Bpeace in Kabul

Four hours later, we're still smiling.

We tried to go to Kabul today. Really we did. Were at the Dubai airport at 7:00 am, and everyone but Paula and Toni went through immigration. Then, those fateful words…flight cancelled because of bad weather in Kabul.

Four hours later, after retrieving Kate, Gwendy, Jim, Laura and Ray (who on paper had left the country), and the luggage, we were ejected onto the street along with 3-dozen assorted aid workers to fight for hotel rooms during shopping month. Luckily, the Le Meridian took pity on us, and gave us our old rooms back FOR 1 NIGHT ONLY. (Our flight better take off on Friday.)

So here’s what we learned while chatting with hardened long-term Kabul-stationed workers.

Even the most experienced NGO workers in the waiting lounge were enthusiastic about the Bpeace mission (and the single women on our team). Although there is party nightlife in Kabul, the more astute aid managers place a curfew on staff to respect cultural norms.

Everyone in Kabul has a cough. There’s the fact that Kabul has the highest airborne fecal count in the world (according to the head of a health-care NGO we met) and the heating fuel of choice is propane and diesel.

According to the Dubai-Kabul commuters we met, this UN Dubai to Kabul flight has never been cancelled before.

Afghans love flowers and often when they are engaged as security guards, spontaneous gardens will bloom.

Music to Bpeace ears--new service businesses are booming in Kabul including pizza delivery and customers are more often local Afghans than local NGO workers.

Tourism is on the way up…we met 3 young ones who added Kabul to their around-the-world itinerary. Is this a harbinger of the next hip destination on the cool trail?

Tomorrow at 7:00 am, we’ll try the whole thing again. We do have options…see departure board below. (Geography quiz, where are the last 5 destinations?)


The departure board in Terminal 2 on our way to Kabul.