Hello to you all. It has been quite a while since I have dropped a line and for that I must apologize. There is almost no e mail ability at the spot that I am currently at and the wireless signal is not the best either. To top it all off, the battery on my computer has died an I need to have the laptop plugged in at all times in order to send or receive any messages at all.
I am now in a new location as the anticipated move has taken place. I am now working in the Panjawayi Province of Afghanistan . It is quite a different spot than the previous one and the threat is different as well. Though you still have to be aware of the presence of the Taliban, the larger threat is that of IED’s or improvised explosive devices that they place in the ground and walls, etc. I am working in a village again and finding it very rewarding. The platoon I am working with is top notch as well. Very young guys with a good sense of humour, which helps around here.
I am currently, however, in Florida with my family for my mid – tour leave block. Yes Florida of all places, and in the summer to boot. We were going to go to France, but the expense for flights was crazy and the fact that you cannot get hotel packages didn’t help either. Would have cost far too much to be there for 3 weeks, so we decided on Floroida and a condo, which turned out to be a great decision as we were able to get a 4 bedroom, 4 bath home with a private screened pool. It is a private home that we are renting for the 21 days that is close to everything you would want to see, and we got it for a great price. It is in a private community too so you need to go through a security gate in order to get in here. It is aso in the middle of a wildlife preserve area so you can see just about anything here.
I landed on the 17th of the month and got a rental car. My family joined me on the 19th, so I had a couple of days tp relax and get my dad and husband hat back on (which I didn’t realize unil now that I really needed to do). We have been taking our time and just seeing what we want to and relaxing when we want to too. There is no rush here, and there is no threat here either (which is taking some getting used to as well). Today we may go out to EPCOT as the kids would like to see that. When it rains we plan on hitting the mall or the huge flea market they have down here. I must say, though, that despite the amenities here, I find my mind wandering back to the other country and the guys who are there working. I think of them daily and hope for their safety while I am on leave and not with them on patrol. Speaking of patrol, did you know that the average weight of a person on patrol is about 120 pounds over their regular body weight. I just thought I would throw that in there so you can realize what these guys have to put up with when they are out for maybe 6 hours in almost 60 degree weather (60 celsius that is). By the time you get back from a patrol it is not unusual to be soaked with sweat (entire body, through the uniform) and down a few pounds. There is no resppite from the heat either as the place I am in has no air conditioning. You just sweat all day and all night. Cant forget about the sand flees either. They bite you at night when you sleep (it is very difficult to sleep in a zipped up bug net as it stops what little air circulation you might enjoy) and so you suffer the flea bites and the accompanying itch and swelling. We have found scorpions, vipers, camel spiders and sand spiders in the camp so far along with some really big bugs of varing description. All of which bite and many of which are poisonous. Cool eh? Can you tell that I am happy to be in the relative cool of the FLorida summer in a house with a pool and air conditioning? Going back is going to be difficult, but getting back means that I get home faster too. My tour is about at the half way point when I get back. that means about four more months of the heat etc, before I get to come home to see you all. I am going to freeze back home as when I return, it will be winter (going from plus 60 celsius to minus 20 is a bit of a temperature change and I am not looking forward to that part of it all).
But I ramble and I need to go spend time with my family while I have the chance to do so. I hope you all enjoy your summers wiwth your families and are getting ready for the school year in September. I hope ou respective graduations went well and you leave your schools with a sense of accomplishment and pride at what you ahev done with yourselves.. Remember that the journey is just beginnning and that if you take care of youselves, the journey will be a long one. Work hard, have fun, take a risk and make a difference.
Peace and happiness to all of you
Mr D
