Pete Law: 8 Jan 2003

8 Jan 2003

Paul,

I have arrived in Afghanistan. I appreciate the assignment. It is very cool here and I am appreciating the Camel hair vest that your wife made me before leaving. It is warm and lets me ease into the steady flow of the locals on the street. Please pass my thanks.

This is not unlike home. There are no Diet Cokes or neatly wrapped candy bars to buy with the change in your pockets. No free toys with hamburgers. No, commodities are expensive. It is life that is cheap.

I saw a young girl playing some ancient game with a friend. Just a stick and a ball made out of goat bladder. How lucky Americans are.

The charm of the people aside, one gets the feeling that a cold knife in the ribs comes as easily to an American here as, "Buenos Dias" in a border town. No, this is not the good old US of A, friend. This is the wrong side of the tracks in Persia.

I must report that I did have some problems in the airport. An Afghani version of Customs freed me of my disk camera and the bottle of rubbing alcohol I had brought along in case the hotel heat gave out. It's all right though, I will find what I need along the way, as I move towards the fluid, greasy line that those back home would call the, "War Front".

The taxi ride from the airport was uneventful. The driver spoke little English and kept inquiring about, "Snickers" over and over again. I found nothing like it in my Farsi translation book, but finally quieted him with a filthy, crushed Almond Joy from my travel bag. It amused me to find a sweet tooth so far from Hershey, Pennsylvania. I realized we are all the same on the inside, you know what I mean?

Moving on, I am staying the night at the Hotel de Pollo in the city of Baruul. Funny to find the name for Spanish Chicken so far from home, but there it is, blinking in neon in this dusty little impoverished town. There is no phone, so don't try to call. No water, electricity or even blankets on the bed. I can see a large river from here, I believe it to be a wandering, dark blue tributary of the Nile. I will investigate it on the morrow.

Finally, I will get out among the people as soon as possible. I plan on gradually working my East towards the fighting. I have hired a young Afghani boy, Pedro, to be my guide and I will give you and your readers honest reports of this conflict as I see them unfolding.

Well, that is a quick update from Afghanistan. I just wanted to let you know that I am on the ground, ok. I can smell the pungent, yet not unpleasant smell of animal fur burning downstairs and I realize I need to eat before I can possibly sleep. I will get a little local goat in my stomach and look at this sleepy little bedroom village through better rested eyes. It is Saturday here so that means it is Wednesday where you are. A good night's rest will clean up the jet lag and I promise to write you more when the sun rises again.

P. Law

Last modified about over 3 years ago.

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