Curiosity Takes Siti Noridah To Afghanistan

By Soon Li Wei KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- It is said that the farther you go, the more you learn. This is what took Siti Noridah Ab Rahaman to Afghanistan, a country regarded as dangerous due to the ongoing war and political turmoil. Siti Noridah, 30, traveled alone to Afghanistan from India in August 2014 and ended the six month journey in Istanbul, Turkey before returning to Malaysia early this year. According to the former IT consultant, her curiosity to learn the other side of the war torn nation is what took her to the country that most travelers will shun. "People ask why did I choose such a dangerous country and my friends even expressed concerns over my safety. "However, my instincts told me otherwise," she said to Bernama. SOLO QUEST TO AFGHANISTAN Her decision to leave her job a year ago was not an easy one, but it was necessary for Siti Noraidah to realise her dream journey. "I was determined to let go of my career so that I could concentrate on my journey that started in India, and I was sure that this journey would earn me an unforgettable experience," said this lady who is fondly referred to as ET. She admitted that travel information to the country was not forthcoming and most of the information available was on war and suicide attacks. There is nothing much about the places or things to see or the people. "I contacted the Embassy of Afghanistan here for verification on the situation there and whether they accepted foreigners. Their positive reply excited me even more," she added. She left to India and from there she crossed into Pakistan. While in Peshawar, Pakistan, Siti Noridah contemplated on several routes to Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. She was keen on the land route through Khyber Pass, which is the main route between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the one that could prove to be adventurous. "When I told an officer at the Malaysian Embassy of Malaysia in Pakistan of my intentions, I was advised against the idea as the area was dangerous and surrounded by the Taliban army. "Taking a flight from Islamabad to Kabul was a hard decision, because deep down I really wanted to enter Afghanistan by land," she said. DETAINED IN KABUL In Kabul, she was greeted by the sight of a city surrounded by a panoramic mountain range. There were hardly any tall buildings but the view was impressive enough. Unfortunately, on the second day, she underwent a harrowing experience. Siti Noridah was detained by the Afghanistan army while she was sightseeing alone in Chicken Street. "I took out my camera to snap a photo when suddenly it was seized by the army personnel. They accused me of being a spy from Pakistan after they saw that my passport was recently stamped there. "They forced me into a four-wheel drive and took me to the Afghanistan army headquarters where I was interrogated like as I was an offender. "I was bombarded with questions in Persian language and they even asked me to recite the 'kalimah syahadah' (two verses of declaration of a Muslim) after they realised I was a Muslim. Luckily a local who was fluent in English helped me out," she said. She was subsequently taken to the National Directorate of Security (NDS) office, an internal intelligence agency of the Afghanistan government to determine whether she was there on espionage. "Inside the NDS, I was questioned again for almost an hour. A translator was there to help and in the end I they were satisfied with my explanation that I was not a spy. "You cannot imagine my joy. I was advised by the NDS officers not to come here alone to visit Afghanistan," she said. After almost a day of questioning, she was finally sent back to Chicken Street where she was first detained. THE MESMERISING BAND E AMIR After spending a few days in Kabul, Siti Noridah decided to visit Bamiyan, a small town situated 240km west of Kabul. "Bamiyan was where the largest Buddha statues in the world was located, which is a reason why I wanted to go there. The statues were destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban. "Apart from that I also wanted to step foot inside Band E Amir, a national park 80km from Bamiyan that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site," she said. As she took in the view of snow capped mountains and the bluest of lakes in the foreground, a sense of awe washed over her. Such a breathtaking landscape! "I was blown away by the scenery in Afghanistan. Most of it still untouched, no thanks to the country's state of turmoil that keeps away the visitors," she said. TRAVELOG ET Upon returning to Malaysia, Siti Noridah decided to document her journey in her first book titled 'Travelog ET: Kembara Afghanistan' (Touring Afghanistan), which is already in the market. She said such an experience was hard to come by. "My dream of visiting Afghanistan came true despite some of the disappointments and setbacks along the way. "However, I'm grateful that many people, regardless of their nationality, had extended help to me," she said. For Siti Noridah, any dream is attainable with effort and her trip to Afganistan is a dream come true. -- BERNAMA