The drivers in this corner of the planet are an interesting bunch. By Afghan standards they are paid pretty well. It’s not an easy gig though, and often difficult, dirty and dangerous. Drivers here carry spare parts and fix their own trucks. Not like spare fan belts and filters, I’m talking pistons and rods, serious stuff. They are shot at. Bombs are placed on their trucks. Some of the roads are a long slow slog. Drive 50 feet up a steep hill, wait 10 minutes then another 50 feet. A drive that takes 40 minutes in a car can take 6 or more hours in a truck. They live in their trucks as well. Not like American truckers spending lots of time the cabs of their Peterbuilts and Kenworths. These trucks don’t have a regular sleeper cab. These trucks are not 16 wheelers. Afghanistan also lacks truck stops. There are dirt lots walled off for drivers to stop for the night in a few places. They also just park on the roadside to rest. They sleep in their ca
bs. It’s not unusual to see them cooking or making tea right next to their truck. This is a bit disturbing when it’s a fuel truck. In the space of four days, in two separate incidents we have had drivers decide to cook in the cab of their truck. I’m sure it’s more common than just these two. They just set themselves apart. They use kerosene (jet fuel) fueled stoves to cook and make tea. We know about this habit because the two drivers in question accidentally set fire to their trucks. In both cases the truck was a write off and the adjacent truck was also damaged. One unfortunate driver was sleeping in the cab when his friend set fire to the cab. The cook received burns; the sleeping driver received a cremation. Not a good way to m
eet your end in a country without life insurance. Many of the trucks have fire extinguishers inside. Unfortunately, if the drivers use them the trucking company charges them a recharge fee. To avoid the fee the drivers will try to put out the fire with clothes, hands or anything else sitting around. This results in burns to their hands and upper arms. The fire extinguisher remains intact but as we have seen some drivers do not. Life is cheap in the fourth world.
bs. It’s not unusual to see them cooking or making tea right next to their truck. This is a bit disturbing when it’s a fuel truck. In the space of four days, in two separate incidents we have had drivers decide to cook in the cab of their truck. I’m sure it’s more common than just these two. They just set themselves apart. They use kerosene (jet fuel) fueled stoves to cook and make tea. We know about this habit because the two drivers in question accidentally set fire to their trucks. In both cases the truck was a write off and the adjacent truck was also damaged. One unfortunate driver was sleeping in the cab when his friend set fire to the cab. The cook received burns; the sleeping driver received a cremation. Not a good way to m
eet your end in a country without life insurance. Many of the trucks have fire extinguishers inside. Unfortunately, if the drivers use them the trucking company charges them a recharge fee. To avoid the fee the drivers will try to put out the fire with clothes, hands or anything else sitting around. This results in burns to their hands and upper arms. The fire extinguisher remains intact but as we have seen some drivers do not. Life is cheap in the fourth world. 
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