Afghanistan Travel Guide

Kabul is capital of Afghanistan and located in center and South Asia. When you want to came to kabul please keep these issue in your mind:

1. Kabul is very cold during Autnm and winter. If you plan to came in. please take your winter cloths
2. Security still not good in Kabul, so need to be very clearful. and don't go alone without any afghan or the place which still you're not sure about.

 

Fabulous Darling, like no place else I've ever been. Hustle and bustle on the dirty streets with open sewers and bullet ridden and dilapidated buildings gives way to peaceful green serenity once you step inside the gates of a walled-in compound. There you are met with green grass, blooming flowers, understated but warm smiles, a helping hand, warm tea, and a thick wall to block out noise from the street.

True,  the occasional land mine detonation and heavily armed locals hired to be security guards add to the mystique but don't forget to look up in the trees and spot wayward kites left by kite runners or catch a glimpse of the stunning mountains surrounding the city. Note: best not to venture up INTO those mountains as they could have left-over mines in them, best just to imagine what that beautiful trek might be like...

There is so much more to Kabol that someone who lives there could tell you but these are my there-10-days impressions.

Favortie Things: Food. Food. Food. People.People. People.
Least Favorite Thing: Driving next to a military convoy - target!

The airport looks like chaos but make no mistake, everyone knows what they are doing there just follow the lines and smile. Act like you know what you are doing.

Check out the fortress/palace outside of town but as per the signs please refrain from taking pictures (unless you just can't help it).

No PDA with the opposite sex unless you want to look like a freak show. Same sex affection in public is common and you will see men holding hands as they go.

Where to stay? Guest Lodge, guest lodge, guest lodge - the fancy Western hotel while stunningly beautiful and modern is a terrorist target and was bombed this last year. Try Kabul Lodge: MOB 079423562 070271821

Street shopping is fine and novel but if you want some nice, expensive authentic threads with a western twist try Tarsian and Blinkley (on the web for more info).

If you start giving out money you will soon become very popular with the beautiful local children who will ALL break your heart if you don't unload your pockets - best to give to an organization or entity that provides releif.

ANY attempt at the language will be MUCH appreciated but hire a guide/driver to get you where you need to go and help you find your way around the city. Just try not to make 'em drive you into a part of town that has ethnic clashes with their own people group - it's not really fun to see your GUIDE anxious and sweaty.

It's COLD at night and everything is heated with propane gas space heaters so bring warm clothes/socks/hats to sleep in starting in early fall.

Pack a roll of TP just in case but be sure NOT TO PUT IT DOWN THE TOILET - trash can is best. There ARE western toilets but a little hand sanitizer might come in handy as soap is not really part of the deal.

Um, nightlife - suggestion: don't really try and go out too much at night unless you are being taken by a local or expat living there. Wandering foreigners are frowned upon and considered vulnerable. A local will take you to a nice restaurant or lounge and know when its time to go.

P.S. Women, cover your head for pete's sake! No need to don a burqua simply use a long scarf to cover hair and neck. You may pull it off when going into a Western Compund. Pants under skirts are the deal (long skirts if you are older, shorter if you are young), cover up but by all means, wear your makeup and don't look like a slouch. Eye contact with men is not really part of the culture so keep it to a minimum and keep it all business. Expect to be separated to women's quarters if socializing with locals, not such a big deal in western circles. No one expects you to know all the rules just give it your best shot!

Enjoy!

I went to sit on the buddas heads in 1975  I crwled on my tummy to lokk at their toes!  Love the walk up in the caves.  I cried when they were distroyed!! Today,the Bamiyan cliffs are still as impressive as ever despite the abscence of the Buddhas. The Niches containing the two giant Buddhas lie vacant with a sign written by UNESCO proudly declaring the site is protected. We were unsure if this notice was put up before or after the destruction of the Buddhas. Nevertheless, the mounds of rubble which lie where two magnificent carvings once stood, are a sorry sight. This however does not mean that there is nothing to see in Bamiyan. Approaching the town, one is astounded by the sight of the cliffs across the green fields. Lit orange and baked by the hot Afghan sunset, the cliffs are a giant honeycomb of caves and grottoes which were once the home of a Buddhist society. No tourist infrastructures are in place, and visitors are free to wander where they wish without the usual hassle of postcard hawkers, overly big tour groups, and overly protective security guards which grace most tourist sites of this size elsewhere in the world. Wandering around the top of the cliffs means that you must watch where you tread, as live ammunition litters the whole area from the cliffs use as a defensive outpost recently. A true wonder of a Buddhist society's legacy. Glorious photo of the view surrounding the Buddhist cliffs around sunset.It was quite a unique experience to wander freely around such an amazing tourist sight without any hawkers, attendants or any of the other annoyances which can lessen the impact of such sights. Truly a rare opportunity.