A Day Off

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We have two aircraft here. One flies six days a week, the other waits for a charter (or to rescue another aircraft). However, even if there was a need, we do not have the means to send our second aircraft up over the mountains of Afghanistan. It's broken.

Two of the airports we travel to make for difficult operations. Faizabad is paved (?) with a metal sheeting...developed by the Russian military for quick set-up, temporary runways...that resembles a corrugated tin roof. (Imagine driving on a washboard road at 150 miles per hour.) It's loud and bumpy, but it works. The other one is Bamyan. It is a long, flat runway, but it's gravel surface is littered with large rocks and sharp stones. We had three flat tires from this runway last week! The last one was only recognized after takeoff and the crew elected to continue to Kabul to land at it's long, wide, paved, smooth runway (with emergency crews standing by).

When the plane landed, the tire rubber stripped itself from the inner core and beat the landing gear's protective cowling into oblivion before the crew could stop the aircraft. (No worries, we train for this stuff and no one was injured.) Consequently, we are without this second airplane for a couple of days.



I want to go outside.

From my hotel window, and from Google Earth, I can see two small plateaus that have ruins of historical significance to this old city. I can see them from my window, but I am only allowed to read about them from journalists who have blogged about them in previous days and years. I am not worried about the people, about abduction or other difficulties, but the fact that most of the hills are mined (due to previous military tactical presence) allows me to reconsider my want of roaming the hills of Kabul.

However, we are off to Chicken Street for a little shopping. That minefield of impoverished people, both young and old, flock to us like moths to a flame. They are polite, but know we have money and offer their hands in charity, or to sell me a pack of gum, or to shine my shoes (I am wearing flip-flop sandals.) But, the shops are easily managed as we are usually the only patrons and the shop-keepers are eager to find a way for us to leave a few US dollars on their countertop before we leave.

Cheers,

Jay

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Photos

TV Hill
From my room....

NW Hill
Something of historical significance

Comments

[the donald (crocodile_dondii)]

Interesting stuff!
Great stuff, Jay. Finally hearing from you is a rush. Is it all dry and barren from one end of the country to the other there, or are there patches of moisture and verdant growth? Seems like all your legs are an hour or less...?

[Erwin & Neva Miller]

Hi Jay, We are enjoying reading your blog. Your folks put us onto it.------ Sounds like a big adventure! Watch your step, Neva and Erwin

[Geoff Pearson]

Airport
Hey Jay, The pictures and the commentary are very cool my friend. Is Poland still running the airport ? I hope you get a chance to tour some of those buildings, that's a real once in a lifetime deal. Cheers, Geoff.