Vacationing In Central Asia II

Amazing, thanks for sharing!

I have always been a history buff, and especially the "Stans" are quite amazing, in the most negative way. For everyone interested, here are some books and movies about the topic:

"Flashman" by George MacDonald Fraser, about the desastrous retreat from Kabul in 1842. If you have never heard the name Flashman, give it a try, the most hilarious way to learn about the history of the 19th century. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Flashman

"Queen Victorias little wars" by Byron Farwell, which tells you that nearly ONE THIRD of all the conflicts during Victorias reign were actions on or near the Northwest frontier.

"Osprey - Men at Arms 178 - Russia's War in Afghanistan". This one is especially interesting, being published in 1986, when that war was still going on.

AND

"James Bond - the living daylights" Thats the absolute negative example. Russians riding around in American trucks, flying American planes, a worthy oriental gentleman who, of course, studied in Oxford, and lots of noble savages...... the worst of all the Bonds, by far.

Like most jobs; I do miss some of it.  Got to see and do a lot of things I never thought I would; met some really great people; including many of the locals.  I'm still on two different job boards for this type of work, and though I've promised my family I won't do it anymore.......................I'd jump at the chance for good gig in Kurdistan.  Eastern Europe (quite a few projects of one sort or another to ready several former Soviet Blocs ready for full EU integration), would be cool, and S. America, or some parts of Africa would be OK too.  One organization attempted to recruit me for an election monitoring gig in the Ukraine just before all the shooting started [bullet resistant vest, AK and 500 rounds of complimentary ammo included!    Just kidding!  It was actually an unarmed gig].  I was going to take the job; but the client wanted only their own Nationals (being unaware I'm US).  Darn it! 

I did two years in Iraq and two working with Palestinian Security Forces near the Jordanian border too.  It never failed to amuse me when we'd get "road blocked" by goat and camel herds in the road; herded by Bedouins and/or their kids like the last 2000 years.

More relevant to this board...........the Nepali's I worked with were a great group of guys.  Very hard working and "gung ho" to use a USMC expression.  Always willing to take on any task assigned, and learn new techniques and ways of doing things.  I really had to work on their driving skills (offensive and defensive) as they were pretty much **** at them.  Our employer had put them through a 3 week driving course that had been condensed into two days.  Really?!    I suspect the designated Team Drivers had pretty much lied to the company recruiters about previous driving experience back in Nepal.   They were OK once I go them up to speed on what to do, and more importantly NOT DO!  Now that I think about it........................what's the most dangerous thing in FC 4?   NPC drivers of course!     Another big issue was English proficiency................or lack there of.  If I yelled, "RPG; 10 o'clock; 50!"  The driver needed to understand it the FIRST time and initiate appropriate manuvering.  So I initiated some basic English schooling for them, and got them tooled up on their radio use proficiency as well.  I had the senior NCO teach me quite a few basic commands in Nepali, as well as routine conversational stuff.  Most of them practiced a Hindu/Bhuddist hybrid religion (not at all like the rabidly secular Royal Kyrati Army), and I was the Guest of Honor at a religious feast they threw in late '06 (I'm embarrassed I don't remember the name of it!) featuring a ceremony involving the beheading of a sacraficial goat with a sword sized Khukri!   The dude lopped that bad boy off with a single stroke!   Yikes!  The goat was roasted for the feast later that evening.  They failed to completely skin the goat (I'm just not into meat with burnt hair and skin stuck to the outside of it) WAY too much curry powder; their grilling technique need some serious work.  I said nothing; smiled and scarfed it down, and asked for seconds!   That ****  was horrid!  

I received numerous invites to come to Nepal on leave, and hang with which ever one of them was also there on leave.  I certainly considered it; though as I was aware of the ongoing Maoist insurgency, so prominently featured in FC4; I considered it inadvisable.  I now wish I had; it was only about a 2-3 hour flight from The Stan.  Who knows..............I may still make it someday.