This is the year...40...and headed to Africa: 24 February 2011...Stellar week in Djibouti!

Hey y'all!

Wow - what a great week this has been. I know, you don't hear that much from me. But I am just really enjoying myself and have lots to smile about lately. Woo Hoo Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it is only 14 days until I am BOG at IAD! I cannot wait to see everyone! I have so much planned while I am home for those short 18 days. But it will be awesome!

This week started out Sunday at French Beach, as liberty restrictions were softened and didn't include the beach. It was the first time I have been there. I went with several of my favorite Ecuadorian friends. And we ended up meeting up with several other guys who work on the program here. I have included some photos below. The adventure started with just trying to get everyone out of bed and ready to depart! Jeesh! I was able to secure a vehicle for the journey...needed an AWD to get us where we were going. Once we had everyone, we piled in and headed for brunch at the Galley. My phone rings...and it is one of our employees in HR. She wants to go off camp for some pizza with a friend. Since our boss has been out, and she left me in charge, I needed to sign her liberty chit. So we turned the vehicle back towards Tango-5 and I met her to sign her chit. Thankfully we hadn't left base yet...

Anyway, we headed off camp. This was an all new adventure for me, including the journey there. We turned down a road that took us past what I would liken to the slums in Mexico. The box looking houses made from materials I am sure that were found in the local dumps. Not much green to look at...no yards for the kids to play in. They choose to play in the roads and dirt fields where you can see them kicking around soccer balls. Laundry is hung on the bare trees that are close by. People are in the "yards" with their wash basins finishing up washing their laundry, trying to utilize any shade they might find from the trees. It can be imagined that there are more people in each of the huts than should be safely allowed by the local fire marshal. It's a depressing part of the City. It's clear that some of these people actually live under these trees; they don't even have a shelter. There are camels in the yards, some tied to trees, others in fenced in boxes that give them no room to roam. I guess these must be the "pets"?

The guys are acting like they have no idea where they are going...is this the right road? Which turn do we take? Ha ha They turn off the paved road onto this dirt road saying "Let's check this one out!" I am thinking, good grief! We will never find it. Then the driver says if we get lost we'll just stop and ask for directions! HA HA Right, in Djibouti on some dirt road in the middle of no where? I am a little nervous...but know these guys will get me there. And they do...they were just kidding with me. This road is something else. Reminded me of the path I ran that half marathon on. No wonder we needed the AWD! They don't have a toll booth to collect funds in order to maintain this road! It's a crazy ride down to the beach! But we make it...and as we turn the corner to where the beach is now in view, it is quite pretty out here! The water is beautiful tourqouise today! So excited to be at the beach!

We pull up along the beach and find an empty spot we can take over. They have covered picnic tables and lounge chairs to use. We quickly spot the other guys we know from work here and head down to say HELLO! The water looks awesome. I sit in a chair and try my hardest to read and study for my Rescue Diver exam I have the next day...but it's too hard! Not the material...it's too hard to study when I am at the beach and ready to jump in! So after a quick beverage...several of us decide to hit the water and snorkel over to this boat wreck not far off from the shore. We grab our gear and off we go!

The water is a bit rough - the tide is heading out and we find ourselves swimming against the current for the entire trip out to the boat. It is exhausting! And with the tide going out, it is pretty shallow along the reef we are crossing. But we get to see plenty of fish and the reef isn't so bad around here. The boat is stuck aground and is covered in rust and barnacles and other sea life (or non-life!) But right in front of the boat the water is much calmer...so we rest there a bit before we head back to shore. I got a little bit of sun...which was nice. We hung out for several hours, and then headed back to base. I was slated to referee the Army vs. Navy repeat game at 1900.

Speaking of...so I show up to referee...and no other judges show up! So it was just me. Mind you, I have only ever served as Offensive or Defensive Line Judge...so refereeing the whole field was quite a challenge. And then throw in there too that I need to keep track of the time! YIKES! Not sure I did as good a job as I have in the past...but it worked out okay. The Navy won this time and they were happy about that for sure!

Last night I was able to get in another night dive. It was a rough night. Winds were a little high and the seas were a bit rough. I think everyone on the boat was seasick...several actually fed the fish when they did get sick. I was happy I did not actually throw up....but it was touch and go. The dive itself was okay. We did a wreck dive at the Raphael. A large German conatiner ship sitting at the bottom of the Gulf there. I am not sure I willl do a wreck dive at night again...especially not in such rough waters. We went down to about 80 feet...which was fine. We saw lots of fish. But when we got back to about 30 feet and more shallow the seas were just moving! It was nasueating, to say the least. Again with the roughness of the water, it took me a good 3 tries to get back on the boat - I had to keep letting go of the ladder as the boat rocked! But I have to say, I was just happy to be out on the water again! And we survived. I haven't dived this month at all!

Next up - Rescue Diving skills time. Waiting to get the schedule on that. Hoping to get that done prior to coming home March 10. So we'll see. Everyone is so busy these days.

Anyway...that's my French Beach story. Enjoy the photos below! Really a GREAT DAY!

Miss and love you all!

Ciao!
Kathi