It was when I saw the boat pull up to the shore and out piled a gaggle of women covered head to toe in black and blue burqua’s that I knew that this wasn’t any ordinary day out at the lake

This was Kargha Lake, an hour outside of Kabul, Afghanistan. It was summer and a Friday, which means that scores of Afghans flock to the man made lake to seek cooler temperatures and a bit of entertainment in the form of boating in giant swans, having lunch in one of the private huts that are perched on the rocky shore, or just sitting on the shore, eating ice cream and people watching.

The juxtapositon of war and poverty compared to this relative oasis of normality was striking. Like any waterfront locale young men checking out girls was commonplace, whilst young families chased each other by the waters edge.

Sitting in one of the private, tatami like rooms, we watched the world go by whilst waiting for our kebabs to arrive. Young gypsy children roamed the beach asking each room if they wanted to buy crisps, gum, or possibly wanted to have a whiff of incense that would bring good luck.

After the two pounds of chapan kebab arrived with fresh naan and vegetables we lounged on the cushions and pillows while the sun slowly sauntered behind the mountains.

And when the food was adequately digested we joined the lines of people waiting to board a boat to tour around the lake.

It was a perfect way to spend a day off in Afghanistan, and remember that amongst war and strife people still make the most of their lives, trying to live it as normal as possible.