AFGHANISTAN
Producing an event in a war-zone
December 2005
November 2005, I’m a free-lance Audio Engineer and Technical Director. One of my clients gets in touch with me regarding an event organized in Kabul by a non-governmental organisation; they need someone to coordinate all technical aspects.
The plan was to have a presentation in Kabul for Afghan teenagers, explaining them the concept of democracy and involving them in a parliament session role-play with a voting system.
Belgian students would be in Brussels at the actual parliament holding the same session simultaneously and at the end would be linked with Kabul via video-conference to share their respective experiences and opinions.
The actual event was planned to happen on December 23rd or 24th. This is the log I held during the trip to keep track of the adventure…
After several coordination meetings and a visit to the Afghan and Azeri embassies for our visas, we take-off on November 30th for a site-visit in order to prepare the logistics and meet the potential attendees. The team on this trip will be Jeannot Kupper, the Chairman of the organization producing this event, his colleague Christophe Gaeta, two belgian army staff and myself.
Nov. 30th
- 04.45 am - Melsbroek Military Airpot. Our guide throughout the trip, Commander Claude Renard and his female assistant , meet us and we head to luggage check-in and security as well as customs controls, quite like in civilian air travel. We’re then transferred to the air ground where our Hercules C130 aircraft awaits to bring us to the Far-East.
Everybody sits in the same class on those aircrafts: Cargo class. Simple cloth benches run along the sides of a non-pressurized cargo hold.
The load, sitting in the middle, is made up of an F16 jet-fighter engine and … Belgian beer… for the troops out there. Two aircraft mechanical engineers travel with us for a repair mission on a plane stuck in Baku.
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- 07.15 am - Taxi and take-off for a 7-hour eastbound flight to our stop-over in Baku, Azerbaijan.
A few moments later, our aircraft hovers low over the clouds as the sun rises. Nobody says a word, the un-pressurised cabin/cargo hold letting the noise the four propeller engines draft through, slamming our ears, protected by ear-plugs. |
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- 10.30 am - After some work on my laptop, sitting on the heated ground, we are granted a visit to the crew in the cockpit, while flying over Bucharest at 25.000 feet with a cruise speed of 350km/h (220mph).
A decent lunch is served to us then I doze down for a nap, still surrounded by the engine noise. - 05.20 pm GMT+4 - Touchdown in Baku. |
After going through Immigration we are brought to our hotel for the night, the “Grand Hotel Europe” where all the Belgian military’s stay on their stop-overs.
We have a drink down at the bar before catching a taxi to the city centre where we have a meal at “Rasputin’s” Russian cuisine restaurant, followed by a few drinks in … an Irish pub!
Dec. 1st
- 06.35 am - I jump, last and late, in the transfer bus for the Airport. Midway Jeannot notices he left his passport at the hotel. Commandant Renard makes a couple calls to assign a taxi to fetch it so we don’t lose any time heading backwards during rush hour.
- 08.10 am - Ready for take-off, again sitting on the cloth fittings that serve as our seats in the C130.
Two Belgian Federal Police officers based in Baku are with us on the plane. They have an investigation to undertake in Kabul military base. Belgian Military Police are not entitled to carry out legal investigations.
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After preparing my technical visit I have a nap on the heated aircraft floor. When I awake, we’re flying over endless ranges of Afghan desert mountains.
- 11.15 am - We’re requested to fit our helmets and bullet proof vests as we could become a potential target when arriving over Kabul. The C130 does not have weapons, but a defensive system called flares. They shoot out fire balls in all directions around the plane to mislead any missiles away from the plane. |
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- 12.30 pm, GMT+ 4.5 - Touchdown at Kabul Airport/NATO Military base. Altitude: 1800 meters above sea level.
We’re shown around the ISAF (International Security and Assistance Forces) base camp and introduced to our modular container bedroom units before lunch in the canteen where the kitchen staff is mainly Pakistani. All the supplies are sourced in the United Arab Emirates.
After lunch we get our security induction. The security level is high, last week a German patrol got killed by driving on a mine, en route to Kabul hospital.
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- 02.30 pm - I meet up with Adjudant-Major Pelletier, sixty-two years old (to the right of the picture).
He shows me various options for installing our event ground and dealing with our logistics. They’re all very helpful and enthusiastic about our project. |
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My main concern will be the communications link for our video-conference; I’ll be dealing with Lieutenant Brandi in charge of IT out here for the Belgian Army.
In the meantime, Jeannot and Christophe are going around Kabul with Commandant Renard in an armoured vehicle meeting officials, schools and universities to find English speaking potential attendees for the event.
Mid-afternoon, I take a shower to remove the ever-present dust here in Afghanistan.
There are no trees or even anything else growing here as they have all been torn down to be used for the ongoing war efforts the country has been through since decades.
In the meantime, Jeannot and Christophe are going around Kabul with Commandant Renard in an armoured vehicle meeting officials, schools and universities to find English speaking potential attendees for the event.
Mid-afternoon, I take a shower to remove the ever-present dust here in Afghanistan.
There are no trees or even anything else growing here as they have all been torn down to be used for the ongoing war efforts the country has been through since decades.
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Later, I take a walk around the military base which happens to be an astonishing discovery for a civilian. It’s a small scaled society model in here. The five thousend men and hundred women of the armed forces of each of the tewenty-four nations taking part in the Afghan mission have their own sector in the camp, with at least one bar for each nation! So when the evening settles in there are loads of places to go around and grab pints, theoretically soldiers on mission are not supposed to have more than two drinks a night.
There are three mini-markets and a bunch of restaurants for those who want a change from the canteen: Italian, Thai, Burgers…Sports fields, a movie theatre, churches & mosques and the International Bar complete the "leisure" package. |
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Apart from the airport activity, it is pretty calm and everybody seems relaxed. Imagine a holiday resort, where everybody would wear Kaki and combat boots…
- 07.00 pm - After having dinner with a bunch of soldiers and exchanging points of views between the military and civilian worlds, I meet up with Lieutenant Brandi to find solutions for our communications.
A little later, Jeannot and Christophe get back from Kabul and we have a couple drinks at the Belgian bar.
Dec. 2nd
- 07.30 am – Breakfast, before a series of meetings with various communication specialists from the NATO, our video conferencing shouldn’t be a problem as we can use the military’s Video Conferencing Unit over the Iridium satellite system. The main issue is to ge the live coverage for the television broadcast. They can not guarantee us the bandwidth or even the availability, as we’re requesting to go over high-priority military satellites.
- 10.45 am - Strolling through the camp with Peltier, listening to all his stories about his career and military life in general, we finally find the perfect location to set-up a tent to hold our event.
- 07.00 pm - After having dinner with a bunch of soldiers and exchanging points of views between the military and civilian worlds, I meet up with Lieutenant Brandi to find solutions for our communications.
A little later, Jeannot and Christophe get back from Kabul and we have a couple drinks at the Belgian bar.
Dec. 2nd
- 07.30 am – Breakfast, before a series of meetings with various communication specialists from the NATO, our video conferencing shouldn’t be a problem as we can use the military’s Video Conferencing Unit over the Iridium satellite system. The main issue is to ge the live coverage for the television broadcast. They can not guarantee us the bandwidth or even the availability, as we’re requesting to go over high-priority military satellites.
- 10.45 am - Strolling through the camp with Peltier, listening to all his stories about his career and military life in general, we finally find the perfect location to set-up a tent to hold our event.
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- Noon - I have a pint at Air Force One, the international bar while chatting with two Icelandic soldiers. In the meantime, Jeannot and Christophe drive back in Kabul.
Lunch follows with Lieutenant-Colonel Johan Andries, an F-16 jet-fighter pilot, also one of the main commanders of this air-base. 
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- 03.00 pm - After working a bit more and giving a few calls, I have another meeting with Brandi, but no solution to be found. We’ll have to look at another option for the news coverage.
Then I do a complete walking tour of the camp, watching the planes manoeuvring and taking pictures.
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When Jeannot and Christophe get back, they introduce me to a journalist from TOLO TV who might be able to help us with our news coverage.
Jeannot brought back a wonderful souvenir: a pink plastic alarm clock in the shape of a mosque that will yell a traditional prayer as it sets off.
We spend the evening visiting the Swedish, then the Slovak bars and end at the Belgian bar where the atmosphere is always on the party side. Commander Renard tells some of his "war" stories. One of them relates to him setting up a black market business in Mogadishu harbour to keep the Somali population under control and finally, with their help, he takes control of the harbour back from the rebels.
Dec. 3rd
- 07.30 am - No more hot water for my shower and it’s 2°C outside. Fresh wake-up!
After Breakfast I get in touch with “Afghan Wireless & Cable Communication” to try and find out if they can help with the satellite link.
- Noon - I wander about the weekly camp market. Afghan retailers are allowed in the camp to sell their stuff. Fake DVD’s and CD’s, souvenirs, local crafts, tailored suits, fabrics, ancient Russian military gear and memorabilia…
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- 02.00 pm - I finalize logistics with Peltier and then go through our audiovisual kit list. We can not afford forgetting a single piece of equipment and will need loads of spares.
- 04.00 pm - The sun starts its way down and the temperature drops. I head back to the bedroom to figure out a loading plan to fit all the gear in the C130 aircraft that will bring us back here in 3 weeks.
The “Kabul team” is back with good news; they managed to secure all the students to attend the event.
We have diner all together in the Thai restaurant, then end up for some drinks at Air Force One where there’s a serious party going on. They’re all drunk and dancing… wearing firearms…!
Dec. 4th
- 05.30 am - Early wake-up and quick breakfast. We’re given a lunch box as we don’t know if they’ll have lunch for us on one of our return stop-overs in Termez.
Three French soldiers and an F16 pilot are with us. All hoping the C130 will take off, as yesterday it landed with only two motors on the four available. The flight engineer is confident.
- 08.40 am - We’re announced a 40-minute delay as mist has settled and the brand new airport radar will only be certified tomorrow. So we hang around the plane...
- 04.00 pm - The sun starts its way down and the temperature drops. I head back to the bedroom to figure out a loading plan to fit all the gear in the C130 aircraft that will bring us back here in 3 weeks.
The “Kabul team” is back with good news; they managed to secure all the students to attend the event.
We have diner all together in the Thai restaurant, then end up for some drinks at Air Force One where there’s a serious party going on. They’re all drunk and dancing… wearing firearms…!
Dec. 4th
- 05.30 am - Early wake-up and quick breakfast. We’re given a lunch box as we don’t know if they’ll have lunch for us on one of our return stop-overs in Termez.
Three French soldiers and an F16 pilot are with us. All hoping the C130 will take off, as yesterday it landed with only two motors on the four available. The flight engineer is confident.
- 08.40 am - We’re announced a 40-minute delay as mist has settled and the brand new airport radar will only be certified tomorrow. So we hang around the plane...
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- 10.25 am - We finally take off, and land 40 minutes later in Kunduz to quickly board 3 Belgian soldiers at the end of the runway and take off again in the now-usual roller-coaster style, to avoid being an easy target for the Taliban’s… they say…
- 12.45 pm - We land in Termez, Uzbekistan, member of the very select club of “the last hard-core communist countries around”. No photos allowed. Commander Renard needs to meet some local officials to re-negotiate the stop-over restriction for Belgian planes. At the time of writing only the German army is tolerated here, they have a small base camp close to the airport, where we have lunch.
- 02.40 pm - We take-off again for our Baku night stop-over. We’ll have Azeri food for diner at the hotel and then go for a couple of drinks at the “Le Chevalier” disco, located under the hotel.
Dec. 5th
- 07.15 am - Breakfast, followed by our transfer through Baku’s rush-hour that give’s us the opportunity to see a bit of the city… It’s still all like USSR here…
- 10.00 am, GMT+4 - We take off for the last leg of this site-visit. A 9-hour flight back to Belgium.
At lunch time, we’re served decent lunch platters prepared by “Azerbaidjan Airlanes”.
- 03.25 pm, GMT +1 - Touchdown at Brussels Airport and taxi to the military air-base side, Melsbroek. a couple minutes later the engines finally stop, what a relief! Earplugs can finally come off.
Having scheduled a meeting with Jeannot and Christophe the next morning, I drop the two French soldiers at the station to catch their train back to Paris then I head back home.
After a dozen meetings with all the involved parties (army administration, IT logistics, TV station, satellite operators), rushing around suppliers, getting customs cleared for the equipment and supervising the load-in of our 2 Tons of AV gear we’re ready for Part 2 of the mission.
- 12.45 pm - We land in Termez, Uzbekistan, member of the very select club of “the last hard-core communist countries around”. No photos allowed. Commander Renard needs to meet some local officials to re-negotiate the stop-over restriction for Belgian planes. At the time of writing only the German army is tolerated here, they have a small base camp close to the airport, where we have lunch.
- 02.40 pm - We take-off again for our Baku night stop-over. We’ll have Azeri food for diner at the hotel and then go for a couple of drinks at the “Le Chevalier” disco, located under the hotel.
Dec. 5th
- 07.15 am - Breakfast, followed by our transfer through Baku’s rush-hour that give’s us the opportunity to see a bit of the city… It’s still all like USSR here…
- 10.00 am, GMT+4 - We take off for the last leg of this site-visit. A 9-hour flight back to Belgium.
At lunch time, we’re served decent lunch platters prepared by “Azerbaidjan Airlanes”.
- 03.25 pm, GMT +1 - Touchdown at Brussels Airport and taxi to the military air-base side, Melsbroek. a couple minutes later the engines finally stop, what a relief! Earplugs can finally come off.
Having scheduled a meeting with Jeannot and Christophe the next morning, I drop the two French soldiers at the station to catch their train back to Paris then I head back home.
After a dozen meetings with all the involved parties (army administration, IT logistics, TV station, satellite operators), rushing around suppliers, getting customs cleared for the equipment and supervising the load-in of our 2 Tons of AV gear we’re ready for Part 2 of the mission.
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Dec. 21st
- 06.30 am – I arrive in Melsbroek and meet up with the team we’ve put together: - Benjamin, journalist, and his cameraman Vincent from the RTBF Belgian television. - Michel and Lydie: audiovisual technical assistants. - Jean-Marie, a free-lance cameraman hired to cover "behind the scenes". - Jeannot, our frontman! Christophe will stay here to coordinate the event from the Brussels-side. Jeannot mentions that his and my Azeri visas are still valid when I question him on the subject… Personally I’m not that sure… - 10.45 am - We take-off, two and a half hours behind schedule, direction Baku for another night at the “Grand Hotel Europe”. We’re granted with some music that manages to get over the engine noise with a nice play-list choice from the crew. Thanks to my two batteries, I can use my laptop for most of the trip, working, reading and watching a movie, comfortably seated on the top of a bier cans palette under the heating vents. |
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- 09.00 pm- As I had foreseen, our Azeri visa’s are not valid as they’re single-entry. Luckily we can have them done at the local Immigration office.
On the way to the hotel I have a chat with The Flemish Spy, a member of Belgium’s intelligence services that was with us in the plane, he has some communications interception devices in his suitcase and will be up all night to gather "information", then head back to Belgium the next morning.
So we didn’t see him et the “Le Chevalier” disco that was packed tonight. By 3.30 and after having to decline the transactions proposed by the Azeri girls we go to bed to grab a short night’s sleep.
Dec. 22nd
- 10.20 am - Our transfer bus arrives… Jan De Bond, "code Nul-Nul-Zeven", the intelligence agent isn’t around, still gathering whatever crucial information in his room, we guess.
- 04.15 pm- Helmets, bullet-proof vest and roller-coaster landing at Kabul International Airport.
A very cute Greek female soldier check’s us in and show’s us our tent dormitory, where the whole team will sleep. No container rooms this time, except for Lydie our female crew member, we’ve got heating thought so we’ll be fine.
- 05.30 pm - Jeannot and myself explain our action plan and all the details of this event to the local military staff directly involved as well as those in charge of the main operations in the air-base.
- 210.00 pm - After dinner, we start setting-up the AV gear with the help of the soldiers. Everything is set and working by 1.00 am.
On the way to the hotel I have a chat with The Flemish Spy, a member of Belgium’s intelligence services that was with us in the plane, he has some communications interception devices in his suitcase and will be up all night to gather "information", then head back to Belgium the next morning.
So we didn’t see him et the “Le Chevalier” disco that was packed tonight. By 3.30 and after having to decline the transactions proposed by the Azeri girls we go to bed to grab a short night’s sleep.
Dec. 22nd
- 10.20 am - Our transfer bus arrives… Jan De Bond, "code Nul-Nul-Zeven", the intelligence agent isn’t around, still gathering whatever crucial information in his room, we guess.
- 04.15 pm- Helmets, bullet-proof vest and roller-coaster landing at Kabul International Airport.
A very cute Greek female soldier check’s us in and show’s us our tent dormitory, where the whole team will sleep. No container rooms this time, except for Lydie our female crew member, we’ve got heating thought so we’ll be fine.
- 05.30 pm - Jeannot and myself explain our action plan and all the details of this event to the local military staff directly involved as well as those in charge of the main operations in the air-base.
- 210.00 pm - After dinner, we start setting-up the AV gear with the help of the soldiers. Everything is set and working by 1.00 am.
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Dec. 23rd
After breakfast, we head to “the venue” for some last checks. The soldiers struggle a little with their Video Conferencing Unit but we got it all working on time, then grab a quick lunch package sitting on the flatbed of a pick-up.
- 01.30 pm - All the attendees have arrived and Brussels is ready on their side. We can launch the “Yes For Democracy” session and Jeannot does his presentation.
In Brussels the kids assembled in the actual parliament also get a presentation. We then have the voting session, then they interact with the kids in Brussels and many interesting questions are assessed.
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Two hours later the session ends, no technical issues occured, everybody is delighted
- 06.00 pm - We have diner, then hit the "event tent" once again to do some technical adjustments as we’re having a replay session for the live coverage on the national evening news.
As the parents would not allow the kids to stay outside after-dark, we need to simulate the session with some Pakistani workers from the military base.
- 07.30 pm - For the live news coverage, I had finally hired a satellite transmission truck from IHA, Turkish remote areas broadcasting specialists that have a team in Kabul to serve the foreign press. We also secured a transmission slot on a commercial satellite.
The truck set's-up, get's linked with the satellite and we feed it with the signal. We then get in touch with the Evening News control room for a 30 minute check-run, the time we had hired the satellite for rehearsals. We do major lighting adjustments, it needs to look perfect as we’ll be “windowed” side-by-side with the Brussels team and have the two journalists interact.
Then comes the sound-check, Brussels is really not happy with what they’re getting and we already spent a lot of the satellite-slot for the lighting adjustments. We run through the audio signal chain and finally find the glitch, a little switch got jammed on the camera and by the time we get it all right we have 30 seconds left…
We let the news control room know we’re ready for a final audio check but they refuse it. They consider the time left to check that the issue is really solved insufficient... They decide to cancel the whole live coverage and duplex between Kabul and Brussels in the prime-time news program and shut us off!
We’re really bitter and disappointed. So many efforts to get a prime-time coverage to publicize this unique inititave are thrown to the ground. We all go straight to bed...
Dec. 24th
Today Jeannot, Jean-Marie and I, are grented a visit out in Kabul city-centre, guided by a university teacher who picked us up at the military base entrance. Jeannot would also like to do an interview of a local writer/philosopher that seems to have innovative ideas for his country.
As the parents would not allow the kids to stay outside after-dark, we need to simulate the session with some Pakistani workers from the military base.
- 07.30 pm - For the live news coverage, I had finally hired a satellite transmission truck from IHA, Turkish remote areas broadcasting specialists that have a team in Kabul to serve the foreign press. We also secured a transmission slot on a commercial satellite.
The truck set's-up, get's linked with the satellite and we feed it with the signal. We then get in touch with the Evening News control room for a 30 minute check-run, the time we had hired the satellite for rehearsals. We do major lighting adjustments, it needs to look perfect as we’ll be “windowed” side-by-side with the Brussels team and have the two journalists interact.
Then comes the sound-check, Brussels is really not happy with what they’re getting and we already spent a lot of the satellite-slot for the lighting adjustments. We run through the audio signal chain and finally find the glitch, a little switch got jammed on the camera and by the time we get it all right we have 30 seconds left…
We let the news control room know we’re ready for a final audio check but they refuse it. They consider the time left to check that the issue is really solved insufficient... They decide to cancel the whole live coverage and duplex between Kabul and Brussels in the prime-time news program and shut us off!
We’re really bitter and disappointed. So many efforts to get a prime-time coverage to publicize this unique inititave are thrown to the ground. We all go straight to bed...
Dec. 24th
Today Jeannot, Jean-Marie and I, are grented a visit out in Kabul city-centre, guided by a university teacher who picked us up at the military base entrance. Jeannot would also like to do an interview of a local writer/philosopher that seems to have innovative ideas for his country.
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At lunch, we go to the Lucky restaurant, women are seated in another room. As we dine, Jeannot interviews our guest who finally back’s-off from his progressive ideas. We assume he was he afraid of the camera.
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In the afternoon, back at the base, we meet the Belgian Defence Minister that just landed here with a bunch of his generals to have a Christmas party with his troops. We show him around our event set-up and explain him what we achieved and showing him some of the footage we shot. We then took down the equipment and packed it ready for the return shipping.
After a shower, we’re ready for a Christmas party. The Defence Minister brought along a blues band from his home-town to perform tonight after diner. We end the evening in the Slovak bar where Father Christmas joins us later.
- 11.50 pm - As every evening, bar’s must close at midnight, even on Christmas Eve… There’s still a war going on outside the camp.
We head back to the tent and treat ourselves with a last whisky from the bottle Michel brought along, when we see three Belgian armoured vehicles entering the camp back from a patrol… That was their Christmas Eve…
Dec. 25th
- 08.00 am - John-Marie “Spielberg” shoots some action photo’s of Jeannot and myself then we all head to tarmac, except for Michel and Lydie who will return 2 days later with the gear for a direct C130-flight back.
After a shower, we’re ready for a Christmas party. The Defence Minister brought along a blues band from his home-town to perform tonight after diner. We end the evening in the Slovak bar where Father Christmas joins us later.
- 11.50 pm - As every evening, bar’s must close at midnight, even on Christmas Eve… There’s still a war going on outside the camp.
We head back to the tent and treat ourselves with a last whisky from the bottle Michel brought along, when we see three Belgian armoured vehicles entering the camp back from a patrol… That was their Christmas Eve…
Dec. 25th
- 08.00 am - John-Marie “Spielberg” shoots some action photo’s of Jeannot and myself then we all head to tarmac, except for Michel and Lydie who will return 2 days later with the gear for a direct C130-flight back.
Our first stop today is Kunduz, where the Minister wants to greet a small Belgian detachment amongst a German base. The plane is packed, the Minister and his party plus a bunch of soldiers going home and the blues band, it’s configured in "passenger mode"..., just more rows of those cloth benches. Helmets and Bullet proof vests for everyone. Roller-coaster take-off. A bunch of them are sick, too much booze yesterday? Jeannot and myself are fighting to keep it in!
- 10.15 am - Roller-coaster down and a very heavy and bumpy touch-down on the smashed tarmac of, what used to be, Kunduz air-base.
We’re greeted by the Germans that will drive the whole party to the militray camp in those mini troop-transfer vehicles through this rural area of north Agfhanistan.
- 10.15 am - Roller-coaster down and a very heavy and bumpy touch-down on the smashed tarmac of, what used to be, Kunduz air-base.
We’re greeted by the Germans that will drive the whole party to the militray camp in those mini troop-transfer vehicles through this rural area of north Agfhanistan.
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Press conference and Christmas drink before a good Christmas meal, in the purest German style.
- 01.00 pm - Back to the air-field where the Minister wants a picture with us.
- 01.00 pm - Back to the air-field where the Minister wants a picture with us.
Then we take off for Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where we’ll catch a "real" passenger plane from the Belgian Air force, an Airbus A310.
- 04.30 pm - After having been served refreshments by the French soldiers managing the air-base, we board for the trip home, via Turkey for a refuel.
- 07.00 pm - A few minutes spent in an airport lounge at Ankara as the plane was refuelling, we board the A310 for the very last leg of this adventure…
The blues band will split during the flight. With Jeannot, I imagine having the plane branded with the “Yes For Democracy” logo and touring the world with this project. At least the next step is confirmed by the Minister during the flight; happy with a job well-done he gives us the go for a second leg, in Kosovo.
- 09.50 pm - No roller-coaster landing in Brussels. We all greet, trying to hold on to the last moments of this unique experience...
- 07.00 pm - A few minutes spent in an airport lounge at Ankara as the plane was refuelling, we board the A310 for the very last leg of this adventure…
The blues band will split during the flight. With Jeannot, I imagine having the plane branded with the “Yes For Democracy” logo and touring the world with this project. At least the next step is confirmed by the Minister during the flight; happy with a job well-done he gives us the go for a second leg, in Kosovo.
- 09.50 pm - No roller-coaster landing in Brussels. We all greet, trying to hold on to the last moments of this unique experience...
Michel and Lydie only got home 6 days later, as the C130 was waiting for a spare part to repair one of it’s engines.
I’ll need another six days to find the audiovisual gear, going from one place to another...
The Military Airport Logistics say they have nothing, the supplier didn’t get it back… but I know the gear came back, as Michel and Lydie were sitting with it in the plane…
Finally, I find it after 6 days… I’m at the airport discussing with the ground-handling staff about how it has to be here somewhere… I then ask them if I can see the plane… And there’s the gear… They hadn’t unloaded the C130 as they're low on staff during festive season…
I’ll need another six days to find the audiovisual gear, going from one place to another...
The Military Airport Logistics say they have nothing, the supplier didn’t get it back… but I know the gear came back, as Michel and Lydie were sitting with it in the plane…
Finally, I find it after 6 days… I’m at the airport discussing with the ground-handling staff about how it has to be here somewhere… I then ask them if I can see the plane… And there’s the gear… They hadn’t unloaded the C130 as they're low on staff during festive season…
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