An unclear welcome in Afghanistan

This photo was taken when I crossed the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the end of the Khyber Pass.

First of all, my apologies for the quality of the image. The original is in storage back in Australia and this was the only copy I could find on my hard drive..

But as I mention this border crossing in the latest episode of my podcast I thought I’d post it and ask for your indulgence.

It’s a border crossing I’ve dined out on for decades and, not surprisingly, it takes out the top spot in my list of Top 5 memorable border crossings.

That’s me directly under the letters ‘GHA’. On the advice of the Afghani consul in Peshawar, I’d gone ‘local’ wearing a drab olive shalwar kameez and Chitral cap that I bought in the markets in Peshawar before I left.

It was supposed to help me ‘blend in’. Unfortunately, my long blonde hair, even pulled back in a ponytail, signalled pretty quickly that I wasn’t from ‘round these parts.

Those of you who have read my book, The Wrong Way Home, will know the story.

To hear more about the crossing – and my encounter with the local Mujaheddin leader – just drop by the episode page of the podcast.