19 October 2001 - The Customary Confusions:

Today was supposed to be cargo day. Some more wire and cables had at last arrived and was waiting for us at customs. No problem. Run out to the airport in the morning, meet with our local customs broker, and get our stuff and start running cables this afternoon. Ahh, but such things are not so easily accomplished.

Of course this was all delayed because PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) decided to cancel a few flights. So everything sat in Karachi for a few days. But it is here now in Islamabad, so let's get it. Well, the proper way to do this is to get a letter from the Ministry of Information saying this is our gear and we'll be taking it home with us, so therefore we are exempt from paying duties and tariffs. This letter, proper as it may be, will of course be gladly generated by the ministry, but it will be written in the leisurely timeframe of a government ministry.

So instead, we write up a list of the cargo we have coming with a statement at the bottom that it will all be re-exported. Armed with our own little piece of paper, we head out to the airport. We arrive and sit down in our brokers office, and begin to strategize our approach to springing our stuff from customs.

Hmmm, have you brought the letter from the ministry? No, hmmm, I think it best that we bring your passports and a letter from your office and they will make a note of the equipment in your papers. Ohh, you did not bring passports with you. Well, run back and get them and a letter from your superior and we will see what can be done.

So, we take the half hour trip back to Islamabad, retrieve passports and write another letter, and hurry back to the airport. Our broker is waiting for us at the customs warehouse. Alas, it is Friday noon, and time for Friday prayers. No more work will get done today. There will be no laborers in the warehouse to bring out our stuff. Tomorrow, perhaps, things will all be in order.

18 Oct 2001 - Chowing towards chance

For most of the team here from the States, food was a foremost concern. Concern as in was there going to be any, and would you want to eat it. To some extent, I shared this sentiment. Of course I was also concerned that we would be wandering around in the desert looking for news. Not too many restaurants in the desert.

But there is at the Marriott Islamabad. And quite a selection as well. Everything from local specialties to pasta to enchiladas. The steaks are surprisingly good. Actually, it's surprising that it's all good. Some of the team is still a bit leery of trying everything. I can understand the worry - getting sick on the job is a big pain in the ass. But at the same time, it's a given that you're going to get sick over here at some point. Might as well jump in head first and get it over with.

But don't drink the water!

There is some booze for us to subsist on, but it does leave much to be desired. I am amazed, yet again, that there is even booze to be had here. There is a family that has the national monopoly on alcohol, and one can only get it in the hotels. Being a monopoly, the quality leaves much to be desired. Everything seems to be based on grain alcohol. The vodka is basically straight, the whisky the same with brown color. The beer is an odd concoction that seems to be quickly fermented for color, then spiked with the same grain alcohol. So, while it really sucks, the beer will put you out after two or three of them.

Cheers!

16 Oct 2001 - Mothballs in the Urinal

Well, eventually even the most open minded come across a cultural "anomoly" that really throws you for a curve. For some people these things are culinary, for others it's dress or atire. For me it's mothballs in the urinals. Mothballs seem to be a ubiquitous solution to any problem relating to both insects and odors in Pakistan. I can understand the first; I can tolerate the second.

However, and I don't want to be too gross here, there is a certain chemical reaction that occurs to mothballs in urinals. And as I have discovered, this reaction creates a rather noxious gas that quikly rises. Now, this gas is nowhere near as fierce or frightening as I have experienced in places such as public restrooms in Zimbabwe. But it is enough to make me hold my breath.

But, as with all things of this nature, it too will quicly disappear from my mind. Because the people of Pakistan have been very welcoming, although I honestly have a suspicion that for many the warmth given to foreigners is related to the ammount of "bakshesh" the foreigner has to spread around.

14 Oct 2001 - Islamabad

Well, here I am. My mind is a bit blury right now, both from the long travel to get here and from the immense processing power needed by my head to start immersing myself into a new culture and language. My first impression of Islamabad is that it reminds me of Reno, Nevada - but that is only in it's geography and topography. Sitting on a broad plain, the capitol sits in the shadow of a low mountain range. Of course, these mountains would be quite a site in Virginia, but not here a mere few hundred miles fom K2 and Everest. Our assignment here is still a bit fuzzy to me. Indeed, I've consigned myself to this confusion, which has made it less stressful.

I'm just along for the ride for right now.

13 Oct 2001 - London

Sorry for the rough looks of this latest edition of BenThere.com. I'm on my way to Pakistan to cover the current, ummm, disagreements over there. Since I may be loading this through a slow satellite connection, I'm trimming things to the bone. I will be adding some photos as we go along. With some luck I'll find a landline and can give you my regular dose of bloated HTML and massive graphics and pictures.
Stay safe!