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July 15 Motorcycle Trip to Pol-e-SayadAnother weekend - another motorcycle excursion
Bidden by the biker's bug we set out for another day trip.
This time to the pick-nick area of Pol-e-Sayad. Located in the heart of Kapisa Province (north of Kabul) it is a popular weekend hangout for families. Located at a river children swim and the men wash their cars. Campared to April 2006 this place has expanded quite a fair bit. While then there were only a hand-ful of pick-nick huts they have now some twenty there. All nicely laid out with cushions and facing the river. We were 7 people this time on 5 bikes, including one other lady-biker. Both my friends Ratha and Sonia came along as pilliions. The brave Ratha as a first-time pillion on the back of my bike. Before reaching Pol-e-Sayad the ride leads through most serene countryside. The summer sky was blue and a rather strong breeze was blowing as we wound our way through various villages. Most of the roads were new and in good conditon - some develpoment effort actually reaches its destination. As we pulled up in front of one of the pick nick huts we also pulled a huge crowd. Boy do those alarms come in handy! After some two hours of a relaxing lunch we were on our way back and got to ponder the age-old question: why did the chicken cross the street? Passing through a village I approached a group of chicken. One was running back and forth but at the last second gave the impression to safe its own life and run to the right. But what did I know of a chicken brain? Instead the stupid creature made for a bee- or shall I say chicken line to the other side of the road, colliding with my front wheel. We saw a few feathers fly and a mangled chicken body lying on the road. "I killed a chicken" I cried - "no it's fine - I saw it running away" came the relieving answer from a fellow rider. Biking here is an incredible experience! How beautiful this country side is, how close you get to it! Once again I have discovered the beauty of this country! See corresponding photo album and soapbox.
July 10 Motorcyle Trip to the Panjshir ValleyThe "Kabul Bikers Club" took its maiden trip ....
6.30 am, 6th July 2007 - two friends from DHL and three of their Afghan colleagues and me set out for a trip to Panjshir.
But this one was a real first - we weren't going to go in a car but on motorcycles !
While our Afghan friends all had their own bikes before that me and the DHL guys went to buy a brand new Al Akhtar (?? - an Iranian make). 150cc and a Harley rip-off, we had bought one each just five days prior to this trip.
The idea was born during a business lunch when we suddenly ended up talking about biking. A couple of days later we had gone out to buy our bikes. US$700 gets you a bike which cost four times that elsewhere.
After a good service of the bikes, we strapped on our new helmets, packed some pick nick supplies and off we went.
Our route let us first through the crowded morning city traffic on Jalalabad Road and then into quieter waters to the Old Bagram Road. This is a more quiet parallel to the main road crossing the Shomali Plain. South of Charikar this road joins the main road then. It is not as well maintained as the main road, but has more to see. There are many Kuchis on the way with their floks of sheep and goats and it has far less traffic.
After cruising for some two hours we arrived in Charikar and pulled up in front of a Chay Khana for breakfast.
As we got down from our bikes we had some twenty kids crowding around us wanting to touch and play with the bikes. Lucky they all come with an alarm system. So as soon as they are touched, they will make a disturbing sound.
After a standard-fare Afghan breakfast we moved on.
About one hour later we entered the valley. After the floods of the past weeks the river had turned into a true wild-water. And here was the atraction of biking: as we passed through the narrow entrace gorge of the valley I could feel the spray of the water on my skin. All the smells - for better or worse - make for a more intense experience. One is much closer to the environment then in a car.
After another hour we reached Jangalak and drove close to the river bank for a pick nick and a nap. The river is very shallow there so we rolled up our pants and waded through the water. Despite it being summer the river is cold.
After one hour of rest we got back onto our bikes and strarted our trip back to Kabul Back through the small villages in Panjshir and on the way to Jebal-o-Seraj, over and around potholes and past men who either did not notice it or had to do a double take before noticing the woman on a motor cycle..
As I showered off the dust and sweat that evening and dumped my biking clothes into the washing machine I thought what a treat it was to be here and what discoveries are out there if one only dared.
Please also see a video clip in my soap box ... |
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