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24 Jun 2009
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Glad to hear you made it thru mate. Hope you did a lot of filming ;-)
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24 Jun 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colebatch
Hope you did a lot of filming ;-)
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It was not quite yet the filming season in Afghanistan... 
 (sorry, I HAD to use the hanging smiley...)
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25 Jun 2009
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Location: Oztralia
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Interesting to hear how times have changed.
I did the pass from Pakistan into Afghanistan in May '77 two-up on an RD350. No real trouble at that time apart from a bus being hijacked in front of us, the bike bouncing over the huge speedbump which had been built by the armed bandits to slow down the bus, and causing our packrack (with all luggage attached) to snap off and bounce down the road.
The bandits were not interested in us, so I picked up the packrack (still with all luggage attached), somehow balanced it on my knees and the tank, and rode back to the Pakistani border where I had it welded back on the rear of the bike.
Two hours later we were ready for the second attempt, which went without incident. Once in Afghanistan the hardest part of the ride to Kabul was avoiding the youths on hilltops herding sheep. They all carried powerful slingshots and were determined to use us as target practice.
Garry from Oz.
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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman
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29 Jun 2009
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Am I an idiot?
I am planning to go from Dubai to Iran in one week (spent 5 weeks there in 2007) and from there onto Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Am I foolhardy? Somewhat of a rhetorical question I suppose but I'd like an honest answer. I keep getting told not to go to different countries, last one was Yemen, but when I am there they end up being the ones I enjoy the most.
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30 Jun 2009
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Well, as a matter of fact, I loved Afghanistan. Once in Islamabad, I was thinking of going back there on public transportation and dressed properly - locally... It was too complicated, so I gave up. But yes, Afghanistan was great. However, from Iran it's a long way (I suppose you'd go to Mash'had, Herat, Mazar'e'sharif, kunduz, kabul, jalalabad and peshawar?). And the situation in the north got worse lately. Cities are pretty safe, not the country side. If you do it, don't drive at night: that's the talibans's time...
When going to such countries, one is responsible of his own life. But, the risk is to put other lives in danger (at least that's the way I see it). Whenever and wherever you stop, you get important gathering. You don't want to be blasted I suppose. Killing is not the bigest probleme: kidnapping is the main issue here. And diplomatic representations don't do much in that kind of situations and places. If you choose to go through Afghanistan, I wish you good luck, you'll need it, and if nothing happens (in terms of safety), enjoy as much as you can.
Take great care of yourself
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
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