The Trip

After leaving the gym it was all anti-climatic. We were bused to the airfield where there was a slight wait, but we were quickly put on the World Airways MD-11. Our first stop was Bangor, Maine where the plane took on some additional fuel and we ran into a flight of Soldiers going the other way. One day, that will be us. After Maine, we were off to Liepzig, Germany which was a very dreary place. I will my geography, but I think we were in what used to be the old East Germany. There was snow everywhere but not as cold as the -27 degrees that met us in Maine.
When we landed, it was about 5pm, so after some math in order to figure out where we were and what the time back home might be, I decided to call back to TX and talk the family. I lucked out and it was about 10am and I was able to talk to Household 6 as well as the kiddos. Technology is an awesome thing when it is working.
After Germany, we once again lifted off into the clear night sky, had some dinner and drifted off to sleep. After all, when you are on a plane, there are very few things to do. At three minutes after midnight on Saturday, January 17, 2009, the World Airways jet carrying 280 American Soldiers touched down in Kuwait ready to accomplish what we have individually and collectively trained for. As I looked around the plane, some Soldiers were steely eyed and some were teary eyed, but we were all ready to get started. After landing, we took a two hour bus ride through the night to our first home, Camp Buehring. While we were riding, I tried to look out and survey the ground and once again, it looked like we had landed in the cold ice and snow, but the barren, pristine ground cover was not fresh powder, it was sand!! It was everywhere. It was nice to get off the bus, as it not the most comfortable and you can’t help but wonder how many other Soldiers have taken this trip in this bus and how many others will follow us. We will stay here until it is or time to move forward.
So far, we are all in good spirits and healthy. This is a very big place with a lot of comforts of home. There is a Subway, a Taco Bell, Starbucks, a PX and a big gym and most importantly, the dining facility is AWESOME. Tonight for dinner, I had mango ice cream after feasting on baked chicken. He gym will be a necessity and not a convenience.