At the Velvet Rocket we feel compelled to review our failures and not just to trumpet our, ahem, frequent successes… It was with a high level of optimism that Molly, Honey and I set off for some exploring of the High Sierra above Downieville, CA. Our destination? Chimney Rock. It was a lovely day in … Continue reading »
Posted in May 2008 …
Driving The Khyber Pass To Kabul
After several days stuck in Peshawar, Pakistan because of heavy fighting in the Khyber Pass, we finally got the green light to move through very early in the morning. Tensions were running quite high as the tribesmen had been killing each other only hours before and were still freely roaming around the area with twitchy … Continue reading »
Quote of the Day: Afar
‘It’s better to die than live without killing’ – Afar proverb Eds. Note – The Afar are a tribe in the Horn of Africa
Kabul’s OMAR Mine Museum (or OMAR Land Mine Museum depending on whom you ask)…
Next time you’re in Kabul, Afghanistan, one place I strongly suggest checking out (if you have not already done so) is the OMAR Mine Museum. OMAR is an acronym for Organization for Mine Clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation. Now, if you go by what the OMAR home page says or by what you might find online, … Continue reading »
Salang Pass, Salang Tunnel and The Last Battle
Many people seem to have the impression that Afghanistan consists of nothing more than sterile deserts. A drive through the Salang Pass will go a long way in dispelling that image. Along the way, the Hindu Kush mountains (through which the Salang Tunnel passes) I was reminded of everything from the Italian Alps to the … Continue reading »
Chill Out – An Ice Bar In Dubai…
It feels a little schizophrenic to travel from a war zone in Afghanistan where there were literally firefights in the street when I was leaving (more on that in future posts) to shopping for expensive clothing and hanging out at an ice bar in Dubai just a few hours later… Fortunately, embracing such ambiguities in … Continue reading »
Weapons Smuggling in Pakistan: Killing is my business… And business is good!
Down this innocuous looking street pictured below, in a quiet industrial area of Peshawar, Pakistan, lies a cutting-edge operation, global in nature and acutely reflective of the latest trends in world politics… This is an operation with far more influence in the world than its relatively small size or remote location would suggest. And an … Continue reading »
