“I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.”
A British student who was on holiday in Kabul when Taliban forces entered the Afghan capital has admitted that he “accepted death.”
Miles Routledge is a student at Loughborough University and deliberately seeks out visits to some of the world’s most dangerous places, saying that he likes risk.
He thought that the country would not fall to Taliban for several months but admits that this time he may have “bitten off more than I can chew.”
According to the Times he said: “I like risk, I’m a banker, so it makes sense.
“I hate lying around on a beach so I wanted to do something a little bit different.
“After graduating I’ll have a full-time job and maybe a family so won’t have the opportunity to do things like this again.
“I thought [Afghanistan] looked quite nice, the food seemed amazing and it was dirt cheap.”
He’s been documenting his experience in Kabul on 4Chan and Twitch.
He wrote online: “I’ve bitten off more than I can chew and something has not gone to plan resulting in this situation.
“There was no convincing me otherwise and I knew the risks, it was a gamble I took that went wrong despite my confidence and jokes.”
In one post he said that he had even written a letter to his friends in case he didn’t make it back home.
there's currently a british guy called Lord Miles in Kabul having a wonderful time. pic.twitter.com/nW4R9d6VVB
— Rimmy (@Rimmy_Downunder) August 15, 2021
The 21-year-old said: “I was fully prepared for death, I accepted it. This trip has been a test of God. I’m very religious so I believe I’ll be looked after.
“Before I left I wrote a letter to my friends saying that if I died, not to feel guilty, that I would die happy and religious and proud.”
Miles has since shared that he is now in a safe house, and has encouraged people to pray for the people of Afghanistan.
https://www.facebook.com/miles.routledge/posts/4217178751651957
He was certainly preparing himself for the worst though at times. Due to a £15 lordship certificate he had purchased in the past, his American Express card has ‘Lord Miles Routledge’ on it, and he explained how he hoped this would keep him safe.
“The Taliban may see that as reason enough to keep me alive, thinking it may hold some negotiating power as they’ll think I’m important. Let’s hope it won’t get to that stage though.”
Miles already counts Chernobyl among his previous holiday destinations.
Related links:
At least five dead amid Kabul airport chaos as Taliban takes capital
Taliban enter outskirts of Kabul in move to retake whole of Afghanistan
Troubling video shows Taliban celebrating inside Afghanistan presidential palace
