I'm back in Baghdad from my mid-tour "Rest & Relaxation" holiday- got in Kuwait City this past Saturday and made it to Baghdad around mid-afternoon on Sunday ... it was a 32 hour trip.
I spent time in Germany with Sandra and Justice; slept in late; went to a few spas; traveled little; ate too much (a good thing); and drank a few beers (a very good thing). It was precisely what I required.
The fifteen days in Germany seems like only a few hours now. It took me no more than a couple of minutes to get my feet back under myself here and back into the routine. I have a renewed empty feeling, it is always there when I'm gone, but is much more noticeable when the memories are so incredibly fresh.
Progress in Iraq is measured in inches (this does not play well in the media), so daily transformation is often not noticed, but it is a pleasant reception here to see what has been accomplished in the weeks I was gone (mostly the local tribes rising up against insurgents). But the initial thing I noticed was the temperature... wow, it went from just a little hot to scorching. 106 already (it is only early May)... it is not going to be a comfortable summer.
I do not know when I will return - one year for me would be early October... but with the announced extensions last month, I do not know yet how this will affect my homecoming. I get the sense that I will gain some extra time- but perhaps not the full 90 days.
I'll attempt to get photos up on the web site (See link at top right) this week - I need to catch up a bit on work here, but my goal is to have the photos up by the weekend.
George
I spent time in Germany with Sandra and Justice; slept in late; went to a few spas; traveled little; ate too much (a good thing); and drank a few beers (a very good thing). It was precisely what I required.
The fifteen days in Germany seems like only a few hours now. It took me no more than a couple of minutes to get my feet back under myself here and back into the routine. I have a renewed empty feeling, it is always there when I'm gone, but is much more noticeable when the memories are so incredibly fresh.
Progress in Iraq is measured in inches (this does not play well in the media), so daily transformation is often not noticed, but it is a pleasant reception here to see what has been accomplished in the weeks I was gone (mostly the local tribes rising up against insurgents). But the initial thing I noticed was the temperature... wow, it went from just a little hot to scorching. 106 already (it is only early May)... it is not going to be a comfortable summer.
I do not know when I will return - one year for me would be early October... but with the announced extensions last month, I do not know yet how this will affect my homecoming. I get the sense that I will gain some extra time- but perhaps not the full 90 days.
I'll attempt to get photos up on the web site (See link at top right) this week - I need to catch up a bit on work here, but my goal is to have the photos up by the weekend.
George
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