I've been unable to update for many reasons, but here goes. I flew out of Abilene,
TX last Monday to Dallas. This was the first of many legs of my as of yet unfinished journey.
I dozed off on the crappy little plane, later jostled awake by turbulence,
the tiny aircraft's lone flight attendant, Kim happened to be beside me in the aisle.
She fell on me with an appropriate "OH SHIT!", showering me with empty soda cans,
and I felt certain that I would at that moment die, consumed by a fireball.
Next, Dallas to Marylad. Uneventful.
Maryland to Germany- long layover, then seated between a Major and a
Lieutenant Colonel that did not want to share armrests, but the LtCol was a nice enough
Japanese fellow from Kailua-Kona, Big Island, so we chatted a bit. I watched the severely
edited "batman begins' through odd headphones that were not electronic, but black rubber
tubing that conveyed sound much like a stethoscope.. The hiss and treble caused percussive pain
in my tender ears.
GERMANY- couldn't leave he airport. We flew in over the Rhine, but it was dark. We flew over
Ireland's famed white cliffs of Dover, but it was dark.
Germany- Bahrain We were served these really effing good vegan chocolate cream cookies.
Flew over a huge mountain range at daybreak, but I have no clue as to which one.
It was amazing, and none of the pictures came out.

photo= wingtip, sunset over indian ocean
Bahrain= blah blah who cares, I was there for an hour.

I arrived in Qatar, I was there for a week on an ultra-extended layover.
I slept on a cot in a cafeteria and showered twice the whole time.

Arrived in Iraq at night, helmet and body armor on, kind of afraid,
but more tired. There was a severe sandstorm that got all up in my eyes,
the sand in Iraq is not the same as Hawaii beach sand, it's realy fine
like sweet n low crystals, and when pushed by surging winds are very painful to the skin.
I was in Nasiriyah for a week, and met my 2 students. They spent alot of time online looking
at pictures of Shania Twain. They like me.

After talking on the phone to Mary, I was told that I was going to Baghdad in 40 minutes.Fun Stuff.
I've been here for a few days, and there were funny stories and whatnot, but cuz I didn't blog daily,
I forgot/ don't care anymore. But, I did hear an explosion today.

xxooxxoo, D