here i am, back in that army base in kuwait where i started this whole journey 7 months ago. i can't believe i am actually finally out of iraq. we had more long delays last night trying to get out and didn't get any sleep but it doesn't matter. i'm back in kuwait and back to sleeping on the cots again. just had some mickey d's and now drinking an iced latte and it's pretty clear that i'm done.
of course, i still have customs to go through which according to all reports is a huge pain in the arse. we leave for the airport this evening to for a flight that's not really scheduled to leave until late tomorrow morning. ugh! but knowing that the next time i lay down to sleep it will be in my own house on my own bed (knock on wood) is so very sweet.
we're gonna have a layover in europe on our way back and actually, that would be the only place where i wouldn't mind being stuck for a few days actually...hehehehe...if all goes according to my plans, the squads gonna have a few beers and i'm gonna give them some sleep aids and it will be a nice quiet ride home for me.
talk to you guys in a few!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Goodbye TQ
it's been over 3 weeks since i've posted. sorry to all of you who have been checking only to find nothing new. it's been a busy 3 weeks and sadly internet only seemed to get slower. my bud jim came out for his deployment. it was great meeting up with an old friend again. i've mentioned it before, but it really is hard to describe how wonderful it is to see not only a familiar face, but to greet a good pal out here. i was the sole doc in my area and working every day for 7 months without much colleague interaction so hanging out with my bud, smoking cigars on top of the flight tower was def one of the highlights.
our replacements, the vmu-1 watchdogs came out in early oct, and boy were they a sight for sore eyes! my replacement, a navy captain (yes, he outranks his commanding officer), seems like a very nice and we had a good long turnover. it was great passing on the tidbits i had learned throughout the deployment and also getting a good bit of advice from his experiences (as well as his rank) as well. they came out with 3 corpsmen (vice my one) so they are pretty much good to go and should have a pretty nice schedule going.
today is my last day in tq. i will be heading out very shortly and heading back to the states before to long. although everything has become so routine and it feels like i've been out here forever and a day, trying to stay cool, stay hydrated, and avoid the sandstorms, i can remember distinctly the looks on the faces of the people i was replacing and how happy they seemed to be. i know now where they were coming from. it's a great feeling. i also remember the trepidation of my first day working alone after the turnover.
i've missed an entire summer back in the states. time really does seem to go by without you while you are stuck here and the hours and days all blend together as one. it gets much darker much earlier now and the nights can even be described as cool. i can't wait to get back, to my own home, my own bed, hell, even my own shower. i can't wait to see my family and my friends. it's been a long 7 months but it's almost over. it's all i could think about over the past few weeks or so and now it's finally here.
our replacements, the vmu-1 watchdogs came out in early oct, and boy were they a sight for sore eyes! my replacement, a navy captain (yes, he outranks his commanding officer), seems like a very nice and we had a good long turnover. it was great passing on the tidbits i had learned throughout the deployment and also getting a good bit of advice from his experiences (as well as his rank) as well. they came out with 3 corpsmen (vice my one) so they are pretty much good to go and should have a pretty nice schedule going.
today is my last day in tq. i will be heading out very shortly and heading back to the states before to long. although everything has become so routine and it feels like i've been out here forever and a day, trying to stay cool, stay hydrated, and avoid the sandstorms, i can remember distinctly the looks on the faces of the people i was replacing and how happy they seemed to be. i know now where they were coming from. it's a great feeling. i also remember the trepidation of my first day working alone after the turnover.
i've missed an entire summer back in the states. time really does seem to go by without you while you are stuck here and the hours and days all blend together as one. it gets much darker much earlier now and the nights can even be described as cool. i can't wait to get back, to my own home, my own bed, hell, even my own shower. i can't wait to see my family and my friends. it's been a long 7 months but it's almost over. it's all i could think about over the past few weeks or so and now it's finally here.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)