Update: As of July 12, 2017 the State Department has reversed its decision. Afghanistan’s all-girls robotics team will be issued visas to travel to the U.S.! A lot of us take travel for granted. Regardless of how involved you are in this hobby, chances are you see travel as a […]
Tag: afghanistan
Tips for visiting Kabul: Transportation, lodging, and staying connected
In the previous post we covered whether Afghanistan is a safe place to visit. If that hasn’t deterred you from visiting, here are a few tips on how to prepare before your trip, how to get there and where to stay, how to get around, and stay connected to friends […]
Tips for visiting Afghanistan: Is it safe?
One of the things I get asked about a lot are my trips to Afghanistan. Several people have asked recently if it is safe for them to visit. I’ve gotten this question before and thought I’d address it. Back in the 70’s, Afghanistan was a hotspot for tourism – especially […]
Afghan Warlords at Dubai Airport
We checked out of the Hyatt and headed to the airport. If you book a Club room or a Suite at the Hyatt Regency Dubai, you get complimentary car service to the airport. This time they actually took into account the number of people and bags, and provided a Mercedes […]
Trip report: Kabul Airport (2012)
And so my second trip to Afghanistan came to an end. Unlike the previous year, when I ended up crying most of the flight to Germany, I felt like the door was wide open and I could always return. Introduction Admiral’s Club Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris British Airways Business […]
Trip report: Northern Afghanistan (2012)
While I’d already toured part of Northern Afghanistan in 2011, I was thrilled to get a chance to visit a few more provinces. My uncles picked us up and we spent the day in three towns (Charikar, Kohistan, Qarabagh) across three provinces (Parwan, Kapisa, Kabul). Introduction Admiral’s Club Charles De Gaulle Airport, […]
Trip report: Arghandeh, Afghanistan (2012)
Arghandeh is a tiny village located in the Paghman district. Every house is fortified and there might only be a few hundred residents. At one point, a river flowed through the town. My family owned much of the property in front of the river, but it has since dried up […]
Trip report: Paghman, Afghanistan (2012)
Paghman is a town of 120,000 residents, though it seems much smaller than that. It was home to several notable historical figures, including King Amanullah Khan, President Hafizullah Amin, and Governor Abdullah Wardak. Paghman served as a popular vacation spot for the wealthy of Kabul, and I understand why. It boasts […]
Trip report: Qargha, Afghanistan (2012)
Qargha is about five miles from Kabul, but takes 20 minutes to reach because of traffic in the city. It’s a very peaceful little town with a large lake and reservoir. The entrance to Qargha is sponsored by Azizi Bank. No kidding – it actually says “Welcome to Qargha”, surrounded […]
Trip report: Kabul, Afghanistan (2012)
Our trip to Kabul this time around got off to a bad start. First, I got sick as soon as we arrived. It took me out for the next three days, delaying our plans. Originally, we had planned on staying in Kabul for 2-3 days, then off to Herat for […]