Mountain climbing

Well, I was going to start this entry with a few more words about the security situation in Kabul, but this afternoon we went for a walk up TV Hill, which is not a hill at all, as it is more than 2000m high, but as Kabul is at 1800m it is only relatively a few hundred metres, but it is high, cold, windy, covered in snow and feels pretty much like standing at the top of Portavescovo, but without a nice warm restaurant!! It is called for no greater reason than the TV masts are on it, where is the romance in this world?

Ok, I will admit, we cheated and drove to the top but the views are stunning of the mountains around Kabul, the Hindu Kush to the North and the plain of Kabul laid out before us in the valley.

The journey up was very interesting, not just for the icy frozen road, but also for the houses we passed. As I have mentiond before something like 60% of the houses in Kabul are illegally built mud huts on the sides of the mountains. Well, today we got to see them and their inhabitants close up. We were lucky we drove up, as there is a road for the military and TV installations at the top, but the people who live in these houses have no cars or transport. Some have very basic electricity, but no water supply, gas, sanitation or shops. Everything, is carried from the city up the mountain by hand (mainly on peoples backs). We passed small children carrying supplies up the mountain side to their houses, mostly without coats or hats. Two small boys had a wheelbarrow with a rope at the front; one pulling and one pushing with two five-gallon containers of water in the wheelbarrow.

Life is hard, uncomfortable, tough and all about survival; nothing more, nothing less. Very sobering.

Anyway,we got to the top and the views were quite spectacular and well worth the journey. We walked the last few hundred yards to as near to the top as we were allowed and tried to spot the landmarks down below.

So, Friday was a funday!! and what else has your intrepid correspondant in Kabul been up to this week, you may ask, and if you do I will tell. Actually, I will tell anyway. This week I have visited the British Embassy where, I am pleased to say a photograph of Her Majesy hung majestically in the Portakabin that acts as the security entrance to the Embassy. A fine photo of our noble Soveriegn in full Regalia looking somewhat out of place in a Portakabin, but heyho this is Kabul and needs must. For a moment it felt as if I had stepped back onto the soil of dear old Blighty, but the illusion only lasted a moment as the sign on the door next to HRH is a red circle with a white background and a red diagonal stripe across it. A bit like a No smoking sign except this one had an outline of a Kalashnikov on it. Yes, it means "no firearms) Ok, this is Kabul!!!!

We also visited a Korean restaurant for dinner one evening this week. You remember my description of the bar last week with only four people in it? Well, the Korean restaurant had NO people in it except us. The good thing is it was so far off the beaten track and down a dark side street followed by a dark alley that no-one would ever find us there. When you get there, you get out the car, knock on the gate and get back into the car while you wait. A nice friendly Korean gentleman comes out to the gate, looks through the peephole and then lets you in. There is no sign outside or any indication this is a restaurant, in fact, it is clearly a house with a room set aside for people who wish to come and eat there. Even the takeaway menu has no address on it, it is purely "word of mouth" by invitation only!

We ate a relaxed meal (with Tofu, salads and a lovely soup with an egg in it) Now this was a real luxury for your humble veggie and was very welcome. The whole meal for three including soft drinks came to around £5 per head, so great value as well. We called our car, it came to the gate, we left, got in and headed back home. A bit weird, but weird is the norm here, it is funny how you go through these procedures without really noticing them. I only look back and see them as strange when I come to write about them. Am getting used to weird in this place.

Oh yes, I nearlky forgot, THE big news of the week. our delivery of duvets. Yes, boys and girls we have received a consignment of duvets. Can I put into mere words the joy, pleasure, happiness these duvets have bought to your blogger. The best thing was that I did not even know they were coming. I came home on Thursday evening and there beside my bed was a large package saying 3 in 1 duvet. Yes, in the package were two duvets, one for summer, one for winter and together a pair for Kabul!!! I have 15 big, fat, whopping togs of warm toes, yes readers, I have put BOTH duvets between the two blankets on the bed and dispensed with the sleeping bag. Oh joy, me and sleeping bags are not good bedfellows. You see, I am a very restless sleeper and the confines of a sleeping bag mean I am constantly in conflict with its tight limitations. I can't get comfortable and when I finally do, I feel the need for one more adjustment and hey presto, it all starts again.

So last night before I got into bed I prepared it. A sheet, followed by a blanket were first on and these were both tucked in tight to stop any air gaps that may upset my little toes. Then on went the two duvets, then the final blanket. I got into an ordinary bed (well Ok, it had two duvets and two blankets on it) for the first time since I froze through the night a couple of weeks ago. Oh bliss, I spread my arms, I spread my legs, I wriggled about, I turned this way, I turned that way and finally decided to settle. My toes were warm, my legs were warm, my body was warm, my arms were warm, I am so, so looking forward to going to bed tonight!!!

So there you have it, all is well-ish, I bought a toothbrush and five eggs today (and got change from 50p) and am going to make an omelette; after all, it is Friday and we like to indulge ourselves. Till the next time.