A - Because the springy mattresses in the KAIA transient tents are w-a-y too uncomfortable!
When I first arrived in Afghanistan, I spent a night in the transient quarters at KAIA. For those who aren't familiar, these quarters consist of rows and rows of dirty little tents, each with ten sets of bunk beds inside. In November I arrived late at night, so by the time I got to the tent it was dark and crowded. And cold. And disorienting. Yeah, not a great first impression.
On my way out, things were different. I was able to get to the tent by 4:00, I was well rested and I kinda knew my way around. The lights were on and the beds were empty - so that was an improvement. Plus the weather was warmer and there was no trash scattered around the tent this time. The fact that I was heading in an outward direction was also a big improvement, as you could imagine.
Each bed has a "mattress," although we'll use that word loosely. It's pretty much just a pile of springs that someone jammed into a thin fabric covering. No sheets - you've got to bring your own sleeping bag. No pillow either - I used my uniform shirt.
So my last night in Afghanistan wasn't exactly restful. I think I woke up around 3... and 4... and managed to stay there until around 7, when I got up and made it over to the shower can. As far as I can tell, the showers were last cleaned right around the time the brand-new mattresses were delivered. So it had been a while.
Improbable as it sounds, I managed to get clean. Then I headed out into the bright sunshine of my last day in Afghanistan. Ah, that sounds nice.
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