This is the most foreign experience I have ever had, domestic air travel within Afghanistan.

Alexander the Great may have marched his army to Herat , but flying to Herat with Pamir Airways on a Boeing 737-200.

But before that, I had to navigate the domestic terminal of Kabul International Airport.

The staff of the International Terminal are used to westerners.  The Domestic Terminal...not so much.

I just followed the flow of people through the initial hand search of baggage and frisking to the check in counter.  No swiping of the credit card here--although you can book your flight with Pamir online and it does work.

Then security screening with X-ray and metal detector at which point it is unclear where one should go.

You go upstairs to wait.

And here I was, among the Jet Set of Afghanistan.

Afghans waiting for the flights to Herat and Mazar Sharif.

It was an interesting mix.  Turban wearing men, men in business suits, women in full Burkas, men in Shalwars and women in designer jeans with scarves over their hair and me.

There is only one gate.  At the time of your flight a guy comes out in an official looking uniform and says it is time to board.

Inside the Domestic Departures Terminal

At which point you walk down some stairs, have your boarding pass torn, and take a bus to the plane.

Women board first and are patted down by a woman.  The men are all frisked on the tarmac.

The flight was jam packed.

After the safety brief about floatation devices and oxygen masks, we were on our way, flying above a vast expanse of brown and rocky mountains.  Some of the mountains still had snow on the peaks.

The in-flight service was a cup of water from a bottle thankfully.

The in-flight entertianment was a heated discusssion between the man beside me, the women in front of me and the flight attendant.

I was happy to doze off.

The landing into Herat Airport was smooth.

We deplaned down a set of stairs and walked across the tarmac and through a fence gate.

Herat Airport tower

My ride was waiting for me, but we had to wait for my checked baggage.

It arrived a few minutes later.

Free for all at baggage claim in the parking lot. My tripod bag was there

I'm in Herat for a few days, meetings, filming.

It may sound like I'm being vague on what I'm actually doing.  And I am being vague.  I'm doing elections work.  Can't write about the work, just the travel involved.

I hope you are enjoying the travelouge of sorts, there is more I can write about once the elections are over.

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