I’m going to go light on names, places and other details in this post because I don’t want to get anyone in trouble – least of all me!

This visit took place while Andy, Nigel and I were in Peshawar waiting for permission to transit the Khyber Pass. An offer to visit an old Afghan refugee camp created when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and to use automatic weapons was put to us, and naturally we enthusiastically accepted.

After a circuitous drive and a number of transfers we arrived at our destination, which was housed in an old brickworks:

It also happened to be absolutely hammering down rain. Literally, it was like standing under a shower:

The Afghan lads travel frequently to Afghanistan for “business” and, thus, are equipped like any modern business traveler:

One of the boys, soaking wet from the rain, shows off the tools of his trade:

Which he politely let me use:

The smile that only fully automatic weapons can produce:

This lad was discussing business with an associate in Afghanistan while we were firing around him – not sure how he heard much:

Our Afghan hosts were very polite and, despite the rain, even walked us to our car when we departed:

Yet another thumbs up for Afghans and Afghanistan…