Afghanistan Independence Day - Trip to the Panjshir

Sat, 19 Aug was Independence Day in Afghanistan. We gave everyone in the office Sun off, so we all had a three day weekend. There were some typical holiday events going on in Kabul: speeches, parades, etc., but we did not attend any due to security advisement. Past Indep Day celebrations have been marred by violence so we thought best to heed the warning. In fact, the staff told me they expected there to be a bombing or some sort of violence. (?!?!) In the end, nothing significant happened that day in Kabul, I am happy to say.

Sunday everyone at the fort (we were 8) sans Tommy piled into the cars with two of our best drivers and drove to the Panjshir Valley, where their families are from, a few hours northeast of Kabul. About an hour and a half into our journey, one of our cars had minor fender-bender with a motorcycle which resulted in us spending most of the morning at the local police station whilst the drivers sorted everything out. Accidents (typically minor) are not an uncommon occurrence given the driving conditions here and that they all drive like mad men. I’ve personally been in three, if you count the time we clipped the side view mirror off of another moving vehicle (going in the same direction!). While it was tense and we were all anxious waiting at the station, it was also amusing that the policeman upon witnessing the accident greeted Reza as he got out of the car with “Ah, Brother, welcome back to the Panjshir.” Now, it is true that many things in Afghanistan are terribly inefficient, however the bribery system works quite well. Two hours later and our pocket books a bit lighter, we were on our way again. A local man driving a car full of foreigners has literally no chance of talking his way out of a “fine”; it is all the more reason to try to fleece him.

On to the Panjshir… a short while later we arrived at the beginning of the valley – there is only one road in and one road out. I am continually amazed at the beauty of the landscape in Afghanistan, once out of the city, and the Panjshir was no exception.

A roaring river and lush valley amid a somewhat foreboding panorama, humbled by villages completely razed by fighting during the Taleban

and complemented by the odd nomadic tribe.


Finally we arrived at the must see of the valley, the tomb of Ahmed Shah Masood, aka “The Lion of Panjshir,” a famous anti-Taleban leader and one of the national heroes. They are erecting a really hideous monument in his honor on a peak above the river. Can’t bare to show you the tomb, but here we are above the valley: Driver Safi, Andre, Mike, Widya, Ester, yours truly and Leslee. John is snapping the photo.

We stopped for a lunch of kebabs and na’an at a teahouse in the valley below before taking a dip in the river and enjoying the tranquility of spending the day outside of the city.

Yes, women fully clothed while the men strip down to their shorts. The injustice of it all !! After a few of us women went in the river, head scarves and all, our drivers began furiously waving their arms and shouting, "Get out!! Get out!!" Ah, foiled again…

And finally, the “proof I was there” pic.