Tourism in Afghanistan

There was an interesting report on the BBC this morning.  Maybe you saw it?

“Militants have attacked a convoy of foreign tourists in west Afghanistan, injuring six and their Afghan driver.”

A spokesman for the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

The unsuspecting tourists were made up of eight from the U.K, three from the U.S. and one German. They were on the “Duck and Cover Tour” travelling west from Bamyian to Herat with their tour guide and had stopped for a game of mini-golf and a light set menu lunch (included in the tour package) that was comprised of soup, one Kabob (goat or chicken), white rice, melon for dessert, and one glass of wine (red or white), no substitutions please.  The German insisted on beer and was the only one uninjured in the attack.

The colorful tour brochure promised that,

“Afghanistan is steadily regaining its past reputation as a beautiful country with hospitable people, and is a popular destination for its unique culture and diverse terrain. Recent travelers often remark that Afghanistan’s historical legacy and stark landscape is the initial reason they visit. However, they leave with a newfound respect for the enduring spirit of the people.

A spokesperson for the Army, Colonel Najibullah Najib said that,

"We have transported all of [the injured] to our medical facility by helicopters and none of the injuries are critical.  I don't know their nationalities, but there were 11 foreigners including six men and five women.  One of the men, smelling of beer, remained behind at the lunch stop."