The following images are actually from the trip from Kandahar Airfield to forward operating base Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City so the date is all from October 2, 2010.

The convoy getting ready for the drive to CNS. The image breaks down a bit in the details because I cropped out about a quarter from the left side. The vehicles we took were Cougar Armoured fighting vehicles, which I believe the Americans call Buffalo MRAP.

A LAVIII that did not come on the trip. The LAV and the Cougar have similar armour plating but the Cougars have a slightly better IED protection.

We were required to wear helmets and flak jackets for the trip. For the life of me I cannot find my notes to identify the soldier to my right.

The welcome sign to Camp Nathan Smith.

Another view of the Cougar. It has a few windows but for the most part you can’t see outside because you’re strapped into place. The mounted .50 calibre gun on the top is manned by a gunner as the convoy drives through town.

Another view of the convoy after getting out.

The sniper towers keep an eye on approaching vehicles or civilians.

In this picture with his back to the camera, Macleans writer Andrew Potter.

Police recruits at the CNS training centre. And yes, they do look old.

Not even photoshop can save this picture from being out of focus and dark, but this was the other side of the room of recruits. This was their very first day of classes.

This was a room with much younger police recruits who were training in hand-to-hand combat.

The recruits were more interested in the media than their lesson. This is a zoomed in shot of the previous image so it’s a little grainy and dark.

Police training in formation to find IEDs hidden throughout the compound.

Recruits are mentored by an Afghan commander, who in turn is mentored by Canadian RCMP.

The AK-47′s are standard issue rifles, so the recruits learn to use plastic models first.

PRT – Provincial Reconstruction Team. An Afghan-Canadian partnership, Camp Nathan Smith was a Canadian FOB until turned over to American control.

Reloading for the move to Sarposa prison in Kandahar City. We went from behind the wire to behind the wire to behind the wire.

Men at Sarposa prison learn a useful trade.

Cabinet-marking and woodcarving.

From left to right is a Canadian police mentor, our DND escort, the prison warden, and an Afghan interpreter.

A prisoner in the library. I’m not sure what the rules of photographing prisoners are when they’re not behind bars but I obtained the consent of everybody I photographed. The photo is grainy because the backlit windows overexposed the shot so I cropped out 70% of the image.

The prisoner on the right told media he thought conditions were good at the prison. He said his crime was corruption.

The view from the roof of the prison.

The enormous mountain to the right has large holes carved into the rock. I desperately wanted to leave this media tour and go and see it.

Another view of the mountains. I took some pictures of the prisoners below but was later forced to take them down by DND.

Beware the dreaded poppy.

This is why I couldn’t take pictures in the Cougar. Nothing to show people. However that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything to see. The following shot is a blowup of this image.

Afghanistan is extremely impoverished. The main impression I had travelling through Kandahar is that the people live in abject filth and garbage.

Part III to come shortly…