Jenny Morris «online»

I think the thing I got most out of the trip, was a better understanding of the Australian military. How sensitive they are to locals and their customs and predicament and how much effort they put into trying to help in an impossible situation. The people on the ground who are in command are so focused and seem to have such intelligence, it makes you feel confident that what can be done, is being done. You know, they’re over there away from their families for long periods of time in a dust bowl dodging dangerous flying objects. Its not everyone’s idea of fun. We were all really really happy about entertaining them and giving them a distraction for a brief time. I would love to have met more Afghan people but that was just not going to happen. I did meet a lovely jeweller at the market who told me he was proud of his trade and as he talked about the various gems, his own eyes sparkled and I forgot for a moment that we were in a dusty desert in a dangerous part of the world and not some little shop in a peaceful village. The children (all boys of course) at the market at Kamp Holland, were cheeky, ebullient and curious. Just like kids everywhere. I will always remember this tour, unlike any other I’ve done. JM