Up North

Saturday morning saw Peter and me making our way to the UNHAS flight north to Faizabad. The flight, partially funded through World Food Program, flies three times a week in a circular path and Saturday was clock-wise day. This meant the relatively short distance between Kabul and Faizabad was instead by way of Mazar-i-sharif, Kunduz and then Faizabad. The milk train of flight paths. But the scenery made the extended trip worthwhile.

This is the first time I've had to try to get back in to the airport. Turns out it's more of an ordeal than getting out. Go figure. Fortunately, Peter had done it before. Your car has to get past numerous check points manned by national police, international military, and armored vehicles of various shapes and sizes with pop-out windows that look like they should contain kitchen garden plants. Women essentially get a pass through the check points. Peter had to get out and walk through two frisking stations while at the first stop I stayed in the car and merely told the officer where I was going. At another stop I was told to enter a curtained room where two friendly ladies were sitting gabbing. I got a half-hearted one-handed frontal frisk and they only looked through one of my bags when I suggested. Instead, they advised me that Faizabad is cold.

The UNHAS flight terminal was pretty nondescript, hidden behind a couple gates and a wall set apart from the new main terminal. Our plane was a small double prop complete with a petite, glamorized, yet tough-as-nails flight attendant from North America. It was a little surreal. The trip went smoothly with 30-60 mins hops between airports.

I will be in Faizabad for four days during which time we are getting familiar with our program and staff. We are staying at the office guest house along with three visiting national staff and an Iraqi expat staff member. Because this is Ramadan, the cook prepares lunch for us, and we are welcome to join the iftar (break fast) which fortunately is at 6:15p these days. However, this morning we had to scrounge our breakfast from what was left from the 3am meal.

There isn't anything to do in Faizabad, so that means lots of BBC and Aljezeera in the evening. Tomorrow we have a 6:30a departure to go visit some of our projects including: canal building, lamb fattening, bee keeping and poultry. Stay tuned.