instructions and am now an expert on uploading photos to my blog, the connection here simply sees the piccy, rolls over on its back, puts all four legs in the air and plays dead so I am afraid you wil have to make do with the vivid pictures I paint with my expresive prose!!!
Now, where was I, oh yes, your weekend, you see we work Saturday and Sunday so it is not much of a weekend. However, Saturday was sort of interesting. I got back to the fortress we colloquially call a "guest" house, I turned on the tely and what is on some South African sport channel, the England/India 7th ODI, which India respectfuly threw away with only 2 minutes of the England/Israel footie played allowing us to watch that as well. This was followed by a game from the Rugger World Cup, so a bit of a sporty evening, sitting on my bum. This is something I am getting very used to (the sitting on my bum bit as getting out and about is prety difficult). I am beginning to wonder if my organisation is not a bit too protective, and will start talking to others about geting into some sort of sports.
Talking of TV we got back this evening to find we now have a satellite link with 758 channels. Unfortunately, it seems to be pointing at some Arabic satellite and we have 758 totally incomprehensible channels (sighs all round).
However, if you have read this drivvle all the way to this point I will reward you with a story of derring-do which the lightweights wil miss as they will have switched off after all that boring stuff about TVs.
Yesterday, I went out into the field to look at some potential new mine clearing areas. Of course, I had a cover story, as the acountant I am concerned that we are spending too much on gas for water heating at the demining camps and we have put in a solar panel on trial at one camp to see if we can cut costs (sound familiar!!!) so I was gaining information on the solar panel trial - honest, Guv.
Anyway the crux of the story is, other than travelling around the stark countryside north of Kabul I can hardly call it beautiful. Kabul sits on a wide plain at 1800m between two rows of mountains, which in itself is beautiful, but it is all very bare and barren.
We travelled north up the valley to the nearest demining camp where the de-miners live and work for their work period during the month. It is a tent compound built around an old building that is used as the office. This building is full of holes from the wars. I am waffling again.
We were going round looking at places that had been identified as needing clearance by the local population. One family were rebuilding their house and had replanted their vineyard. The house was on land the Soviets had taken to build a barracks which is now destroyed, but right along the edge of the house, no more than 20yards away is the remains of the wall of the compound with a slope up to it.
The slope has not been touched or cultivated as 3 people have had acidents on this slope since the refugees returned and been blown up by land mines. So no-one goes near, but everyone is afraid their children or animals may stray and that they can't grow anything on this land. So we are looking to make this a priority for the next block of clearance. Thats how clearing landmines makes a real difference to the lives of real people. So on that note, take care, I'll be back.
Friday, September 07, 2007
A day off
So dear reader, it is Friday, which is our day off. Have to say it is a bit if a let down as there is nothing to do and nowhere to go!!!
Last night we walked round the corner to a charming international restaurant. When I say charming, obviously that means high fences, barbed wire and armed guards, but once inside there is a lovely courtyard with music, food and drink. We didn't eat but had a bottle of Corona and spent the evening chatting. I got to know my colleagues, one is ex-Eton and ex UK mlitary, whilst the other is ex-KLA (Kosovan Liberation Army). So here is my first handy tip for all those looking for a seaside retreat, buy a property on the coast in Albania, it is a beuatiful coastline and much cheaper than Crotia, Greece etc. You see poor Brit abroad, when denied the opportunity to talk about the weather (it is just hot every day) will fall back on our 2nd favourite topic, house prices. It was just like a dinner party in Surbiton, well, obviously exluding the aforementioned security.
This morning, I woke up at a leasurely pace and found we had no electricity or running water so that started the day well. It thwarted by desire for the proverbial shit, shower and shave or even a cup of tea. It turns out the power is often off during the day (but we are at work so it doesn't bother us) and the solution is to turn on the generator. It was 2 hours before anyone else got up and told me this!!!!!!
I have taken a photo of our street, so I wil read the instructions and try to post this on the next blog. As you all enjoy your wekend, think off me, we work Saturday and Sunday. Ha ha, done it, the piccie should be on this post!!
Be good.
Last night we walked round the corner to a charming international restaurant. When I say charming, obviously that means high fences, barbed wire and armed guards, but once inside there is a lovely courtyard with music, food and drink. We didn't eat but had a bottle of Corona and spent the evening chatting. I got to know my colleagues, one is ex-Eton and ex UK mlitary, whilst the other is ex-KLA (Kosovan Liberation Army). So here is my first handy tip for all those looking for a seaside retreat, buy a property on the coast in Albania, it is a beuatiful coastline and much cheaper than Crotia, Greece etc. You see poor Brit abroad, when denied the opportunity to talk about the weather (it is just hot every day) will fall back on our 2nd favourite topic, house prices. It was just like a dinner party in Surbiton, well, obviously exluding the aforementioned security.
This morning, I woke up at a leasurely pace and found we had no electricity or running water so that started the day well. It thwarted by desire for the proverbial shit, shower and shave or even a cup of tea. It turns out the power is often off during the day (but we are at work so it doesn't bother us) and the solution is to turn on the generator. It was 2 hours before anyone else got up and told me this!!!!!!
I have taken a photo of our street, so I wil read the instructions and try to post this on the next blog. As you all enjoy your wekend, think off me, we work Saturday and Sunday. Ha ha, done it, the piccie should be on this post!!
Be good.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
At last, a new job!
Well hello again dear reader.
It has been a while but thanks to my wee lassie, Rachel, I finally have a new job. I am now working for a de-mining organisation in Kabul.
I only arrived yesterday, so not a great deal to report except for: anyone who has read Charles Dickens "A tale of two cities", I think wil remember the first two pages are incredibly boring with endless references to the fog. Well, substitute dust for fog and that is my first impresion of Kabul. It is very hot at the moment and it has not rained for a while. Last night on the way from our compund to the guest house our driver had to stop frequently as we could not se through the dust. Mind you, we were following a convoy of vehicles along a dirt track which did not help, but it is my first abiding memory.
Unfortunately the journey from house to office takes us past many of the army, UN and many others compounds. These are great big square edifices with very high concrete walls all the way round and topped with heavy barbed wire. They are just there, surrounded by empty space. It is like a scene from some weird "Mad Max" movie and is very ugly and depressing. BUT, I am told and believe there are some beautiful areas of Kabul, and the rural areas are especially beautiful. I can't wait to get out of the city and visit some of the camps where we are clearing mines.
Frst though I have to learn my job in the office and I shall be nailed to a desk and chair for a while trying to cram as much learning in as posible.
I think that wil do for starters after a 2 year break. Cant get you too excited just yet.
Take care.
It has been a while but thanks to my wee lassie, Rachel, I finally have a new job. I am now working for a de-mining organisation in Kabul.
I only arrived yesterday, so not a great deal to report except for: anyone who has read Charles Dickens "A tale of two cities", I think wil remember the first two pages are incredibly boring with endless references to the fog. Well, substitute dust for fog and that is my first impresion of Kabul. It is very hot at the moment and it has not rained for a while. Last night on the way from our compund to the guest house our driver had to stop frequently as we could not se through the dust. Mind you, we were following a convoy of vehicles along a dirt track which did not help, but it is my first abiding memory.
Unfortunately the journey from house to office takes us past many of the army, UN and many others compounds. These are great big square edifices with very high concrete walls all the way round and topped with heavy barbed wire. They are just there, surrounded by empty space. It is like a scene from some weird "Mad Max" movie and is very ugly and depressing. BUT, I am told and believe there are some beautiful areas of Kabul, and the rural areas are especially beautiful. I can't wait to get out of the city and visit some of the camps where we are clearing mines.
Frst though I have to learn my job in the office and I shall be nailed to a desk and chair for a while trying to cram as much learning in as posible.
I think that wil do for starters after a 2 year break. Cant get you too excited just yet.
Take care.
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