Bob & Patty's Excellent Afghan Adventure - Day 8

If you received our daily email updates you've seen most of it, but not all. Since our return I've added a few notes and comments which I've put in blue italic type so those of you who don't want to read it all again can pick out the "new stuff." <g> I've also added a couple photos from each day of the trip, which weren't always in the daily updates.

If you'd like to see more photos from the trip, follow the link to the left. I took most of them, but some were taken by other team members Ron Atchley, John Eisel, Gary Goodenow, and Susie Knezel. (John and Susie are pros, so the best ones probably came from them. <g>) If you'd like hi-rez copies of any of them just let me know.

Monday, April 28

We were given the OK to travel to Barek Aub one more time today and what a remarkable day it was.

As soon as we left the guest house compound it was apparent this was not a "normal" day in Kabul. There were Afghan and US military military and police stationed on every street corner, armed to the teeth. We got stopped at a couple check points and it was a little intimidating, but we were never hassled and it just made the trip a little more interesting. (We learned later that they stop us at checkpoints to be sure we weren't being kidnapped!)

Upon arrival at the camp we went first to the new well, which Flatirons played a big role in getting done. Work has just begun on the new pump house and we arrived just in time to see water being pumped into the temporary holding pond for the first time! We then went up to the reservoir which is being constructed on a hill above the camp in order to provide reserves and good water pressure for the entire village. There are a couple other very small wells in the village, but they're dry much of the year so this new well will provide a stable and ample water supply year round.

We then went down into the camp to deliver school supplies for the older children. There were no classes being held so we were able to explore a couple of the tents they are using for classrooms until the permanent school building is built later this year. The temperature outside was about 75 degrees, but inside the tents it had to be over 100. I can only imagine on a really hot day that it would be unbearable inside. But the kids keep coming back -- their hunger for an education is so intense.

The drive back along the New Bagram Road was typically exciting, but made even more so when a convoy of US security vehicles, escorting Bigwig, came down the highway on the "wrong" side forcing us onto the right shoulder while they went by us at high speed. Everyone on the road cleared a wide path as soon as they saw them coming -- a US military convoy gets a lot of respect around here -- especially after the events of yesterday.

After we returned to the guest house we had hoped to take a short excursion to Chaila, but funerals were being held for one of the members of Parliament who was killed during the assassination attempt yesterday and all of the roads were blocked. It was a small inconvenience for us, but a painful reminder of life in Afghanistan.

We were joined at dinner by General Sadat, a friend of Wakil's whom we'd met a couple days ago, and four American members of the coalition-led International Security Assistance Force, all working in various branches of Military Intelligence. It was a nice break for them to be able to spend an evening with some civilians and we enjoyed sharing stories of our adventures here.

Patty "tests the waters" of the new well that will bring a much needed year-round fresh water supply to the people of Barek Aub.

No classes were in session at the school when we stopped by which gave Ashley the chance to chat with a couple kids who were eagerly awaiting their next lessons.