From an upcoming festivity, an avalanche and little discipline.

A policeman looks helplessly at the 50 kilometre long flood of cars at Salang Pass. Afghans seem to love the chaos, in spite of traffic jams many drivers tried to get to the front somehow, so that the vehicles were partly four-lane. That there might be oncoming traffic was not taken into consideration.

And we in the middle of it, we actually wanted to turn back and drive back to Kabul, but even that was hopeless. So we spent the frosty night in the traffic jam. So we got to know funny Afghans, there was hot tea and biscuits. In certain time intervals the convoy crawled some hundred meters further. A little overtired we reached our destination Kunduz early the next morning..

Verkehrschaos selbst gemacht

The reason for the high traffic density was the upcoming Islamic New Year and a avalanche behind the Salang Tunnel. Unfortunately, the avalanche also carried vehicles with it. So the track was closed until late into the night.

Every year on 21 March, the Nouruz (Spring and New Year) festival is celebrated, which in Masar-i-Sharif is known as Mela-ye Gol-e Surch (Festival of Red Flowers - Poppies) and is the largest of its kind in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Tee trinkende Männer

The Pashtun boys enjoy their tea, other fun-makers and loud music in their vehicle.

Lawine Salang Pass

Late at night we were able to drive through the avalanche that had been cleared in the meantime.

Relax and Watch Buddha's View

3 Comments

  1. 3,5 bekannte Gesichter
    in einem kleinen Bericht über eine frostig-frustige Nacht.
    Zum Mitfrieren anschaulich ;-))

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