Every time I go away

I find that I'm sad to leave Afghanistan, even for short breaks (exactly 3 weeks to go till we jet off to Europe and South Africa for a month).
Odd, because it's often just plain exhausting being here.

I like lists, so here are two: --

Things I love about Afghanistan

• People touch their hearts gently when they greet you.

• Little kids who know about cameras make what we would consider a bincoular gesture with their hands which means 'take my picture.'

• Little kids who've never seen a camera (most of them) shriek and then burst with joy on seeing their images reproduced for the very first time. The old man in the photo dissolved into tears when he saw his photo, it was an unforgettable moment.
  

• People discuss absolutely anything with gusto...no taboos, no reservations (surprising but true).

• The rugged natural beauty.

• An almost complete lack of commercialism -- no signs, no goods other than what comes out of the earth. OK, there is some plastic crap from China, but only in the towns. And Kabul is basically another country.

• Women that I've known for 2 minutes give me bear hugs, kiss me endlessly on both cheeks and insist that I visit their homes, eat with them, hell, live with them!

• The opportunity to help.
  

Things I'm not too keen on:

• The food.

• The parasites that go along with the above.

• Killer "roads"... just got in from Baharak. Ouch :(

• A complete absence of women in public. I'm sorry, but the anonymous blue burqas scuttling around don't count!

• Filthy looks from men (a friend asked why I don't just scowl back, believe me I've tried and it just makes me angrier. So now I've perfected the art of looking everywhere but at the bastards).

• Lack of security, more especially the way in which it prevents me from moving about freely.

• Extremists, glaring gender inequality and all that.
  

So, as I get really excited about getting away, eating sushi, walking about freely in comfy clothes appropriate to the weather, hanging out with friends and family, I also feel a tinge of regret leaving behind the country that time forgot.