Flew into Kabul on Safi Airways Business Class which was much better experience than I'd expected. Sat next to a really nice Diplomat from the Dutch Embassy who's been out here for a couple of years so filled me in on loads of interesting facts & helped while away the flight. Came in over the mountains which are pretty stunning and saw a great deal of the landscape around Kabul on the descent. Looks like the out-lying regions are quite picturesque...not that we'll be visiting them!After going through Immigration we were met by our Personal Security Detail, a Brit & an Afghan driver both of whom were carrying AK47s and immediately presented us with flack jackets & the instruction to put them on asap - needless to say we happily complied. We drove through Kabul city which is every bit as devastated as you see on the news.... huge stretches with just rubble with kids playing on bombsites or kicking footballs around by the roadside and women dressed in Burkas lugging stuff a few paces behind their husbands. En route we passed through various checkpoints some of which had Tanks stationed, others vehicle mounted machine guns pointing into our jeep...it may well be armoured but I somehow doubt it would withstand a missile at that range!
Anjaman base is quite something, heavily fortified with blast proof walls and two underground bunkers as well as various armed watch towers. Got the guided tour of the place and it's facilities which are pretty good...gym, bars, pool room, Sat TV., laundry, tailor (makes both uniforms & flack jackets!) etc. Although it's well set-up I imagine it's a good job most of the guys only do a six week rotation as I reckon longer than that & you'd go stir crazy. There are a complete mix of nationalities on site which means there are various forms of catering including a Nepalese slaughter house (I jest not) where tonight they were preparing goat stew! I gave that a miss & stuck to the ex-pat diet tonight...
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