Afghanistan, Kabul

Afghanistan

Kabul

NATO Base

25th June 2012

‘So how will you tackle Afghanistan..?’ A question that was often asked during the past three years when talking about Streets of the World. I always replied something like “I’ll see it when I get there”. That’s now.

But how did I get here? Traveling around in the Caribbean I received an e mail from someone I didn’t know.  His name was Anton and he had read my first book, Streets of the World-Asia. He liked the stories and the project and in his e mail asked me if I had ever thought about how I was going to get the Kabul photo. He was going to Kabul soon. He couldn’t tell me why but he did say he could help me with it. Rather vague. But also rather interesting.

I decided to meet Anton when I returned to Holland some weeks later. Anton turned out to be a young relaxed dude working for NATO with Force Protection. He’d have to talk about it with some of his superiors and pull some strings but he thought he could probably get me in. We decided to give it a shot.

I picked up traveling again and got updates from Anton who was already in Afghanistan by then. After a couple of weeks I got the good news. His superiors had agreed to my visit and we could also use the armored Jeep with which they drive around the general. Very nice. And exciting.

Weeks passed and when I returned to Holland the next trip was going to be Afghanistan. First I had to get a visa which was quite difficult. I was not going to go to Afghanistan through military channels but as a civilian. Afghanistan doesn’t give out tourist visa so I had to get a letter from Anton that would state that I’d be staying with NATO. He got me one and I got my stamp at the embassy who by chance had heard about Streets of the World which helped to move forward the process a little too.

Before I knew it I was on my way to Istanbul for a 4 hour stopover connecting to my flight to Kabul. 

I have to admit that I was somewhat more anxious for this trip than for the ones before. I’ve been to some dodgy places but Afghanistan was on my black list. I am very happy that things turned out this way because of Anton’s help.

With a healthy dose of tension I walked into Kabul Airport this morning where Anton was waiting on the parking lot with three other armed guys and the Jeeps. It was good to meet again, in these totally different surroundings now. We did it.

The skies over Kabul are clear. It’s about 30 degrees Celsius. The air is still fresh though. Anton hands me a bulletproof vest. The windows are 2 centimeters thick. There’s a crack in one of them from the last bullet that hit. But it’s still good Anton says. We drive through a heavily militarized zone next to the airport with checkpoints around every corner. In the distance the dry mountains overlooking this ancient city that has been destroyed over and over again.

The boys wave their NATO ID’s at the checkpoints and we are allowed through. I don’t really see a lot of people, that’s planned for later. But I do get a first impression. Poor, dusty, war torn.

I’m installed in a tent with small rooms which is actually rather luxurious for NATO. I meet the base commander and Anton and I get re-acquainted. Although I’ve been in Afghanistan before, at Kandahar Air Field some years ago, it still takes some time getting used to being surrounded by a shitload of tough guys with automatic weapons having lunch right next to you. We’re definitely in Kabul now..

So that’s how I did it. Or better, how we did it. Afghanistan, Kabul, for Streets of the World. I have three days of driving around this fascinating city and to try to get a good shot. We have a busy program in Kabul, but so far so good!