London Still Calling
Well I am stuck in Baghdad at least 1 more night. My helicopter ride from the IZ to BIAP was delayed and then cancelled. I am so upset. This means that I will only have 1 short day in London to explore. What I will probably do is extend a day or 2 on my way out of England. My sister won’t be able to stay but at least I can have some quality time looking the place over myself.
The way it works here is that you need to be at Camp Victory to travel. Victory is where the BIAP is and they have a civilian and military side. I am flying out of the military side to Basrah on a RAF C-130 and then linking up with my flight direct from Basrah to England. The trick is getting yourself to Victory. You have to go down RTE Irish which is not so fun. Well you could drive thru the city but that would be stupid. So there are a few ways to get there. You can drive yourself (stupid), you can take a cab (stupid unless you are armed, biggest threat would be getting shot by military or contractors), take a PSD convoy (good), take the armored Rhino bus (good, but a huge pain in the ass), or fly via helo (best).
So I got confirmed back on the flight tomorrow and should be good to go. I can’t afford another day delay. The wedding is on the 12th and now the earliest I can get to London is the 11th and I still have to make it to Scotland for the wedding.
Here is a picture of the LZ.
And here is my dragging my sweaty butt back after sitting on it for 6 hours in the blazing sun. Not a happy camper.
Update to my original post.
I forgot to mention that while I was sitting on a metal panel waiting for my flight, I heard an all too familiar sound. It was a rocket flying over me. It was loud so it had a low trajectory. It almost tricked me into thinking it was a jet, but it wasn’t loud enough for that. Anyway, it zoomed right over and exploded west of the LZ in Baghdad. It wasn’t a very loud explosion so it was prolly a 107. Anyway. I just sat there thinking about how appropriate this is. Here I am sitting on the LZ and I will get whacked on my way out. There was also a helo that went down today but I don’t know the details. So then when I found out my flight was delayed I moved to a shadier spot to wait. It was then that I looked up thru the cammo netting to see an Apache popping flares as it crossed the Tigris. I am so looking forward to a few nights OUT of Iraq where I don’t have to worry about death at any second. Not that I am all that worried, if they get me they get me, fine, but it will just be nice to NOT have to worry about it at all. The sad thing is, I will type all this crap, and then my train to Scotland will derail and I will die in a fiery train crash. Oh well. I think I have a better chance of getting killed in Detroit than I do here. I don’t have stats, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Cheers,
Walt
The way it works here is that you need to be at Camp Victory to travel. Victory is where the BIAP is and they have a civilian and military side. I am flying out of the military side to Basrah on a RAF C-130 and then linking up with my flight direct from Basrah to England. The trick is getting yourself to Victory. You have to go down RTE Irish which is not so fun. Well you could drive thru the city but that would be stupid. So there are a few ways to get there. You can drive yourself (stupid), you can take a cab (stupid unless you are armed, biggest threat would be getting shot by military or contractors), take a PSD convoy (good), take the armored Rhino bus (good, but a huge pain in the ass), or fly via helo (best).
So I got confirmed back on the flight tomorrow and should be good to go. I can’t afford another day delay. The wedding is on the 12th and now the earliest I can get to London is the 11th and I still have to make it to Scotland for the wedding.
Here is a picture of the LZ.
And here is my dragging my sweaty butt back after sitting on it for 6 hours in the blazing sun. Not a happy camper.
Update to my original post.
I forgot to mention that while I was sitting on a metal panel waiting for my flight, I heard an all too familiar sound. It was a rocket flying over me. It was loud so it had a low trajectory. It almost tricked me into thinking it was a jet, but it wasn’t loud enough for that. Anyway, it zoomed right over and exploded west of the LZ in Baghdad. It wasn’t a very loud explosion so it was prolly a 107. Anyway. I just sat there thinking about how appropriate this is. Here I am sitting on the LZ and I will get whacked on my way out. There was also a helo that went down today but I don’t know the details. So then when I found out my flight was delayed I moved to a shadier spot to wait. It was then that I looked up thru the cammo netting to see an Apache popping flares as it crossed the Tigris. I am so looking forward to a few nights OUT of Iraq where I don’t have to worry about death at any second. Not that I am all that worried, if they get me they get me, fine, but it will just be nice to NOT have to worry about it at all. The sad thing is, I will type all this crap, and then my train to Scotland will derail and I will die in a fiery train crash. Oh well. I think I have a better chance of getting killed in Detroit than I do here. I don’t have stats, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Cheers,
Walt
posted by Walt at 7:58 PM
5 Comments:
Good heavens, Walt -- I'd be petrified with rockets whizzing about. I'd send you Paris Hilton if I could.:)
I sincerely hope you make it to Scotland in time. Good luck!
Flight posponed is better than flight shot down Walt! Be patient and safe man, England is not going anywhere.
Keep your head down and your pwdere dry Walt!
Mack
This blog just got added to favorites! Good reading.
random passer by here. Me thinks you watched too much of Final Destination.
I'll come back hopin to read your trip and all else went well.
Post a Comment
<< Home