Baghdad Airport, Destination Tikrit

So I finally made a flight out of Baghdad. Getting through the process was such a pain. Ready? Here we go..... First there is a roll call for all people and you are divided into groups by your destination. Then you have to get your card scanned, turn in your keys to your room, get your luggage to the luggage truck, meet again for a final briefing, find your bus, check in, get on the bus, then a long bus ride to the airport (over very bumpy roads), wait on the bus, get off the bus and find your luggage (which has been unloaded into rows on the pavement), get in line, walk through the lobby to the security check, go thru screening number one, collect your things, check your bags, bet the boarding pass, go thru screening number two, wait in the warm lobby for about 4 hours, get in line again, go thru screening number 3, get in line again, go downstairs to another shuttle, drive out to the tarmac, and board the plane.

It's exhausting just thinking about it again. We are like a herd of cows, moved from one place to another.

The plane is another story. It's a turbo prop plane and we entered through the back. It's a company that KBR has hired to charter flights in and out of Iraq. This plane is probably about 40 years old. It's Russian and the pilot and staff are from eastern Europe somewhere. There is a musty old smell and you can't even understand the safety briefing about seat belts and the plane. It can only hold about 32 people. We entered through the cargo hold. Once we were loaded the plane started up and MAN! it was loud. I'm glad I had my ipod with me. The snug fit drowned out the some of the noise.

The ride was bumpy but I expected this from the look of the plane. It's a two and half-hour trip. I tried to sleep but it was almost impossible. The landing was okay.

As we debarked, we got our luggage and I followed the 20 other people getting off at this location. There was no terminal or building. The airstrip is military so after we landed, the plane parks and we get off. It felt so unusual. There was a shuttle waiting for us so we threw our luggage into another truck adn rode to the next destination.

We drove a ways to the living area, which consisted of hundreds of cargo-like containers that were modified as living quarters called CHUs - Conainer Housing Units. It's surrounded by T-walls. 6 foot wide by 8-10 foot tall and 2 foot wide concrete walls that are arranged around almost all the structures. The T-walls contain collateral damage in case mortars or rockets land in the area.

So we got into the Billeting Building where there is a conference room and had a short orientation about where we willbe sleeping and who to report to. Then we unloaded our luggage. I ended up in the dorm with is single story unit that has abomut 50 rooms. Each room houses two people. Very small. Two built-in twin beds, head to foot on the right and two small wardobe-like closets on the left. There is a small desk n the left on the far side of the wardrobe. there is already someone on the far side so I take the bed near the door. The mattress has a hinge so underneath is open to a little more storage. The room is like a sardine can. No TV, no fridge. Just beds, closets and a desk. Ugh! LOL!

Welcome to Iraq....