Baharak - Afghanistan

Sophie Ibbotson:

- Arriving in Baharak -

The road between Ishkashim and Baharak is a little scary. The road regularly drops away into the swollen river below, and there are a few villages along the way whose residents have a reputation for being occasionally less than friendly. The burning of a school in Warduj had already delayed our departure once, and we were keen to keep the Isuzu moving. The anticipated four-hour drive turned out to be five and a half hours, and there was nowhere suitable to stop for a wee. By the time I reached Baharak I was bursting.

Nechem - Afghanistan

Sophie Ibbotson:

We were supposed to spend just one night in Ishkashim before travelling on to Baharak. However, in the night a school was torched in Warduj and, although this was a tribal issue rather than an anti-government attack, it was felt expedient to remain an extra day in Ishkashim to let things start to calm down. Instead, we took the time to visit Nechem, a small village half an hour’s drive away where 11 years ago Afghanaid built a water pump.