God Likes Me!

Yesterday afternoon I was wandering around brigade, saying farewell to some friends and looking forward to leaving late at night the next day or following morning. Then someone asked, "Hey Chappie, do you want to go on the supercargo tonight?" Now for those of you who are unaware of what I am talking about, these were the options:

1. I could wait until the late night of the 12th or early morning of the 13th and fly to Kuwait in a Sherpa wearing full battle rattle. I could then spend anywhere from a day to a week or longer in 135 degree heat, sleeping in a tent waiting for a plane. Then I would be bused to an airport and fly to the east coast of the US. I would then change planes and head to Ft. Hood.

OR

2. I could go on a C-5 Galaxy (55 seats with three passengers). I would land and spend half a day in Rota Spain with my 2 other friends, then fly to the east coast in comfort to spend a half day there, then on to Texas. No battle rattle. No customs. No Kuwait.

So, hello from Rota, Spain! It is a beautiful 90 degrees (as opposed to the 120 it is supposed to be in the shade in Balad today). The sky is a beautiful mediterranean blue, and the grass is a verdant green. I have not seen this beautiful a sight in a long, long, time. We had a nice lunch at an outside cafe and will soon be heading over to the gym for a shower. Tonight we head for the US.

Best of all - WE'RE OUT OF IRAQ!