Kabul’s morning obstacle course

Reporters on the Job: I was scheduled to have an early-morning meeting with a key source for my story on negotiations with Afghan insurgent groups (read the story here). But it was on the other side of Kabul. The prospect filled me with dread.

Mornings in Kabul are spectacularly unpredictable and traffic clogged. That morning, I hopped in a public minivan, which ferries passengers across town. Ten minutes into the ride, the van broke down. Then, I hailed a taxi. We drove until NATO soldiers blocked our route, stalling us for almost an hour. I got out, walked a few blocks, and caught a city bus. The bus trundled along until a bomb went off ahead of us. We were stalled for another hour.

I finally walked the last stretch, arriving two hours late. But my source, being a Kabuli, could empathize, and he arrived after I did!