We convoyed out to a new (new to us) district; on the way we saw no poppies, while there we saw no poppies, on the way back we saw no poppies. What we did see was a lot of busy people growing a lot of vegetables and wheat. After some of our recent trips, this was a very pleasant change.
The mission had several purposes, one of which was to check up on some ongoing cobble stone road projects. Yes cobble stone. Evidently it can last a great deal longer with a great deal less maintenance than layered bitumen type roads (asphalt). Layered bitumen roads don’t do too well here on account of the jingle trucks/buses which are always loaded beyond what an ordinary man, let alone gravity, would deem feasible. They last perhaps five years before they are difficult to navigate. After a few additional years Afghan asphalt roads require full-up all terrain vehicles. Cobble stone on the other hand, while dustier and bumpier than fresh bitumen, tends to last a long while with out too much fuss.