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!!]
.........[This is what we call an Office in Afghanistan]
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