Back in the 'Bul

Our trip back from Bamiyan was a 9 hour journey on some of the worst roads I have ever has the misfortune to travel on - but it was spectacular. Mountain passes and lush vallleys and the tranquil beauty of rural life that has existed in these valleys for hundreds of years. Though the last hour was on the made road that goes up to Mazar-I-Sharif. Once you meet this road the whole scene changes with high speed frogger style driving and the road lined with people selling all sorts of goods. It is grape season in Afghanistan at the moment and many of the guys who line the road sell boxes and boxes of what I have to admit are pretty sweet tasting fruit.
Back in Kabul we made it out to a new Mexican resturant run by a guy from Melbourne who came out to Afghanistan as a volunteer - quite nice - but the current troubles leave the place with fewer patrons than he had hoped. Speaking of troubles 3 rockets hit Kabul on Wednesday night - not really doing any damage - and the consensus amongst many of the security experts that we met last night is that it probably was a couple of stupid teenagers having a laugh. With so many weapons floating around this country its not hard to imagine. In fact J-dog tells a story of staying at a hotel in the Panjshir valley - when he was packing to leave his roomate checked under his bed to find an RPG. One of our friends here had to go out at 3:30 in the morning to assess the attack. She tells me that usually when the police arrive they find no evidence of what kind of rocket or mortar was used. Rumour has it it is because some members of the Private Security coterie in Kabul are running a competion to collection the most exploded ordinace - with the winner announced at their Christamas party. Only in Afghanistan.
After dinner we made it to a place called L'Atmosphere a resturant and bar that is probably the coolest expat hangout in town. In fact its courtyard and pool give the feeling of somewhere in the Meditaranean rather than Central Asia. It is rather strange to see all these security experts and other NGO workers drinking there beers and vodkas when you know what is going on in the rest of the country. But who can blame them for wanting to let their hair down. Tomorrow we are off to play 9 holes at Royal Kabul. Boys as they say.....