Wandering Scotsman

Yesterday we tried to interview a successful Afghan businesswoman who has just been through some difficulties with her partner.  When we turned up at the factory gate in the car, the guards (obviously armed, like most guards here) locked the gate in front of us.

We slowly discovered they were employed by her ex business partner, and they never allowed guests in (well, not us!), and weren’t letting the businesswoman out either!  The police were called who turned up like the afghan version of ‘Chips’ (the old US drama) but on a pretty clapped out motorbike.  Instead of pistols, one of them carried what I can only imagine was an AK-47.  No hassle at all though, it just turned into one of those meetings you have to expect in this parts of the world.  We left with no interview, (apart from half of one through the mesh gate) and no photographs of this entrepeneur looking to rebuild her business.  We did have an ‘entertaining’ chat with the head of the security guards….who then said he was ‘just a production manager’ when quizzed harder.

‘No-one can get by this gate without a pass’

‘How do we get a pass?’

We then got told we had to go to head office but he only had an address, not a number.  We were then told a number of the head of the company.  We were then told that actually he couldn’t give us permission, we had to phone their lawyer.  When asked for the lawyers number we got the original phone number given again.  Bizarre.

I had hoped to do a walk along the Kabul city walls early one morning before I left, but unfortunately plans have been cancelled.  Unfortunately some foreigners were shot at by people wearing Afghan police uniforms the other morning.  This is the only report of an incident I’ve heard while I’ve been in Kabul so it’s a real shame as you really can get out and about far more than the media portray.

We were fortunate enough to have a tour of Kabul with the Great Game tour company today, starting at Kabul Museum. We had a brief interview with the director there, then headed to town to tour around the markets in the centre. We stumbled across so many amazing sights there, and we were also a bit of a site for the locals. We spent some time in a bakery which was fascinating. I stopped to take a couple of shots of their equivalent of naan bread, and was ushered round the back by someone hanging around. We walked into the bakery’s production factory – one guy kneading the dough, throwing it to another who stretched it, who threw it to another to put some patterns on it, who threw it to another to drop it into the kiln. I could see the breads sticking to the sides of the oven before being lifted out on piled up for sale out the front. One of them was tossed to me – straight out the oven and delicious. Here’s the only image I have time to post just now as I have to download today’s shots before heading out for a while as unfortunately it’s my last night at the fort. 🙁

We managed a couple of beers at Gandamack Lodge after playing frisbee the other night.  We’re off there again tonight for what is meant to be a big night in Kabul, although it won’t be too late for me as it’s a 0730 departure tomorrow to head north.  Here’s a picture of their traditional guns for sale in the hotel foyer, and a picture of Rich, my friend who is hosting me here just now.

I’ve spent another day in the Turquoise Mountain Foundation restored 19th century fort.  We’re not staying here because of any security situation but we find it hard to leave here as there are so many fascinating artisans and craftsmen working for the organisation, with so many interesting stories to tell.

Traffic is town was apparently pretty horrendous as well as some streets were blocked off due to a funeral for some of the Parliamentarian’s killed in the bomb in northern Afghanistan a couple of day’s ago.  Apart from the traffic, you know something important is going on in town when you hear and see the helicopter gunships flying around.

Despite some of the tragic stories we hear from some of the people here, it is really refreshing to hear stories of hope and encouragement for the future in Afghanistan rather than the war led stories you always hear back home.  There are so many people here happy to see the real possibility of employment and earning a reasonable living for a change after the constant bombardment and tragedy of the previous few decades of war.  A recurring story is how many of them have fled to other countries, in particular Pakistan, and are happy to be able to return to their homeland.  The population of Kabul was reduced to around 4-500,000 during the wars and is now between 4 and 5 million.

Tomorrow we are escaping Kabul for the day to head a few hours north to Panshir Valley.  We also hope to see a traditional game of ‘buzkashi’, which is erm, a bit like polo, but using a goat or calf carcuss!  On the way there is also a tank graveyard where I hope to take some shots if we can get close.

This is a quick snapshot of the marketplace in downtown Kabul.  It’s an amazing marketplace of craftsmen and sellers.

Just a short update just now.  All is well in Kabul.  I’ve tried to send a few text messages back home so if you haven’t got them, it’s going to be a network problem.  I’ve only received a couple of replies.

I had a superb day being toured around by people from the NGO we are visiting, explaining the training of locals in traditional building techniques, and a tour around a downtown restoration project where locals are almost fully employed restoring their traditional community buildings.  The man on the left was restoring a roof.

We then had a quick walk around the riverside market which was jut a hive of activity with all sorts of old crafts being performed such as a traditional blacksmith.  This image was one of a few guys sitting around drinking tea.  It was almost impossible to walk past them without taking their pictures as they insisted.

We finished up late so went straight to the US Embassy to play frisbee.  With the 1800m altitude (never mind the lack of exercise) affecting me greatly.  A quick meal and a few beers knocked off a very long and very tiring day, but one of the best experiences I’ve had in a long time.  I was in my element taking photographs all day, and the locals all wanted theirs taken, and to see it afterwards.

I’ll write more soon, but I had a fantastic day yesterday.

It was interesting during the build up to the Kabul trip.  It had been quite funny how many of my mates said “Kabul?  In Afghanistan?  Are you mental?” followed two seconds later by “I’m quite jealous actually.”

I got my first commissioning letter from a magazine with me named as photographer, and my invitation letter from the organisation we will meet out there.

I organised the flights for myself and my journalist friend (who was on another job in Croatia) which involved an online reservation for the Dubai – Kabul flights, only to be met with a page saying I had to pay them in full to an office within 12 hours….then a couple of Skype calls to Afghanistan and Dubai….then completion with an agent in London who said the ‘situation is getting better as there have been 15 people executed as punishment this week’, just before telling me the total price which never reflected the exchange rate whatsoever (£40 more than stated on the webpage).  I then got me his brothers number if we wanted safe, cheap accommodation there, and a driver.

Of course offices being offices, it took my employer 2 weeks to confirm the time off despite the fact I was only being curteous as it had all been cleared at interview stage.  Needless to say the Dubai flights went up £100 in the process, and everything was booked only three weeks prior to departure.

We hummed and hawwed whether it was worth paying the £185 extra for two weeks worth of war cover.  Was it really that dangerous?  We doubted it, but being Kabul virgins, we took it anyway.  This unpaid for trip was rapidly becoming a very expensive ‘portfolio building’ trip for me.  Even worse by loosing my I.T. contract, which of course, was the deciding factor in me being able to afford to splash the cash, despite me wanting to go since the idea was mentioned to me.

I never did too much research before leaving but enjoyed the lively journalists and photojournalists chats from bizarre destinations at Lightstalkers.org

The few days before I left I read a bit more about Kabul, and would be lying if I said there wasn’t a few moments when I thought ‘WTF am I going there for?’.  Not helped with the odd panic phone call from my girlfriend during the news :

“Are you watching it?  There’s been 75 NGO workers kidnapped, and a bomb on the airport road”.  My chin dropped, then I thought “Really?  Are you sure?”

A quick Google confirmed nothing had happened and I later realised the news were summarising past events due to a court case or something that was going on.

My overriding thoughts before going to Kabul tomorrow is I hope I am not disappointed by the experience.  I’m sure it’ll be like any other big city in the area, just with a lot more small arms in full view.  I’m looking forward to meeting all the characters that have been described to us from returning artisans who fled Kabul during the reign of the Taliban, to leading fabric designers and craftsfolk.

I just hope my pictures do them justice!