Day 87; Hop, Skip, and a 2-Hr Jump

Wednesday, February 9^th

My email:

You mentioned last night that you would be leaving soon for Iraq.  So, 2 hour flight, then what? 

Do you caravan (or do you call it convoy? I can’t remember).  Do you travel by land vehicle from airstrip to base? 

Please tell me about your relocation and when we can expect to get the 'all clear.'  Kinda makes me sick to my stomach to be honest with you.  Your guardian angels will be on full alert, helping me to cope with this.
 

His Reply:

I have to stage my bags at 2000, in 10 hours.  At some point after that I'll probably be getting on a bus to a nearby air base, where I'll most likely spend the rest of the night sitting around waiting for an Air Force pilot to show up and fly us to Taji.  I think the flight is supposed to be wheels up at 0400.

When I hear the word caravan I think of a long line of nomad a-rabs on camels, hah.  The Army uses the word convoy.  But no, I won't be convoying anywhere.  I'll be taking a bus to the air base in Kuwait, and the airstrip I'll be landing on is inside the confines of Taji.  My equipment is getting there via convoy.

My email:

Thank you for the info. 

We use the term 'caravan' for real estate.  We don't all get in our vehicles and form a single line, following each other from house to house, but that's the idea behind it.  

haha, camels.  You already have camels on the brain after being there a week! 

Hope to hear back from you as soon as you get there to ease my misery.  143.

His Reply:

If you have been having problems getting a hold of me, it's a problem on my end most likely because my internet was shitty. I'm stuck at a base in Kuwait called Ali Al Salem right now...was supposed to be on a plane to Taji by now but the flight got canceled.  No indication yet as to when the next flight is, but there's free internet if I walk to a nearby tent so I'm going to try to give you an update if I can.

Love you