The Victory Base Complex, Baghdad, is like the Mos Eisley Spaceport: that iconic frontier experience starting with the different vehicles, control measures and Luke Skywalker's amazement at a big city full of sights and processes unfamiliar, and moreso typified by the famous scene where Luke and Ben Kenobi walk into the Cantina and are greated by a diverse range of foreign life forms, attitudes, and experiences.
I have not had anyone tell me that "he doesn't like you" (I'm sorry), "and I don't like you" and then draw a weapon on me, but there are a few characters around that some of the alien lifeforms and attitudes may have been modelled on. Unfamiliar shapes, sizes and sounds all accompanied by the obtrusive presence of a weapon on every hip or slung over every shoulder. Not to mention the similarities between Toeen's stark landscape and the bleak dustiness of my current environs.
I have sourced my first exit from this "planet", with a Rhino ride into the Green Zone in a couple of days time for an overnight stay. The Rhino is a large armoured bus that is escorted by four Hummers, "locked and loaded". No Carrilean Cruisers expected to be waiting in orbit, however they are always on the alert for the occasionaly Tie Fighter or the opportunistic Boba Fhet and his cronies.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Report from Baghdad #1
I will be posting the contents of my "family and friends" group emails to this forum over the next six months. Along the way I may interdict with some other observations abuot this life and the next.
You are part of my group email that I have created to keep you in the picture as to what is happening with my time away. If you don't want to hear from me just let me know (you will of course get a 'please explain' and be off the Christmas card list). The news that I will share will be fairly generic but if you want to know more about something just give me a hoy and I will do my best to quench your curiosity.
It is hot here low 40s each day and quite busy days, but it is all good at this stage. I arrived here on Sun afternoon and have settled in to my job and accommodation. We are in a palace complex that is surrounded by water so it is not too dusty, but the heat is there all day and most of the night. The US presence here is huge and I will have lots to tell. I am settling in ok. The vibe on the Hq is fairly relaxed as all appreciate the cramped living and working conditions. I am quite tired and have had no trouble sleeping. My body clock is now on 'Baggers ' time. I rise around 0530 and have been for a walk each morning thus far so I am quickly into a routine. Accommodation is ok, fairly good system of communal responsibility to keep the peace in a room where 24 bunks are co located. Compared to how many others are living here in the airport area the Aussies have it quite good. The food is plentiful but very dangerous as you could eat too much 'good tasting' but not so healthy stuff. It is mostly smorgasbord type layout with lots of variety; the dining facilities are fairly huge. It is about a 10 minute walk to where we eat, so it can be quite hot getting there and coming back three times a day.
The working and living accommodation is all surrounded by lakes and walkways. We are literally in palace complexes, with the water around the edges of the balconies and walkways. Out the back door of the part of the headquarters where I work is a verandah that we tee off of into the lake. There is an island about 70 metres out which has a flag and makeshift green on it. Only problem is that you can't get your golf balls back unless you land on the island!!!. And then it is a wait until someone goes out to the island in a row boat. James (the guy I replaced) has left me a bag of balls, but if anyone wants to send me anything, please send me golf balls, you know the dodgy cheap recycled ones the kids steal out of the dams and resell. I am told you can get 39 into the two kilo BM post pack, which can be posted for free. Hitting a couple of balls has already proven to be a great mind break.
The security situation here is fairly benign, with no real direct threat in our day to day routine, except for the occasional random incoming rocket and small arms fire on the perimeter towers. These incidents are few and far between and usually in other parts of the base. Still, it makes for interesting times when the alarm goes off.
That is about it for the moment. Keep me in your prayers and I will keep you all in my thoughts.
You are part of my group email that I have created to keep you in the picture as to what is happening with my time away. If you don't want to hear from me just let me know (you will of course get a 'please explain' and be off the Christmas card list). The news that I will share will be fairly generic but if you want to know more about something just give me a hoy and I will do my best to quench your curiosity.
It is hot here low 40s each day and quite busy days, but it is all good at this stage. I arrived here on Sun afternoon and have settled in to my job and accommodation. We are in a palace complex that is surrounded by water so it is not too dusty, but the heat is there all day and most of the night. The US presence here is huge and I will have lots to tell. I am settling in ok. The vibe on the Hq is fairly relaxed as all appreciate the cramped living and working conditions. I am quite tired and have had no trouble sleeping. My body clock is now on 'Baggers ' time. I rise around 0530 and have been for a walk each morning thus far so I am quickly into a routine. Accommodation is ok, fairly good system of communal responsibility to keep the peace in a room where 24 bunks are co located. Compared to how many others are living here in the airport area the Aussies have it quite good. The food is plentiful but very dangerous as you could eat too much 'good tasting' but not so healthy stuff. It is mostly smorgasbord type layout with lots of variety; the dining facilities are fairly huge. It is about a 10 minute walk to where we eat, so it can be quite hot getting there and coming back three times a day.
The working and living accommodation is all surrounded by lakes and walkways. We are literally in palace complexes, with the water around the edges of the balconies and walkways. Out the back door of the part of the headquarters where I work is a verandah that we tee off of into the lake. There is an island about 70 metres out which has a flag and makeshift green on it. Only problem is that you can't get your golf balls back unless you land on the island!!!. And then it is a wait until someone goes out to the island in a row boat. James (the guy I replaced) has left me a bag of balls, but if anyone wants to send me anything, please send me golf balls, you know the dodgy cheap recycled ones the kids steal out of the dams and resell. I am told you can get 39 into the two kilo BM post pack, which can be posted for free. Hitting a couple of balls has already proven to be a great mind break.
The security situation here is fairly benign, with no real direct threat in our day to day routine, except for the occasional random incoming rocket and small arms fire on the perimeter towers. These incidents are few and far between and usually in other parts of the base. Still, it makes for interesting times when the alarm goes off.
That is about it for the moment. Keep me in your prayers and I will keep you all in my thoughts.
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