Post 1 - Journey to Iraq, leg 1 (Dulles to Kuwait)

Hello and welcome to my blog part II – Adventures in Iraq. I can’t guarantee this will be an on the edge of your seat thriller. In fact, I can not guarantee you’ll be entertained at all. But I can promise you, that I will do my best to, at the very least, have cool pictures so that you can skip my ranting tales and still get the gist. Happy Reading!

20 March 2009 – Journey to Iraq,
PART I
My journey actually began 5 days ago, at a little place called “TAC” --my pre-deployment training. There were about 28-30 other folks in the class, with about 2/3 going to Afghanistan and the other third headed to Iraq. But only 5 of that third will be flying with me as far as Kuwait, and only 2 of those 5 will continue on to the Baghdad region with me. In case you’re wondering what TAC is, stop. It’s not worth the brain power. I did not shoot any guns, hold any guns, or even LOOK at any guns. It was basically a very long week of sitting in a classroom, listening to lectures, and getting dropped off at the Golden Corral Buffet for lunch every day. Which is why I will not bore you with the details that I had to endure, and skip to the first exciting bit of my journey – the flight!!!
I’m about to board onto a non-stop 14 hour commercial flight from Dulles, VA to Kuwait City, Kuwait. There, 5 of my classmates and I will be met by an escort that will take us to a transient camp in Kuwait. I’m not sure when, but sometime after arrival there we’ll board a C-130 to Iraq. We could be in Kuwait for hours or days, all depending on where in Iraq we’re going and when there’s room on a flight to get us where we need to go.
Hold on, we’re boarding – well, I am at least—thanks to a wonderful friend by the name of Mike Stearns, I am riding BUSINESS CLASS, ladies and gents! I wave to my fellow classmates as I head through the door and onto the plane. They are all flying coach, and probably hate me right now.

(This is my first business class seat EVER, so I need to take a moment and indulge before I get into the exciting details of the desert, so bare with me for this first post…)

Friday, 20 March 2009 @ 9:15pm—right after boarding
WOW!! I have so much leg room up here I am seriously considering getting my carryon bag out of storage and putting it by my feet just to keep me company!! And the buttons, don’t EVEN get my started on the buttons! There’s so many I don’t know what does what. It takes me three tries to turn on the light on, and in the process I’ve accidently partially opened the footrest and can’t figure out how to put it back in. As a result, it’s still poking out about a foot or so and isn’t exactly the most comfortable feeling on my calves… I imagine it looks rather strange to the onlooker, but less strange than the alternative—and that would be to get down on my knees and physically push the footrest back in.

Eh, who cares! I’m in business class!!! The large pillow, head rest, 75% reclining seat (gotta upgrade to first class to get full recline), and sparkling wine make up for a little poke in the leg anyways!

Oh dear, I just let out one of my sneezes out…I hope that’s allowed in business…?

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Everyone around me has large headphones on that supposedly stop outside sounds (according to the internet). I would to like to put them on as well and listen to some classical music as I sip on my—Mum Cuvee Napa Brut NV Napa Valley Sparkling wine. Unfortunately, I believe the headphones are located in the pouch of the seat in front of me, but I’m not 100% sure because I don’t see them because there’s also a blanket and sleeper pack in there. I also cannot reach this pouch since the seat in front of me is SO FAR AWAY!! I’d have to unbuckle, put my tray table up, lift out of my seat (or at least scoot to the very edge), remove the blanket and sleeper pack, all just to see if the headphones are in the pouch. WAYYYY too much effort for a hunch!

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Ooooh, the stewardess is coming now with my Mum Cuvee Napa Brut NV Napa Valley Sparkling Wine!!... wait….she just asked if I would like a lemon or a lime? That’s strange, I don’t think that sounds very appeasing with sparkling wine…

Oh no... She thought I said sparkling water!! Should I grab her and repeat my order? She’s already moved on to the seats behind me, and they’re so far away…

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The nuts have just been served, and they are not pre-packaged at all! But instead served in a HOT ceramic ,itty bitty little bowl!! The man next to me ate his nuts very quickly and I don’t really want mine. I’m considering offering him my nuts—but is it OK to offer a man your nuts in business class??
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I gave the man my nuts and it was an excellent decision! It opened up a lovely chat with, Kevin, my business class neighbor. Kevin is originally from London but currently works for the World Bank in DC. He’s on his was to Kuwait for business, then on to Yamen and Cairo (I think?) before retruning to Dc. His mother is from Kenya and his sister is studying at Leeds Uni (where I studied abroad). Needless to say, we had a lot to talk about and I’ve decided to rank Kevin as my #1 best airplane neighbor thus far! I like business class!