Waiting at KAF
From KAF,
I've heard more planes flying overhead at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) this morning than I've heard all week. This is potentially good news for me, I can perhaps leave KAF in the next few days if there's an available flight - at least I know the planes are flying again.
My group made it to Manas, Kygryzstan after a solid 30+ hours traveling. Except for the cold weather, I enjoyed Manas - it was quiet, not crowded, there were roads outside you could run on, the dining facility (DFAC) was pretty good. LT Olmstead (an ultrarunner) and I put in about 20 miles while we were at Manas - and I might not have run otherwise because my sweat froze on the outside of my clothes. My small group (5) was in Manas for just over 2 days, then we very excitedly boarded a C130 and headed to Kandahar. The sun was getting ready to set as we landed, our first time on Afghanistan soil. The back end of the plane opened and I saw the silhouettes of planes and helicopters in the dusty, lighted haze. It looked like a scene from a war movie. And that's when it finally hit me, it's not a war movie...it's a real war.
No one knew we were coming, at least we had no liaison there to receive us like the other units did. We flew "space A" which means you just hop a plane if there's space available. But despite being a little confused when we landed about what to do next, a sergeant helped us get our gear and hitch a bus to our transient tents. We're been here ever since, all of us waiting for a flight or convoy out to our respective forward operating bases (FOBs).
It's been dusty here - I suppose dustier than usual and that's a huge reason why none of us have left KAF. After 2 days here I found my LNO and bought a ROSHAN phone (local cell phone network) so he could call me when they had a flight. Otherwise I'd have to wait in line multiple times a day to call his office - and he's not always there. So I pass the time between the only 5 places I can go...the DFAC to eat, the community tent to sleep, the MWR to get on the phone/computer or watch TV/movies/read, the MWR gym to workout, or the "boardwalk" area that has some shopping and sports fields in the center (and a 1/4 mile jogging track). I've spent most of my time either running or reading...which is why I've easily racked up 70+ miles this past week. They also have wireless internet here for $21/3hrs but I have not been able to get on it with my computer - otherwise I'd upload a few photos for you. The wireless internet is also pretty fickle, it only works some of the time and when it's working it's very slow.
There are a lot of amenities out here to be sure, so I am very lucky to be deployed in a place so built up. But after only 11 days out of the states - without high-speed internet, my Subaru, my iPhone, my running trails, my usual freedoms - life is very different. Today is Christmas Eve here and I am trying to think about other things besides missing my family and friends. Thankfully I've had 4 other people to travel with so we have stuck together and it's made the transitioning and waiting a lot easier.
More to come later from Afghanistan - hopefully from my FOB in a few days!
I've heard more planes flying overhead at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) this morning than I've heard all week. This is potentially good news for me, I can perhaps leave KAF in the next few days if there's an available flight - at least I know the planes are flying again.
My group made it to Manas, Kygryzstan after a solid 30+ hours traveling. Except for the cold weather, I enjoyed Manas - it was quiet, not crowded, there were roads outside you could run on, the dining facility (DFAC) was pretty good. LT Olmstead (an ultrarunner) and I put in about 20 miles while we were at Manas - and I might not have run otherwise because my sweat froze on the outside of my clothes. My small group (5) was in Manas for just over 2 days, then we very excitedly boarded a C130 and headed to Kandahar. The sun was getting ready to set as we landed, our first time on Afghanistan soil. The back end of the plane opened and I saw the silhouettes of planes and helicopters in the dusty, lighted haze. It looked like a scene from a war movie. And that's when it finally hit me, it's not a war movie...it's a real war.
No one knew we were coming, at least we had no liaison there to receive us like the other units did. We flew "space A" which means you just hop a plane if there's space available. But despite being a little confused when we landed about what to do next, a sergeant helped us get our gear and hitch a bus to our transient tents. We're been here ever since, all of us waiting for a flight or convoy out to our respective forward operating bases (FOBs).
It's been dusty here - I suppose dustier than usual and that's a huge reason why none of us have left KAF. After 2 days here I found my LNO and bought a ROSHAN phone (local cell phone network) so he could call me when they had a flight. Otherwise I'd have to wait in line multiple times a day to call his office - and he's not always there. So I pass the time between the only 5 places I can go...the DFAC to eat, the community tent to sleep, the MWR to get on the phone/computer or watch TV/movies/read, the MWR gym to workout, or the "boardwalk" area that has some shopping and sports fields in the center (and a 1/4 mile jogging track). I've spent most of my time either running or reading...which is why I've easily racked up 70+ miles this past week. They also have wireless internet here for $21/3hrs but I have not been able to get on it with my computer - otherwise I'd upload a few photos for you. The wireless internet is also pretty fickle, it only works some of the time and when it's working it's very slow.
There are a lot of amenities out here to be sure, so I am very lucky to be deployed in a place so built up. But after only 11 days out of the states - without high-speed internet, my Subaru, my iPhone, my running trails, my usual freedoms - life is very different. Today is Christmas Eve here and I am trying to think about other things besides missing my family and friends. Thankfully I've had 4 other people to travel with so we have stuck together and it's made the transitioning and waiting a lot easier.
More to come later from Afghanistan - hopefully from my FOB in a few days!
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