the first few days of my Afghanistan tour
So … I was finally in Afghanistan!! Covered from head-to-toe in my abaya - thankfully not having to cover my face, but still the abaya was a bit of a pain. Nice not to have to worry about what I wore underneath, or what my hair looked like, but a long garment (down to the ankles) made getting in and out of the back of the vehicle – and even going up and down steps – more difficult, and I couldn’t wear my camera attached to my belt as I usually do, nor access anything in my pockets, and I did miss the feel of the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair… There weren’t many women on the street (they’re not really supposed to go out without a male guardian), and those we saw were mostly wearing burkas, so there wasn’t really any chance to interact with them. The men, however, seemed friendly. Nowhere on the whole trip did I encounter anyone who seemed to be hostile towards us. Kabul is in many respects a modern city – so I chose this picture taken from one of the rock...