The first trip was with a German MRAP team, from Marmal to Spann. This was easily one of the coolest things I have been lucky enough to do. The ride takes about an hour, the vehicle was suprisingly comfortable, and the Germans were great guys.
The team getting the vehicle ready to go.
Our vehicle and another one of the convoy behind, there were 4 of them.
The Sgt in charge, to the right of the periscope.
The machine gunner, when outside the camp they button up and the gunner operates the gun from below via periscope.
Our driver
And yours truly.
The following five pictures are street scenes from MES. 
They really seem to love yellow cars for some reason.
The second trip we took was back from Spann to Marmal, via convoy of heavily armored SUVs. This is pretty typical transportation in urban areas, and what we use for most things in Kabul.
A blurry burka babe in the forground.
The Afghans like roundabouts, and they like to put monuments to things in the middle of them. the next five photos are all of that sort of thing.
And some more scenes of MES city life.
The third trip we took was the same day as the last, back to Spann. This time Sgt Fish got us a ride with an American MRAP team. This one was more like a truck, couldn't really see much out the windows and not as comfy as the German one.
The back door drops down and you climb right in. 
This is our convoy, we were the lead truck.
Diane and I in the truck.
Specialist McGahan kept us company for the ride. The guy in the middle manned the machine gun. Unlike the Germans he had his upper body out of the vehicle the whole time. Bummer for him as it was snowy and windy.
The ride is over, unloading at Spann.
It may seem a little scary since the weapon of choice for the bad guys here seems to be the IED, but I really always felt safe. Those things are built like tanks, they must get about 1/2 a mile per gallon.
The back door drops down and you climb right in. 
This is our convoy, we were the lead truck.
Diane and I in the truck.
Specialist McGahan kept us company for the ride. The guy in the middle manned the machine gun. Unlike the Germans he had his upper body out of the vehicle the whole time. Bummer for him as it was snowy and windy.
The ride is over, unloading at Spann.
It may seem a little scary since the weapon of choice for the bad guys here seems to be the IED, but I really always felt safe. Those things are built like tanks, they must get about 1/2 a mile per gallon.
Love the Genghis Khan and horse sculpture roundabout.
ReplyDeleteGotta love the yellow cabs in Maz...thinking that if we added lots of color in their world perhaps life would seem brighter and full of potential again, and MRAPS wouldn't be necessary.
thats the weird thing about the cars, most of them aren't cabs, they just really like yellow cars for some reason.
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