4 DAY PASS

Back to work for the second day since returning from 4 day pass to Qatar. It was very relaxing, just what I needed to finish out this deployment. I have been deployed 551 days with about 80 left. We have a real cool spell going, high today 57 with a low tonight of 42, chilly!

I was in Qatar September 2008 for a pass, not much had changed in 14 months. They remodeled the computer room with new chairs and desks and new computers, they had new lounge chairs in the movie room. I relaxed for 6 days.
The first day you get there is day 0, lets you get settled in. I arrived in Qatar about 0100 and was finished in processing and in my room about 0500. I stayed on my night shift time so I went to bed. Got up about 1700, cleaned up and went to the Top Off Club/MWR to enjoy a great Rib Eye Steak, French Fries and a Guiness. You are allowed three beers from 1800 to 2400 daily. They keep track of your purchases on computer so you cannot cheat. I spent time on computer, watched football, couple movies, of course had my other two Guiness before midnight, called Robyn and went to bed about my normal time 0800. The next 3 days were about the same, I had a great T-bone steak the night of day 4, and both it and the Rib Eye were cooked almost perfect. Of course I was not too picky, the steaks we get at the DFAC are over cooked, we call them camel leather. So having a medium rare to medium steak that is juicy is fantastic. I also had a great bacon cheese burger one night and chicken fried rice. I ate midnight chow at the DFAC each night, they had real Krispy Kreme Donuts, wow what a treat.

On day 4 you go to the notification board at 2100 to get your flight home some time after midnight, I got a 1215 show time. So I tried to go to bed at 0300, get up at 1000, clean up, get lunch and arrived to go to the airfield. The flight was cancelled, come back at 2100 for your next flight. So now I was not sure what to do, so I stayed up thinking I would get a nap after 2100, got a 0800 show time so I went to bed at 2200 and got up at 0600. I was so tired; I slept well and felt pretty good when I got up. That flight held, so I got 6 days for my 4 day pass.
Had a great time, relaxed, no schedules, just hung out and watched movies, read my book and got on computer. Now ready to finish this mission and get home.

Got some good news when I got back, when I got here we were housed in the old Iraqi barracks, I had a room to myself, it was great. Then I think it was end of July they moved us into the new CHUs, had to have a roommate, now they have decided they have some extra rooms and my roommate is moving out and I will have my own room till we leave. This is great!!

Randy