recruiting translator and first journey to Daikundi

Indeed after lots of hassles, scared feelings, excitement and unpleasant experiences for few weeks in acquiring VISA and immigrating to Afghanistan finally I took over my duties in Punjab (a small town in Hazarajat area) .. Upon arrival Mr. Ian a nice gentleman from New Zealand the Program Manager / my line manager,  was present in the office when I arrived, usually, he was based in Bamyan (a big town 2 hrs journey from Punjab)  I will be responsible for leading the Punjab based/team...
I was welcomed and straight joined the ongoing meeting were Ian informed me about the plans for further assessment and the first task for me to select/appoint translator for me..

Ian and myself conducted interviews for 3 guys.. and finally, we chose one.. Mr. Quadarat...

[Qudarat 3rd from left]

a nice young guy, intelligent, sincere, and full of guts & common sense .. good thing was he was knowing Hindi language well... I immediately said YES to him and he started the job the same day.. what a simplicity isnt??  no staff requestions, no big panel, no recruitment decisions to write.. no need of big contract.. and other complicated procedures.... life was so simple and meaningful!!

Alrite and here we go the task is to visit 6 potential sites in Punjab and Daikundi provinces.. it was the next day morning and 3 cars with 7 engineers and one translator we started our journey...

and was I given a route map of the area? details of sites? whom to contact locally? set appointments?? wait... not more questions... NO is the answer to all... but yes I have had exact GPS locations of potential sites which we had to assess (for technical feasibility and other legal (!) matters.

So in a usual manner, just before we hit the road, in my compound I started a conversation with my translator asking him how far the first destination? he replied me with a flat face , no idea!!! I asked him to check with others and get back to me with details on route, distance and possible other details about the first site. well, well, result is zero he came back with a news that none of those team members (and drivers :) ) have a clue about the destination but they all have GPS and driver is confident to track the coordinates :)!! wow!! a good news finally :)!!

Anyways we started 7:00 am... all trucks loaded... the first stop was at Safed naour.. a place where we were supposed to construct a clinic... around 2.5 hrs drive from Punjab..

we passed by "pai konak" pass which is the highest pass in that area [3400 meter from MSL].. continued our journey... it was really a long and bouncy journey over mountain tracks... we kept passing over mountains after mountains... dusty rough trackss... in between some green valleys and small river lets.... barren mountains.. all mud houses and lots many farms full of wheat crop!! very few people we saw/met along the way... it seems life has come to stop aroud us.

our local afghan colleagues kept telling that "Nili" is not far... it was almost 6:00 pm.. we were reaching our limits of travel as per security operating procedures... we had to stop at some good/safe place... unfortunately, it was all mountains around.. no place to stay.. I realized that tent would have been a good idea but again thought of security .. no it is not a good idea to be on mountain during nighttime....

we were hopping to get some good shelter and kept pushing the cars.... finally we arrived to "Ulukan" where we saw ACF clinic with some staff quarters in back.... we took chance.. i went in and requested the head of medical unit to provide us shleter tonight.. he was kind enough to agree.. we got 3 rooms and furhter we were so lucky that they had kitchen... woww!! we good really good hot food!! it made our fatigue disappear... I took a warm shower and caught the bed!!

we decided to travel early in the morning..

we got up at 5:00 am and by 5:45 we were all set in car!!! we headed to wards nili... finally in 3 hrs of time we were in the capital of daikundi province "nili"...

[Nili -- main market]

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journey - from bamyan to punjab

it was around 11:30 we started our journey to punjab... i had information that my drivers have seen the way and it will take around 3-4 hrs to reach to punjab... :)

[This is Bamyan, in background you can see a niche where famous Bamyan Budhdhha statue resided before Taliban destroyed it]

i was travelling with 2 cars... my engineer Mr. Naeem was following me in another car....

it was nice green and mountainous land scape around.. the life looked normal. i can see farmers working in fields..

i took sleep for 1-1.30 hrs... i woke up... the car was running... i was enjoying the ride.. after a while i cheked wrist watch.. it was 3:30 pm.. i asked driver how far we are from punjab? he seem confused.. he said he dont know.... i kep quiet ... again at 4:30 i started becoming impatient...

i asked driver to get down and check with local people how far punjab is??? he didnt like that... i forced him to do so.. he came back with more confused face..... i could sense some problem..

it was difficult for him to convey ... but i could understand that he missed a pass to cross the mountain and now we have to take different route to go to punjab!!! my GOD!!! it is never ending journey..

i decided to surrender to the situation... we kept on driving and driving and driving on end less mountain roads... some time we see some cars passing by... some farmers around.. it was around 6:00 pm.. drivers wanted to pray.. they did "vazu" and started praying... i called steve pantling [security advisor] and explained him situation.. he advised me to be safe and stop at better place.. he advised me to pass on coordinates of place where i am... i did it thru GPS.. he called me back and told me that i am far away from punjab.... so the hope was fading to reach to punjab..

i told him not to worry i will mange... if i need any help i will call him back. ..

we kept on driving... around 7:00 pm.. we show a townace car.. full of passenger.. my driver communicated to him.. i could partly understand that this is taliban area and it is not safe to stay in mountains... he advised us to drive as far as we can.. ..

i asked driver to drive.. he wanted to stay there in mountain.. he argued.. he didnt like .. i told him that i am firm and you should drive... he got out of car.. open the door and asked me to get down of car...he said he cant take me in his car.. i have to walk.. i was too angry.. we had heated arguments..

i said i have hired the car and i am the one who can take decision.. you cant!!! i forced him to drive...

we kept on driving till 9:45 pm... finally we reached a nice small town which driver inquired that it is safe to stay..

again i felt the same prob. of food... i could manage with boiled eggs and rice... yeah i could get pepsi.... once again.. i slept in car..... same situation.... scary night... restless night.....

what a nightmare!!!!

we woke up at 5:30 am... started our journey to punjab..... in 45 min. we reached punjab.. woww!!!!!!! what a relief.... ..... we could find CHF office on road.... i got down of car... too tired.. traumatised ... and upset with drivers with their behaviour.. especially when we were in taliban area he asked me to get down and walk....

i was at door step of our office.. i was welcomed by engineer mehmood.. i asked him to send administrator and immediately ordered termination for those two drivers...

the drivers were upset with me.. and i said you played with my security and life... so you are terminated immediatelly..

they were issued with a termination latter.. our adm/finance talked to kabul office about incidents too..

the bad part got over...

Ian was there.. he welcomed me and explained about the schedule of the site survey.....

i got settle.. i got a room in our office to stay.. a big bare room without amnesties...

[I am next to my office building!!]

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[This is what we call an Office in Afghanistan]

journey -Kabul to Bamyan

we started journey as per schedule.. the plan was first to reach to Bamyan by after noon and then next day join other staff from bamyan to go to panjab...

The journey to Bamyan was 7-8 hrs. from Kabul.. of course we had to pass one of the scary area

[taliban controlled] but the day time crossing was ok....

we started the journey with hope and excitement.. we just left Kabul and one of the car's [Toyota corrola] tyre brusted...

"pratham grasse maxika" ...

we wasted 2 hrs to replace the tyre.. then the journey on dusty road started...

the road seems endless... bumpy.. bouncing me out of the roof top..

The instruction from my office was not to travel beyond 6:00 pm... so i was pushing drivers to run fast .. it was scary journey.. the drivers didnt speak a single word of english.. i could not speak single word of "dari"[local language]...

they stopped at one of the restaurant on way for their choice for lunch...

the restaurant was a mud building.. the floor was carpeted with iranian carpet.. we had to eat lunch on floor...

there was no menu. the items are naan [local bread] -- the exact size was 3 ft x 2 ft x 2 inch :) mutton with lots of red gravy and rice [coocked with veg. oil]... :) being 100% vegetarian i could not find anything interesting.. i thought i can go for naan and tea [green tea without milk]..... i ordered...

the boy came with a big roll of tarpaulin sheet [2ft wide by 10 ft long].. he unrolled in front of us... he brought big plate of rice... 3 bowls of meat... and then brought some naan tightly hold under his armpits!!! :)..

he started throwing the naan on floor... we have to catch the one!!! :)

pathatic hygiene.. i had to adjust.... i decided to non-memorize what i saw.... :)

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we completed the lunch... i was bout to get in car.... and realise... my GOD.... the driver had left the car keys in side and locked the door.... shiiiit!!!! the nightmare started...

he was angry on me... he said it is my fault that i asked him to lock doors before we went for lunch.. i was angry too.. i said you are the driver you should take the keys out before locking the doors... any ways.. we tried alot.. more then 15 min we were trying our level best to see how can be open the windows.!!!! we failed... it seems no way ahead....

ohh yea.. funy thing was driver left car engine running!!!!!

since we had 2 cars.. i suggested driver to go to Kabul and take the keys .. he seems not ready to leave his car at the restaurant and further it was running engine so it will eat up all fuel.. :) goooooooooooooood nesss!!!!!!!!!!!

i left the decision on driver .... he decided to break wind shield !!!! i said it is your call.. i am not going to pay for your foolish act.!!!! he was upset with me... he broke a glass... i was afraid that it might break whole wind screen.. surprisingly he could punch a hole.. rest of the screen was intact.. .... we headed to the destination with broken glass...

we kept on driving... the road seems end less... full of bumps... crossing mountains.. passing thru river lets.. river pebbles... mud, dust.... however the land scape was too beautiful.. full of green trees and green valleys .....

it was around 7:00 pm... we were still away from Bamyan... it was difficult for me to communicate with driver... he was not able to tel me either how far we are from bamyan...

as per the security procedure i shd not travel beyond 6:00 pm... ..

finally we stopped at a small village and a small restaurant... not different then the place where we took lunch... i went in with drivers... it seems too pathetic in terms of hygiene.. i could not trust food.... so decided to stay away and skip dinner...

i was hungry too... finally one of the guy from restaurant could arrange biscuits and milk creams..... biscuits were just like dusts.. it was ok... i grabbed the food to survive.. ...

driver decided to sleep inside the restaurent.. i could not trust the place.. so decided to stay in car.... i locked the car.... stretch the seat... pull over my sleeping bag. .and slept....

it was cold , quite and scary night... my first night in unprotected strange place... i could not sleep well.. every now and then i wake up and check the situation around to make sure i am not in trouble.....

finally 5:00 am.. driver woke up.. we took green tea [without milk and sugar] .... we started our journey.........

in 1.30 hrs.. we reached Bamyan.. i could see the place of famous bamyan budhdha..

we reached CHF office... it was around 7:00 am... Ian [PM] a guy from NZ welcomed me... he said he is scheduled to travel so leave me on my own.. and promised me to join in punjab....

I met another PM mr. terry lencashire and AUZ guy.

i relaxed a bit.. .. went to market bought some good food stuffs to eat as well as to take with me for next journey... i could buy some resins, almonds and cashew nuts.....

drivers went to town for repairs and some regular maintenance of cars....

First few days in Kabul Office and a journey to field

It was a warm welcome on airport.. i could not see CHF car or a pla-card ...... failed to see any one in waiting lounge with CHF sighn/t-shirt.... walked out of main building with my friend pradeep.... pradeep immediately found his organisation car... i requested him to wait for a while till i can find CHF car..... i walked around went to parking... an yeah.. Mr. Eric was there in the car.. going to Kunduz..... so i set in.. came to CHF office... a big nice building in kulla-e pusta ..

I was asked to see Mr. Mal ralston [Program director] , a nice gentleman from australia, he welcomed me and discussed some formalities.. including signing my contract etc.. i met Kevin streeter [Dy. program director] from USA.

i came donw to engineering room i met few of CHF collegues .. Slovek, Baseer, Keith, ali, adm and ICT staff..

[CHF office in Kabul]

[Ali and Kevin]

[from right Raghav, keith, ian, me , mal, terry, alex]

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i spend few days understanding program..

it was SCCRP [School and clinic Construction and Refurbishment Program].. we were suppose to build 120 schools and clinics in 4 provinces of afghanistan.. Panjab, Bamyan, Badakshan and Talukan.

i was suppose to go to Panjab and start my work of site selection sooner.

Our chief engineer Mr. Keith is very knowledgeable and experienced engineer from Australia.. a RedR.

Finally the day came when i had to travel to Panjab.. i was suppose to fly but some how the flights were irregular so management decided to send me by Car.

we didnt have our own CHF car because of custom etc prob. so we were running on hired cars..

i was suppose to go by one of the hired car but join one of the srilanka guy who was director of micro finance -CHF.. he was travelling by 2 cars. [in afghanistan all NGO follows 2 car policy..... if one car fails you continue your travel by second car but dont stop at unknown places..]..

so th hired car was parked in my guesthouse compound and the driver went home promising me to pick at 5:30.... I was littel bit more excited so i loaded my luggage in the evening itself to make sure that i dont have to waste time in the morning....

the srilankan guy came sharp at 5:30 am... my driver was unavailable.. srilankan waited for 15 min... lost his patient and left me on my luck.. i was upset and very angry on driver..... he came at 7:00 pm.. we fought.. we cancelled his contract.. and i had to postpone my trip.

finally next day Mr. Kevin and Ms. Colline [logistician] arranged 2 cars for me..

i had to take one of the afghan engineer Naeem with me...