Tropical Wisconsin: Kabul

We installed a server in the wonderful magical land of ISAF. ISAF is the multinational arm of the forces of Afghanistan. It is commanded by NATO right now, with a British General in charge. The trip was interesting to say the lease. The case was too large for a Hummer so we had to find another way to get it there. We rode with KBR in an armored pickup. It looks similar to an armored Wells Fargo bank truck. We got half way there and a Hummer escort blew a radiator hose in the worst place possible. It looked to me to be the perfect ambush site. We sat there for 30 minutes pissing off all the locals on the highway. We toed the hummer back to BAF, waited 30 minutes and took off again minus one escort. We made it to Kabul okay, but there are no traffic rules in this place so driving in the city was fun. Once there we were still 15 miles from our finial destination, called ISAF they said spend the night and they’ll get us in the morning. The Brits came in their little armored cars called snatches. The case was 1 inch too large for the doors in the rear. We gutted it and fit the parts in back then tied the case to the roof. Across Kabul we went with a large crate tied to the roof. Once on ISAF HQ they unloaded us and we got ready to move it to where it was going to go. Luck would have it was upstairs. The damn thing weighs 500 lbs and the stairs were narrow and it was a bitch moving it up there. Then the problems began, Secret Squirrel Stuff. Anyway that left us there for 7 days, not that it was a bad place to be. The Europeans know how to live in a war zone. The room we had they apologized for because it was one of their worst, man it was the best place I’ve seen here. The SGT was shocked when I told him it was 100 times better than our normal huts. The food was great, real cheese, cappuccino machine in the mess hall, fresh bread and fruits. Our selection is better but their food was better. Although if you eat the same thing all the time it does get old, but a change is great. They had a park like place with café tables and gazebos all around to relax and sip your coffee or beer. Yes they had beer, two beers a day you are allowed only during a short time at night. But even though I’m not a big drinker I figured when in Rome. Anyway I hung out at the British pub and tried a different one each night. Never made it to the Germans I guess I should have but oh well next time. The currency of use was the Euro which means for every $20 you get 16 Euro. Their stores sucked and out of my price range, plus they did not take credit cards for purchases under 150 Euro. We walked to the American base for some work (about 3 blocks) the kids we on the street hocking wears but we talked our way though. After a week of stone wall tactics by the IT department we came back to BAF. We were running out of laundry, and patience. After the red tape is done we will go and finish.