No More Rain

Well, that was short-lived. We thought the rain would stay a few days but it's gone now. There are still some puddles around from the poor drain off system, or lack thereof. HA! Hopefully those will clear up soon or else we'll have lots of mosquitoes.

I'm hoping the beginning of the year brings us rain or we'll have the same problem as this past summer. We had lots of sand storms since the rainy season was very mild. It's hard to see, hard to breath, yuck. AND....transportation in and out of country gets canceled; so if you're due to go out on R&R, you might get held back and that affects all your travel plans. I've had that happen to me once and it was terrible. Not to mention that you usually get stuck somewhere you don't want to be, sharing a small room with 5 other strangers. But that's how it goes.

Rain, Rain

Well it is officially raining here today. I mean REAL rain...not just a sprinkle. The ground has gotten enough water to create a little runoff. This is an interesting point because the streets here are not built for runoff. There are lots of pools of water that collect in odd places. You tend to take these kind of things for granted in the US with all the regulations and standards. But I have yet to see a runoff drainage built into a curb.
Rain here is just so rare, especially this time of year. No one can explain why we are getting rain since the rainy season is typically in the early part of the year, like Jan-Feb.
It is a nice change of pace, although there is so much mucky build up of oil, soil, and goop and some of the walkways are slippery.

U.S.Presidential Election - Part 2

Well today is the day. Many of us already cast our votes for the election weeks ago as required by the Foreign Voting Service. We printed ballots from the government web site and mailed them in. Now, we are eagerly waiting for the first polling places to close and for the networks to report the results....trying to screen out the exit poll info that got everyone in trouble the last two elections.

Some of us are staying up late to just to watch the fireworks on TV. In all reality, it looks like Obama is going to be our next President. There are some people here who are so upset about that possibility that it is unreal. I think this election has created a deep divide in our country and I hope that we can cure it.

Halloween in the IZ

So Halloween is definitely different here than when I was at Kirkuk. There were hundreds of people who showed up to work wearing anything from simple T-shirts and masks to full head-to-toe costumes. There were evil jesters, Hare Krishnas, pirates, zombies, the cast of Wizard of Oz including monkeys, witches & trees, werewolfs, fairy tale creatures and so much more. Some people showed up at meetings and official functions wearing their costumes. It was hilarious and no one seemed to mind, including the management. Some of the management actually showed up in dress as well. I guess it's all part of breaking the levity of being in a war zone.

It was all good fun. Plus there was lots of candy in each department. Chocolates, gum, lollipops, Tootsie Rolls, Twizzlers and most everything you can get in the states. Now I'll have to hit the gym more to work off all the extra sugar I have consumed. HA!

An Awesome R&R

Well, I want to take a moment here to say that this last R&R was simply awesome. It really allowed us the ability to spend a lot of quality family time together. I was able to spend the mornings with my wife, sipping coffee, flirting, talking, cooking in the kitchen and wait for the kids to get up. The hotel room had a full kitchen, by the way and we had the fortune of taking a trip to Hawaii.
My wife and I reconnected, even after we got back from our trip. We spent lots of time talking, even going to IHOP until the wee hours of the morning. It was like falling in love again. I was able to play games and and fun with the kids too. They were all over me and watching them each day was something I will never tire of. I was only apart from the kids late at night after they went to sleep. My wife and I took in a few movies once we knew they were asleep. It all worked out perfectly.
They have grown so much since I've been gone, but it won't be too much longer that I will be in Iraq. I love and miss my family like you wouldn't believe. I am a lucky....scratch that,...I am a blessed man.

End of Contract

Now that I have completed my one year, I am looking forward to a few weeks off with my family for my end of year R&R. I am taking them to Hawaii. It will be a blast.

MY youngest doesn't know really what to expect since he is only 4. Annalisa can't wait to swim look at the sea life and collect shells. Michael is looking forward to all the bikinis. HA! Nora and I just want to get away. It will be a perfect setting. 7 days. I plan on taking them all over the island. Lots of swimming and beach-combing.

...and a different kind of sand than Iraq.

U.S.Presidential Election - Part 1

I haven't said much about the election but I thought I would note some observations.

I can safely say that Obama has most of the support over here, in terms of non-military personnel. Of those in the military, McCain has strong support from the rank and file, meaning all the enlisted, but many of the officers seem to support Obama.

What's really peculiar is the interest of non-U.S. citizens and how engage they are with this election. I am talking about people from all over, England, Australia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Honduras, Peru, the Philippines, and of course Iraq.

There are so many issues and opinions that they want to discuss....the biggest, obviously, is the occupation of Iraq. Nearly everyone wants the U.S. out as soon as possible. Most of us know the war on terror will be making a significant shift to Afghanistan in the next year. But the U.S. economy is also becoming a hot topic because it is affecting other economies.

Almost all foreign nationals want to see Obama in the white house as there is almost a universal dislike for the Republican Party. While this isn't likely to sway any American votes, as well it shouldn't, it makes for some interested and heated political conversations. It does become apparent that there are just a few polarizing issues they know about but there view is very different. They've grown up in war-torn countries and varying degrees of democracy, and no two democracies in the world are the same.

But it does make me proud to be an American.

Clouds and Thunder

Today is the first day in my many months that I have seen actual clouds in Baghdad. Some people saw a few drops of rain this morning. I didn't see any precipitation. When I awoke this morning, I noticed that it was a little darker than usual outside and my immediate thought was that another dust storm blew in. So I was not looking forward to going outside. I was relieved as I made my walk to work.

To my surprise, in the middle of the day I heard thunder. I almost thought it was another explosion, like a distant car bomb or something, but this sound rumbled and echoed like only thunder can. It was somewhat refreshing to think that it might rain. I've been told that as the weather starts to cool, more clouds and rain will roll into the area. I had no idea. I'm not really looking forward to the rain in this dusty environment because it will cause a lot of mud and dirt to infiltrate our rooms and offices. But I will welcome the cooler temperatures.

Crazy Drivers in the Green Zone

I know I've spoken about the people driving in the Green Zone, but today I saw another example of how the Iraqis view driving. They are nuts. They have no regard for traffic patterns or common sense approaches to driving.

Riding in the shuttle this morning, there were several scooters or vespas or whatever you call them that came up along the right side of the shuttle. The shuttle is like a city bus but about 20% smaller. A group of about 9 of them zoomed perilously close to the bus in order to pass it before they would slam into a parked dump truck. None wore helmets and a few had passengers on the back. These little vehicles aren't in the best shape and have tiny wheels and anemic engines. So it's totally incredible how they drive. It's reckless.

They do not know the concept of defensive driving. It's all selfish. They zoom in and out and brake suddenly trying to get to their destination. I've seen many collisions after the fact and am surprised I haven't seen any actually happen. It's almmost as bad as driving in New York..........kidding.

It's no wonder why a lot of the cars are beat up; they run into things and treat their cars poorly.

Hotter than Texas

Man, it's really hot here. I have no idea how the Iraqis survive. Most do not have air-conditioning ar a lot of access to ice. today registered 139 degrees according to the Medics thermometer. Not sure how accurate that is since it sits out in the sun but it's painfully hot when walking outdoors.

Many of the outside workers wear head coverings and wrapping that cover their nose and mouths in addition to gloves. I have no idea how they do this. I commend them. I would be done after about 10 minutes....maybe less. As it is, I drink about a gallon and a half of water each day and most of my day is spent inside behind a computer.

I'm looking forward to it gettign cooler starting in October, I think.

It's the Smell...

Since the weather has really heated up, we have noticed an awful smell coming from the famous and mighty Tigris River. The river is a polluted with wastewater, sewage and who knows what else. There are locals that fish in the river and eat what they catch. I cannot fathom eating anything that lives in the river. The smell is so foul that I have to cover my moth and nose sometimes as I return to my room from a long shift at work.

Many of the Iraqis do not see a difference in regular wastewater, which is like runoff from car washes, rain (when there is any), watering, leaking hydrants, etc. and actual sewage from sinks, tubs, and toilets. It's a pretty gross concept by Western standards.

At the Al Rasheed - part 2

The concert was scheduled to begin at 2:00pm. As the room began to get warm, we were all wondering when it might actually start. People were still coming in and the seats were filled. it became standing room only for those that arrived close to curtain. Two o'clock turned into 2:10 turned into 2:20. Then I noticed an entourage of people entering from the lobby. The U.S. Ambassador showed up and then another man, an Iraqi. I was not sure who this was. They shook hands with many VIPs sitting up front...and then the found there seats.

A few moments later....... all the lights went out. And I mean all the lights. Some people thought that the performance was going to start but I made the observation that even the stage lights were off. We were somewhat nervous and not sure what to do. It was very quiet in the ballroom after being filled with conversation. There were about 400 people waiting to see what happened next. After about 3 minutes, some lights slowly turned back on and everything was back to previous levels after another couple of minutes. There was a problem with the power, I am sure. I breathed a sigh of relief and made sure I knew the quickest way out of the doors.

Another five minutes went by and the musicians walked in from the lobby. There were about 25-30 people. I thought it was a rather small group. An Iraqi took the podium on stage right. he introduced the U.S. Ambassador who spoke a few words. They were translated in to Arabic. Fortunately this was brief...everyone was waiting to hear music. The Ambassador wrapped and the Iraqi sat at the front with a viola while a conductor entered from backstage.

The music began and I soon realized that the musicians on stage were only playing stringed instruments. I though this was odd; there were no woodwind or brass instruments and no percussion. The first four pieces were from Iraqi composers. The second four would be from American composers, for a total of eight. The first piece was about 8 minutes. I honestly didn't care for it. It seemed somewhat hollow and poorly arranged....almost like it needed more work or needed to be practice more.

To my surprise, more musicians entered the auditorium after this piece ended. i could now see that this was the other half of the orchestra that I felt was missing. The viola player now became the conductor for the second piece. This second Iraqi selecton was beautifully done. It was rich with sound and diversity and contained many Iraqi traditionally sounds......similar to what you might hear in the soundtracks of old films about Arabs and the desert, like Lawrence of Arabia. The third piece had a change of conductors again. The conductor for the first "song", now sat frontstage to play an oud. This is a guitar-like instrument that is pear-shaped with strings and fretts. This piece was quite lively at times. The final Iraqi piece contained many Iraqi traditional sounds. it was a good conclusion. I wish I could describe more about the music, but it was a "kind-of-had-to-be-there" experience. I am not even a novice on Iraqi music, much less Iraqi classical music.

They announced a 15 mintute intermission before they started the American set of pieces. Many people dashed to the lobby for a cigarette break and it quickly became saturated with smoke. I will say the bathrooms were elegant. Marble everything. The toilets were automatic, large mirrors in front of the sinks, beautifully designed. I made my way back to my seat and stood looking around at the diversity of people. It felt surreal. I could feel the "danger" aspect but knowing that the Ambassador was there, made me feel better.

Everyone satdown and the orchestra performed some American music. The four composers were Aaron Copland, Charles Cadman, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Even though you may not have heard of Cadman, you have heard his music. Each piece had a different composer. All four pieces were awesome.

There was a bit of a scare during the third piece. The lights went out again, although this time the emergency lights came on the band tried to keep going but the conductor stopped them. We waited for about minutes and some power was restored but not enough for the orchestra to see. There was a loud burst of applause for the band and the lights. I saw some men rush in from the lobby wearing suits...... they went to a panel and shortly thereafter the lights started turning on. One exception wasthe rear of the stage was still inthe dark. Those musicians moved towards the front of the stage and the crowd cheereed again in encouragement. The conducor called orderand they started the piece over.

After it ended, they brough in an electric piano for Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blues. there was call to fix the stage lights but went unanswered. They began the music and after a few minutes, while they were playing, the rear stage lights turned on.

As they finished Rhapsody in Blues, they received a standing ovation at the conclusion. Flowers were given to the conductor and he recognized the musicians. The U.S . Ambassador spoke again and he emphasized the importance of the arts and that it brings back the culture that Iraqi citizens chersh. The Iraqi Minister of Arts also spoke to thanks everyone in attendance and that they are working on more arts performances.

Despite the power going out, the performance was spectacular. They have a way to go to be at the same level as some of the best American orchestras, but they are on their way. I would be willing to see them agian.

At the Al Rasheed - part 1

Well, needless to say, I went to the performance. I didn't want to look back and regret not going. It is a historical occasion and and sets another precedence for normalcy in Baghdad.

I went with about 5 of my co-workers, although only one had ever been to a symphony performance. There were lots of people at the shuttle stop ready to go. Many state department employees and Air Force personnel. Hardly an Army folks, read into that what you will. ;-) The ride over was uneventful but we did have to go through several checkpoints. I finally go to see the other side of the convention center. The only side I have been able to see thus far is the closed bombed-out side. It's quite large and looks like any other convention center in the US except for some subtle cues of a mosque-esque design.

The shuttle approached the Al Rasheed in yet another compound and thru another checkpoint. Security is tight. Just beyond the checkpoint is a defunct water fountain with bronze statues. One is a woman and the other a horse. I'm not sure of the significance.

We wlked up to the hotel thru these huge glass doors that opened like sliding doors, automaically. It was a bit of a shock since we don't see much of this kind of technology being implemented here. As soon as you enter the doors, you enter a lobby with marble floors and walls. It's quite cavernous. there is now a little shop here to the right with rugs strewn about on the floor for sale. We follow the crowd down a long corridor; to the right is an atrium with granite fixtures, benches, plants, outdoor lighting fixtures. You can tell that this hotel was the pride of Iraq. It is still in use but to get accomodations here requires permissions beyond my comprehension. A few hundred feet down the corridor, a line formed to the right. We stood in line before I realized there were only Iraqis in line. They were well-dressed, suit and ties, dresses, and other formal clothing. Again, it was similar to a crowd attending a symphony performance in the states. We exited the line and walked to the left. As it turned out, the line for the Iraqis was so they could pass through a metal detector and other screening. As Americans, we could bypass all this and just show our DoD card.

I felt weird...and uneasy. I understand that the ones likely to bring a bomb into the area are Iraqi extremists and precautions had to be taken. But this is their country and this is an event in the arts. I hope that we are on the road to an environemnt where this kind of thing can be eliminated.

So after the security checkpoint, the corridor opend up to the right into a smaller lobby with a large wall of art. I have a photo of this. The left sidde of the corridor contained doors for the auditorium. I walked into the auditorium and it is a large ballroom with a stage on one end. Chairs have been placed facing the stage. There is a front section, which is already filled. the second 2/3 of the seating is split into a left and right with a large walkway between them. At the front of the walkway are video cameras on tripods. I counted 9 cameras in addition to the roaming ones. We found setas in several places since we were a large group. We were about 45 early but the place was filling up fast. It was only slightly cool so I guessed that it was only going to et warmer.

The audience wa a mix of Iraqis in formal attire, soldiers in their uniforms, American civilians in business casual clothing, as well as some Iraqis running around shooting video and photos. There were some interviews being conducted by various Iraqis.

Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra

We just received an e-mail invitation for A Concert of American and Iraqi Classical Music presented by the American Embassy and the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra for July 26. This sounds interesting and I would like to go. However it is being held at he Al Rasheed Hotel, which is on the outer edge of Green Zone and is off-limits to most KBR personnel. Only those with specific mission purposes can go there, like carpenters, plumbers, electricians, security or others who have work to do in those areas. One of the reasons it was made off-limits is it's proximity to the red-zone but more importantly, the fact that there was a suicide bomber that got in and killed several people about 4 years ago.

We have been given permission to go and there is a special shuttle that will take us there. I want to go but am I am a little reluctant. I'm going to think about this and ask around for some more information. Stay tuned.....

Meeting Barrack Obama

Okay, so I didn't exactly meet him, but I did shake his hand, along with a crowd of other people. He came to Baghdad as part of his tour of the Middle East and they scheduled an appearance at the US Embassy in the Presidential Palace.

I got there about an hour and a half before he was scheduled and there were already about 300 people in the main lounge. There is a small permanent stage there and people were jockeying for position. No one knew which entrance he would use. It's not like there is a "backstage" or anything. The room doesn't even have a front or back but it is HUGE. There is a Green Bean cafe (like Starbucks) in one corner, a large customer service desk for MWR on one wall, a computer lab with 24 stations in another corner, 2 dedicated chess tables, a small library of books, newspapers and magazines, an wood-enclosed cardio room that will fit about 30-40 people in another corner, as well as about 40 round tables and chairs, and about 30 sofas.....a very large room.

As te crowd waited, more and more people gathered and I found myself situated in front of the stage, house-right, kind of in front of one of the big doors where I thought he might walk in. There are two long corridors running inside the palace, each connecting at opposite ends of the room and I though mycurrent location would be a good choice. He was scheduled at 9:00pm and as time drew near, the crowd grew to approximately 600 and most started to push towards the stage half of the room. We waited some more and 9:20 rolled around. Then I saw many people out in the hallway starting to take pictures aiming down the long corridor. We knew the appearance was imminent.

As soon as he approached a view where you could see him in the corridor, cameras went up over the heads of everyone there. It was like a media circus....only without the actual media. There was one camera crew with him and I assumed it was part of the media team traveling with him. There were digital camersa and camcorders everywhere. Flashes and flashes and flashes. I managed to use my digital camera as a video camera since it was going to be hard to get a good snapshot. The lighting was not the greatest for cameras and the delay with the flash in my camera would mean I would lose the shot or I might get a part of an arm or head in the photo.

He shook some hands on the way in and got to the stage. He spoke for about 7-8 minutes and gave an opportunity for th etwo senators traveling with him. The U.S. Ambassaodor to Iraq also appeared and said a few words. Obama thanked everyone for being there and serving the country, from soldiers to airmen to sailors to marines to state department employees to contractors. Afterward, he shook hands for about 25 minutes. It was madness after he made his remarks. Everyone rushed the stage. The Secret Service had already set up some stanchions around the stage to help keep the crowd back. People were pushing forward, reaching over others while some people got caught up in the chaos and just wanted out. I remember a lady who started to have a panic attack as she tried to retreat against the surge of people. She was okay. I made my way towards the middle and was able to catch him. I caught his eye for a moment as he grabbed my hand. He repeatedly said "Thank you, thank you for your support. Thank you for being hear." Not everyone was so lucky....security was a big issue and he also had another scheduled apperance or meeting.

As he made his way around, people cycled to the stage and then backed away. He slowly made hs way back to the door from which he came, which, by the way, was the door I chose (yea me!), and he walked down the hallway...the Secret Service right behind. The room was loud from people talking about the encounter. People were sharing pictures from their cameras, what the got and what the missed or blurred. Many people exchange e-mail addresses to get more of the photos, presumably ith them in the photos.

I sat down and with a few of my co-workers to take a breath. The experience was invigorating yet exhausting....and it only lasted minutes! Obama made many stops in Baghdad and Iraq for that matter. We'll see how things end up.

Driving in the IZ

Okay remember the IZ means International Zone which means there are many nationalities here. This also means there are some crazy driver here. I went out on my first foray into driving out here and it was a somewhat nervous experience.

The roads here are real asphalt roads but they show tremendous wear and tear from bombings, heavy artillery, and neglect. There are pot holes, huge gashes, cracks and monstrous speed bumps everywhere. So you have to be careful where and how you drive. You also have to be very careful approaching checkpoints. There is usually a large mounted machine gun pointed at you from across the street as you approach the Marine or other security personnel to gain access to wheever you are going, like where you live, or to the store (PX), or back to work; it's very unnerving.

So the way people drive is completely insane. Forget regular U.S. traffic laws. Those are only a guide. The most important thing is to drive defensively. There are no traffic cops in the IZ, even though thre are IZ Police....but as far as traffic goes, the only time the intervene is when their is a collision. So people drive really fast, reckless and rarely stop at stop signs much less unmarked intersections. They even travel the wrong way on divided streets and stop in the middle of the roads to pick up and drop off passengers. Like I said. INSANE!

But my first driving experience here went off without any problems. You just have to keep your cool and avoid potential hazards.

Green Zone - week three

The sites....well our department is lucky enough to have a couple of vehicles and a couple of my co-workers dove me around the Green Zone to check it out. We went to the Crossed Swords where thousands of troops would march ceremoniously and Saddam would preside over them. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands_of_Victory) I got to climb and venture up into one of the hands through a complex, narrow maze of ladders and tunnels. It was not meant to be used as place for the general public but a place for security to lookout.

In hindsight, it was a little dangerous climbing up and down, but our sense of adventure got the best of us. There are two sets of crossed swords that encompass a long avenue or general assembly area, one on each end. Huge light towers once lit up the entire 1 mile length. Now it is mostly abandoned with the occasional people like us visiting, taking some photos and walking around. There are some locals here and there walking about; not sure if they are just hanging out or on there way somewhere else.

We tried to see the tomb of the unknown soldier, which looks like a flying saucer. It's enormous. But we got turned away by some Iraqi security guards and we weren't about to argue. They didn't even want us taking pictures so we drove away pretty quickly.

Next we went to a place called Union which is another U.S. compound. It contains the Baath Party Headquarters building. It's tall and square.....like a big cube. We didn't go in that bulding, but there was a small restaurant and a few shops selling pirated DVDs, movies and TV shows, as well as music CDs. There are also a coupld of barber shops.

In our drive, we encountered many huge speed bumps andcheck point and had to repeatedly show our badges. It's oneof the things you really have to get used to. A wide assortment of people will check it.... from U.S. Marines, Army, Air Force, Iraqi Security, Iraqi Army, private security, contract security, wal-mart security.....ok ok I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Which does bring me to an important aspect, you really have to pay attention at the checkpoints becuase they are authorized to use deadly force if they see something that doesn't jive. All the check points are armored and lock and loaded. It can be unnerving. There have been a few incidents where,...... well one example is a person behind the wheel accidentally lurched forward when he was reaching for his badge and he took 6 shots through the windshield. Unfortunately he perished.

There are precise rules about check points that they drill into you. Being extra cautious goes a long way. You have to respect and be aware of where you are at all times or else there can be catastrophic consequences.

Green Zone - week two

Well, I have finally gotten my bearings about where things are located, where we are in Baghdad, where the Tigris River is, and of course, which way is north. Getting around is a bit easy since there are a few shuttle routes. We use mostly one to get to and from work. The embassy is located in the Presidential Palace. This was one of Saddam's newest palaces and it's quite large and grandiose. It has been fitted with offices, partitions, meeting rooms, lounges, and small deli shop, computer lab, etc. But mostly there are tons of offices here. Most of the large rooms have been partitioned and modified with sheet rock and plywood to accommodate the state dept. THere is marble everywhere and grand murals, some showing rockets which is just odd.

There is less military here and many civilians. Lots of state dept workers and other contractors. It's a little surreal since I am used to mostly military but people are dressed in suits, pantsuits for women, and then I see some jogging in regular shorts and T-shirts around the palace grounds. The palace grounds is another fortified location that can be hard to get into if you don't have the right credentials.

The job is good, I'm learning. Hopefully some experience I can take with me.

I have been told that it gets really hot in the summer like 140 degrees. We'll see. I have a hard time believe it gets that hot. It is dusty though and low, if any humidity....kind of like Arizona.

I've been around to see a few sites but more on that later.

The Green Zone - Week One

Well I have settled in a little, albeit I am sharing a temporary room with 5 other people. It's a cramped room with three bunk beds and barely enough room to change clothes. I should be assigned my own room in the next few days.

The building is like a dorm but they call it the Barracks. We have a common shower area and there is no living area to speak of. I really want my own room and not be assigned to the barracks. I have only been sleeping in that room since there is no room so I stay at the office longer to avoid my room. ...Yeah it's that bad. But hopefully it will get better.

The people here are friendly and seem to like where they are. There are been some incoming mortars since I've been here. It's a little unnerving but from what I understand, they are sent from 3-6 miles away and they are trying to target specific places like the embassies, warehouses and who knows what else. But their target areas vary wildly and as long as you take cover when the alarm goes off, you should be okay. I guess we'll see.

There are several checkpoints to get into specific compounds, like from where we live and where we work and other places. Security is everywhere. The IZ is also home to several thousand Iraqis. There are apartments, villas and other homes in the IZ that belong to Iraqis. But it's nothing like the U.S. The apartments are run-down and the villas are constructed entirely of concrete except for the roofs. The paved roads have a lot of wear and tear form miitary vehicles, bombs, mortars, heavy machinery, etc. Some street lights work but it can get dark for being in the middle of a city of millions. Traffic laws are non-existent. There are stop signs and round-abouts but no working stop lights. The speed bumps are brutal but exist to slow potentially threatening vehicles.

You have to make sure you ahve the right badge to enter the compounds. Each one is run by a specific entity. There are many countries represented. Many companies. I'll get more of a feel for things I' sure. So far I like it compared to the camp I was at. at least there are sidewalks, streets and shuttles.

Riding the Rhino

Okay the rhino sucks. Picture a Winnebago, only a small one, that has been completely gutted and only contains very hard padded seats...like theones at a football or baseball stadium. No seatbelts, no place for luggage. Armored and really tiny windows with 6 inch glass. And that's not even the worst part.

We travel overnight and the times are never set for security purposes. It's pretty scary. We travel in a heavily armed convoy in the pitch black. It is totally disorienting, bewildering and frightening. We have to travel through the "red zone" to get to the Green Zone, or International Zone (IZ) as it is now referred to. Our luggage goes separately in an 18 wheeler.

So as we wait at the depot, we don't know when the convoy arrives, we have to fight to stay awake, because I have been told that sometimes it can be as late as 5:00 am. Crazy. I am still beat. It's gonna take some time to recover. I have the rest of the day off to sleep and get situated.

But it was brutal.