Back to Baghdad

Well I'm back. I didn't anticipate this but it's actually sort of a relief to be back. Not a relief to be here instead of home but just to finally be back after traveling. You know that feeling you have when you come home from a vacation and open your door and just breathe a sigh of relief. It's like that. It's comfortable to get back to a routine. I've said it before but these are the nicest port-o-podies in the world. Honestly I've never seen cleaner. The two days I spent in Kuwait were port-o-pody hell. They were stinky, dirty, and never had toilet paper. That may be OK in the Middle East culture but I prefer toilet paper. I left the west coast of the United States at 6:30 a.m. on Jan 28th. I unlocked the door to my trailer at about 11:00 p.m. on February 1st. I spent two days in Dallas TX and two days in Camp Doha Kuwait with a stop over in Rhein-Main Air Base Germany in the middle. The delays weren't bad, just one more day not in Baghdad. But it was settling to get back to my familiar surroundings at Camp Victory. When my unit picked me up from the airport they told me I didn't have to go into work the next day (today). That was nice, it helped me finish turning the time around from the 11 hour difference. The flight from the States to Kuwait was nice. It was a huge commercial plane with stewardesses and food and everyone got their own row. I picked the center row that was four seats wide so I could lay down and sleep. The two hour flight from Kuwait to Baghdad on a C-130 was the worst part of the whole trip. You sit sideways in a row of "Lawn chair couches" with the legs of the guy facing you right between your legs touching your seat. You're just woven together like a human watch wrist band. The worst part is the seats are just a piece on Nylon slung between two aluminum poles. If that flight was one minute longer I'm convinced my butt cheeks would have fused together.

There seems to be a feeling of validation around camp from the elections. Like what we're doing here actually has some purpose. Some estimates I've heard have participation in the elections at 70+ percent. Could you imagine if we had that much participation in the States. Do you think the campaign strategies would change if the candidates expected everyone to come out and vote? Anyway, in a weird way it's good to be back. I'd rather be home, but if I have to be here, here's not so bad.

When I got back they told me my room mate wasn't coming back at all. He's still in Texas and has to have back surgery. I heard from Kentucky a few weeks back. He's in Iraq now with his unit but that's about all I know. I'll e-mail him shortly and ask him for more details. Then I'll ask him if he cares if I share them. I know his wife was reading the blog early on but I haven't heard from her in a while.

So, since I didn't have to work today and my room mate isn't coming back I think I'll rearrange the room a little bit. He had about 2/3 the space and I had the other 1/3 with his refrigerator and the cleaning supplies on my side. I think I'll go for a little more 50-50. Also, since I only really got to play my Christmas guitar that one day I think I'll have a little "Rock the 'a little bit closer to freedom' world" day. Check out the "Raise Your Goblet of Rock" post if that didn't make any sense.

I found a way to post links to a photo album here on the blog but it didn't work exactly like I thought. It gave the viewer (you) access to change and post pictures which didn't sound like a good idea to me. My wife said she didn't think anyone would care about pictures. If that's the case I won't try anymore options, but if you'd like to see pictures leave some comments and I'll check out some more options.

Well, that's about all the news I've got. Let me know in the comments if you'd like to know anything else I never talk about. I'd also like to use this blog to give people answers to what they're curious about concerning life over here.