Wheelin' Part Deux

Landmines? HA! That's not going to stop me. Steve and I found a couple new spots to go off-roading that are safe where we don't have a risk of getting blown up. Was it ever muddy! Was it ever fun! I liked it better than the wadi actually, we went to a pit they used to use for RC racing but it's full of water now so it isn't any good for that. What it is good for is getting messy! After that we went down to another spot on the south end of the base near a construction site. There were probably about 20-30 workers that had stopped working and just stood around watching us. Their heavy equipment operators even drove over and parked to watch, it was pretty awesome. 

Before

During

During (a little later, a little muddier)

After

I can't see

Yes, there is mud on my teeth

Amazing!

They have such awesome toys here! I mean, COME ON! Where else do you get to see stuff like this?

Apache landing

Blackhawks taking off

Dirty Smokers

So I think I mentioned that Jelani is leaving on Monday so I'll have a room all to myself although I've been told I will be moving to another building eventually but I don't know when yet. Anyways I plan on enjoying the single living while it lasts.

Now, there's a new guy in the office who just flew in this past Tuesday. He used to work for ATCO but quit about 6 weeks ago and now he's been rehired because they needed an electrical guy on staff. Anyways, I've been sitting at his desk for the last month and have been bumped because there is software on that computer that he needs. So until Jelani leaves on Monday, I'm actually without a desk of my own. I've now resorted to scrounging a computer whenever somebody gets up to go to the washroom or get a coffee.

Additionally, I am apparently living in his old room which has an antenna wired up to the roof that he used to be able to pick up a free TV signal on. He's been poking around asking about the antenna (which I have no use for anyways) and when he heard that Jelani was leaving he figured he would just move in to Jelani's old spot.

I have a problem with that. A big one. For one he's an older, overweight guy so right away I'm going to assume he snores, and not like Jelani snores, but like an older overweight guy snores. Two, he's a smoker and although you can't smoke in the shacks, he and his clothes and likely the whole room would eventually smell like smoke. Three (and this is the big one), he's currently down at the other end of the hall from me, but at about 6am every morning I can hear him coughing. And not just a little cough, but a cough that sounds like he's losing a lung. That really gross phlegmy smoker cough. I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard someone cough so badly and so consistanly. It goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on. As an added treat, during all this coughing you can hear him swearing. It goes something like this "ChooooghhoooghoooooohcooooooooghooooooJESUS!!", "ChoooooghoooghoooooooochooooooghoooooCHRIST!!!", "CHOOOOOOOGHOOOOGHFUCK!!!!". He honestly goes on like that for about a half hour most mornings. It's like our morning reveille. Anyways, all that being said, it's bad enough that he's all the way down the hall doing this. There's no way I'm going to let him move into my room!

ACK! I'M BALD!

So... funny story. I'm sleeping peacefully last night and I wake up in the middle of the night and there's Jelani standing over me cutting my hair with clippers!

I'm kidding. I've been needing a haircut and for simplicity I just decided to cut it all off. Now I fit in better with all the military types. When in Rome?

...act as Romans do.

EDIT: Thanks to Anonymous for noticing ;) I didn't think you could tell with my shirt on but yes, that's pretty much exactly what I look like these days.

Me at the gym

No more wheelin' for this guy

So there was an e-mail sent out yesterday to warn all base personnel that due to the heavy rains that we've been having there may be the risk of anti-personnel mines being washed onto base. In particular those areas around the fence line and the northern and southern wadis. Well I had fun off-roading, but not so much fun that I'm going to risk running over a landmine. It was good while it lasted.

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!

I hurt my back... probably on Monday night at the gym but it means that I've been laid up for the last couple of days just resting. It really kind of sucks. Hopefully I'll be okay by tomorrow and I'll be able to get back to work. 

I'm Boring...

I've been pretty negligent in updating my blog for the last week. I've been wanting to post something, but my life here has settled into a fairly dull routine that I wasn't really sure that anyone (myself included) would want to read about.

Nothing like a good intro to really grab your attention, eh? Are you even still reading? It's not that I haven'd done anything since my last post. Last Saturday we had a beer call, which was much appreciated. We each got "issued" two beers and we had a steak BBQ, there was a DJ and dancing (although it was mostly guys) and it was just generally a good time. I was also reminded of just how delicious beer is, unfortunately I have a feeling we won't have another one while I'm here.

I got up to the helicopter flight line at the north end of the base this week. It was equally as cool as the flight line by the airstrip. I kind of wished I had my camera with me. We're not allowed to take photos on the flight line, but the helicopter flight line didn't seem to be a controlled area. No gates, no guards. Maybe next time because it was pretty cool. Row after row of Chinooks, Apaches, Blackhawks, Kiowas, Ospreys. It was fun to drive around there.

I'm did some more planning on my post Afghanistan trip. I will definitely spend a few days in Dubai and then go to Borneo for scuba lessons. I've heard great things about Sipadan Island being a world class dive site so I figured I would go there. I have not heard great things about the town of Semporna though, which is where you would stay if you were diving at Sipadan. I thought I found the ideal solution though, there is a water chalet located about 10 minutes off the coast of Semporna that basically amounts to a hostel on the ocean. It seemed perfect, for around $10 per night I could stay in a dorm there (including food) and catch a boat in to town to go diving. They also do diving from the water chalet but from the reviews I've read it's not great diving and you're better off going with another dive operator. Anyways, my problem now is trying to contact this place. Their e-mail doesn't seem to work and I'm not sure exactly how to call out from here to Malasia. I'm going to have to look into that this week though because it seems like a perfect place to stay.

Yesterday was a pretty perfect day. It was one of the nicest days we've had for weather, sunny, clear and probably in the high 20s. On top of that it was market day which I always enjoy. I know I've talked about the market before, but it really is fun going and looking around. They've got a little bit of everything there and I like the sheer randomness of it.

Typical vendor stall... Blankets, scarves, hats, rugs...

Traditional Afghani Viking Helmet?

Jaime modelling a metal thong.

Arachnic Man blanket. Apparently they do obey some
copyright laws...

After work I went to they gym to do my weekly 10k. It felt good last night and I've managed to drop my time down to about 52 minutes. I would like to see that come down to 45 minutes by the time I leave here but I'm feeling good with how I'm progressing.

Last night I played poker with the guys again, I did a little better this time and walked away with their money. It made for a good end to a great day. 

So... there you go, that's why I haven't been updating this thing for the last week. I feel like this is the most boring post ever.