days off

Well, I've had a slow couple of days. Yesyerday was my normal day off, and then today I was the extra person on the schedule and got an extra day off. YEAH! I spent some time stuying, some time reading for fun, and a lot of time watching The West Wing. Mom, that was an awesome investment for me. I watch the heck out of it! I also spent yesterday evening playing guitar hero with a buddy of mine. I'm pretty bad, but better than I was at the beginning. Cole would be proud of me. :-)

I'm ready to get back to work tomorow after a nice break. :-)

Groundhog Day

I'm sitting here in our SOG (sergent of the guard) room on the internet that they just set up for us and watching Carrier (thanks Aunt Linda, it's awesome!) on my portable DVD player. The show was a PBS series about life on an the USS Nimitz. One of the things that the sailors were talking about was that everyday was like groundhog day. Always exactly the same. Work, sleep, work, sleep... and it's that way here too. The view never changes.

In some ways the routine is nice. There is predictability and security in knowing exactly what each day will bring, but it's also boring. The biggest enemies of morale that I've discovered here broken A/C, and boredom. In that order. Different soldiers deal with it differently. Some sleep all the time. Some watch DVDs, mess around with friends, watch tv, talk to family, read, a few take classes. I read.

I must say, I've become a lot more of a loner lately. I know...MORE of a loner? But yeah. A big part of that is that I haven't really made any friends. I have aquaintences and co-workers, but no real friends. There is no one that I really connect with. I'm actaully pretty disappointed with that because I made so many friends at MOB training. Making friends has never been my strong suit. For the most part the friends I've had I've had for a long time and we were initially thrown together. I have few friends, and they are scattered around the country, but if they needed me I would come running, and they would do the same.

Anyway, so the lack of stimulating company and long hours have caused me to withdraw. The new computers are awesome! It's also in a seperate room from where everyone else hangs out. I hang in the sometimes, but the majority of the time the TV is playing sex, violence, UFC, or pro wrestling, and I'm just not interested in that. I'm seriously bummed that the olymipics are over. I read a lot. I have a couple of recomendations of the week too.

PRINCESS by Jean Sasson: This is the true story of a Saudi princess and her life. It's the first of a trilogy and I read it yeasterday. couldn't put it down. It's a captivating story and beautifully written. It gives you a window into the lives of these women to see the deserate conditions under which even the royal women live. It is touching and powerful.

PRISONER OF TEHRAN by Marina Nemat: This is the powerful true story of a middle class young woman in Tehran who is imprisoned for two years in the notorious Evin prison as a political prisoner. She is only sixteen at the time of her arrest in 1982, shortly after the Khomeini revolution. I'm still in the middle of this one, but it's awesome! She interweaves her prison experiences with flashbacks to her child hood and perceptions of the events of the late 70s and early 80s that are swirling around her. It's awesome!

THE AUDACITY OF HOPE by Barack Obama: Surprised, huh? I honestly don't know what to make of this guy, especially being out of the crazinees that is the American election media craze. I'm a republican, and probably will vote for McCain, but figured I should at least give him a shot and "hear" what he has to say. May as well make an informed descision. Besides, I figure he'll probably win anyway. This book is actually very well written and engaging. I'm gonna pick up his first book when I get a chance. I don't agree with everything he has to say, but that's not the main point. He seems to be an intelligent, passionate and thoughtful man. Though he is very inexperienced on a national and international level. That doesn't mean he wouldn't be good at it, but he's very new to national politics and doesn't have military services or international experience. It's a good read, though I'm only a little over halfway done.

I also read a book this week called ORDINARY HEROES, though I forget the author that was really good, if you happen to spot it. I think it's in the best seller list. I'm pretty insulated though. I picked all of these up on leave at airport bookstores. :-)

I have my school books on the way though and they will soon usurp my attention. I start classes on the first. I'm working on a Masters in International Relations and Conflict Resolution. I'm excited, but a bit intimidated. Check out the class names...International Relations Theory, Comparitive Political Systems, and Strategic Geography and Geopolitics. That's what I start Monday. That should keep me busy. :-) I'm still hip deep in the red tape of getting the classes paid for by the Army ( nothing is simple in an organization this big) but I hope it will come through in time. When I get home I should have no problem finishing with the new 9/11 GI BILL that just got passed. Thank your congressman for me!

Anyway, this is really long for having nothing to say, so I'm gonna sign off. God bless and have a great day!

This is me on a swim break while kayaking in Kas







Kayaking









The view off the scuba diving boat








The Coldstone Creamary in Dubai









This is the library at Ephesus











Awesome sign at a bazaar








A statue at the Ephesus museum recovered from the ruins at Ephesus











Me paragliding at about 7000 ft







The view...notice my foot in the foreground

THE CULPRIT!!! Or at least my best guess. I took the picture because it was so yummy, but this is the last meal I ate before I got sick. A chicken doner kabab.








This is me looking out over the Bosphorus in Istambul from the Topkapi Palace. To the right is asia, to the left is europe.






This is the woman and her mother who rescued me from the Airport in Izmir and too me home for the night.











This is me in Ephesus. It turned out cool, but I actually just got distracted. :-)







This is an RV I saw in the town of Goreme in Cappadicia. Now that is hardcore!








This is me on a hike in the Ihlara Gorge in Cappadocia








This is a turkish toilet. A lot of tourist places have western toilets, but off the beaten path this is it. Let me tell you how fun diarhea is with these beauties...









This is a little boy selling carpets on the side of the road in Cappadocia

This is me Sea kayaking at the sunken City of Kekova








Here is me Scuba Diving in Kas













Enjoying a Cinnabon at the airport in Dubai









This is overlooking the bay in Antalya








This is me in Cappadicia. This is an incredible church literally carved out of the rock. This is where early christians came to hide from Roman Persecution

back to the grind

Well, I am at my morning internet stop off on my way to work. Yes!!! I'm in a tower this morning though, so that means I won't be doing truck searches, so that's always a good day. So I got back the other night and it was nice. It was about 10pm and we were driving back from Ali Al Salem where I came into from leave. Not hot, not cool...I look at the thermometer...120. That's sad. It's 120 at night here now. And it doesn't feel hot, that's the scary part.

I have made it back to my room and got to sleep in my own cozy bed last night. yeah!!! I'm still sorting pics to post, maybe on my day off on Thursday.

And yes, Darrin, you are a nerd. That's why I love ya! Which book?

Trip Home

OK, so I got up in plenty of time and gotto the airport early...REALLY EARLY. I didn't double check my ticket. When I origionally bought my ticket (the one that got cancelled by Orbitz) it left at 920 am. When I purchased my ticket atteh counter in Frankfurt on my way to Turkey I said I wanted the ame flight. I didn't double check though.

Turns out that my flight didn't leave until 1515. This means that not only could I have slept in, it also meant thatI would be lifting off about the time my flight was suposed to leave from Frankfurt. I was able to call Army travel and get my ticket changed (which is why the army always buys the exorbitant refundable tickets) with no problem though. SO I hung in the airport and gotto Frankfurt at about 6pm local and left at 10pm local. There is a great bookshop in the airport though, so I hung there and bought a couple books.

I arrived in Dubai at abou 6am and had a layover there until 4pm. First order of bussiness I found a spot and crashed out for about 5 hours, then I did some shopping. The Dubai Airport is like a big shopping mall. Bought a couple more books and some souveniers. I had a blizzard for lunch too. check out the food...DQ, Mc Donalds (standard), Round Table Pizza, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and...Coldstone Creamary. Beat that with a stick! So I got to kuwait and my platoon Sgt came to get me. They got a flat tire on the way. :-)

So I'm on the way back when I hear that the generator wentout on the pad where I live and we are without power and most importantly...A/C. So I spent last night at temporary lodging. I so wanted my own bed!!! Well, they should be done with repairs now so I'm gonna grab my stuff and shlepp it across base. I have to shower and laundry and stuff. I had today off, but tomorrow is back to the grind. I have some cool books though, so I'm excited to get to read them. I'm also in the process of registering for classes for the fall too, so that will provide LOTS of new books. :-)

scuba

Well, I went scuba diving. A little one at least. :-) And it wasn't scary at all. there weren't a ton of fish, but i would have even been game for more. It was fun, but it's hard to propell all that crap through the water.

I got back from that at around one, changed and headed to the bus station. By the time I caught the 2:15 bus, got here (6:30ish) and caught a cab to my part of town and then walked to my pension it was a little late for the bath. I walked around and did some last minute shopping and caught some dinner at a cafe and then came back to the pension.

I decided to fork out the bucks for an airport shuttle to pick me up here rather than tempt fate and take the cheaper city busses. This way I know I'll get there. Early too. my shuttle comes at 7am and my flight doesn't leave until 0920. I have a really fast connection in Frankfurt that I'm nervous about making though. anyway, My trip is drawing near to a close. As amazing as it's been, I'm ready to go "home" and get some good sleep for a couple days to recover from my vacation. :-) Oh yeah, my dorm tonight has A/C! Yes!!!!

Kayaking

Kayaking today was awesome, although the funky burn on my knees isn't so awesome. I put sunscreen on like four times too, but there is no ultra sweatproof for 110 degrees and 90 percent humidity. I've actually been a lot hotter on leave because of the humidity and lack of a/c. I think I might actually hug it when I get back.

I have a "Discovery Dive" scheduled for tomorow am. It's scuba diving. There are fish involved in scuba diving. I am facing my fear. Besides, if I pee my pants no one will be able to tell. :-)

I should be done with that in the early afternoon and i'll catch a bus to Antalya. I hope to do a bit of shopping there in the evening and maybe even catch a Turkish Bath. It involves sober group nudity and a complete stranger scrubbing you down. It also involves an awesome massage though, which is what I'm looking for.

My flight leaves Antalya 0920 local time on Sat the 16th. I hope all goes smoothly, but I'm not counting on it or anything. :-)

ALERT!!!!

Womens gymnastics!!! anyone who can tape or otherwise record any ofthe womens individual event finals or all around would be my new hero!!!! I love the olympics and am missing it!

Seriously...I'll be your new best friend. Unles your jenny, then I'll just have ou make you some awesome cookies or something.

xoxo

sea and sun

Hey guys. I'll give a blow by blow with pics when I return, but for now here are the highlights.

Fethiye pension veryy unorganized...ARGH!!!

Went on an awesome day cruise yesterday and went hiking and swimming. It was fabulous! The stuff of dreams!

Oh, yeah, as of yesterday my innards are still a little wonky, but I feel normal again. I;ve also lost weight. yeah!

Today I went running off of a 6550 ft mountain! it was spectacular! I went parasailing. I just floated around on thermals for about 30 min before we came in for a landing on the beach. Let me tell you though, after the death-defying drive up the mountain, I didn't even bat an eye jumping off. :-)

I travelled to Kas with unusually few difficulties and after a bit of shuffleing landed at an awesome pension.

Tomorow I'm going on a Sea Kayaking trip around and island and a sunken Lycian city. I've been looking forward to this all trip! The next day I hope to go canyoning, and if not scuba diving, then back to kuwait.

Having a blast!

Murphys Law

Murphy's Law - (Or "Sod's Law") The correct, *original* Murphy's Law reads: "If there are two or more ways to do something, and one of those ways can result in a catastrophe, then someone will do it." This is a principle of defensive design, cited here because it is usually given in mutant forms less descriptive of the challenges of design for lusers. For example, you don't make a two-pin plug symmetrical and then label it "THIS WAY UP"; if it matters which way it is plugged in, then you make the design asymmetrical (see also the anecdote under magic smoke).

Edward A. Murphy, Jr. was one of the engineers on the rocket-sled experiments that were done by the US Air Force in 1949 to test human acceleration tolerances (USAF project MX981). One experiment involved a set of 16 accelerometers mounted to different parts of the subject's body. There were two ways each sensor could be glued to its mount, and somebody methodically installed all 16 the wrong way around. Murphy then made the original form of his pronouncement, which the test subject (Major John Paul Stapp) quoted at a news conference a few days later.

Within months "Murphy's Law' had spread to various technical cultures connected to aerospace engineering. Before too many years had gone by variants had passed into the popular imagination, changing as they went. Most of these are variants on "Anything that can go wrong, will"; this is sometimes referred to as Finagle's Law. The memetic drift apparent in these mutants clearly demonstrates Murphy's Law acting on itself!

My Friend Murphy

Anyone who knows me that I have the worlds worst luck when it comes to traveling. It's a running gag actually and it's genetic. Anyway, yesterday was supposed to be easy. I woke up early (despite the all night party and jackhammering going on outside my window) and got ready. Ate breakfast with no incidents. Headed off to Topkapi palace and it was exorbitantly expensive, but cool. Headed to the Grand Bazaar. Not only could I not find the stupid thing (which is an entire district of the city mind you) when I did and was ready to leave I couldn't find my way out! I walked in circles and was honestly hot, tired, and not feeling so spectacular. I finally got out of the stupid thing and found my hostel without incident. Caught my airport shuttle. Got to the airport in PLENTY of time, oddly for me. Plane delayed. OK, I'll roll with it. So i had a nice flight and got in a bit late. My baggage got misplaced. of course. So I go out to meet the bus to get to izmir and eventually Selcuk. Last bus to selcuk just left.
I was feeling frustrated but not all together surprised, but must have looked a bit like a lost puppy dog because some nice Turkish lady took me home. :-) She and her elderly mother were just coming back from Norway. She spoke perfect English and is the head of the psychiatry dept at the teaching hospital in Izmir. So she took me home and all was lovely.
By 2am i couldn't sleep, at 4am I was vomiting and at 530 massive diarrhea (how do you spell that anyway?). It was awesome! I asked her since she's a doctor and she thinks I just started eating to much too soon. She dropped me off at the bus station at around noon with a bag of bananas and boiled potatoes. (with and E?)
So I got on my bus and it dropped in in Ephesus. Or more accurately it dropped me in the side of the highway between Ephesus and Selcuk. Awesome. So I call the hostel and they said they'd come get me. 30 min later no dice. call again and they thought they did. miscommunication. So i went to try to get a cab and showed him where to go and he flagged down Dolmus (like a local minibus) and put me on it. That took me to the center of Selcuk. But my hostel is 2.5km out of town. So I get a cab (for real this time) and get out to my hotel.
So, Who wants to go on vacation with me? I splurged and got a single room with a private bath and AIR CONDITIONING. that baby is cranked up and I plan on sleeping in my sleeping bag tonight. No more sweating it out for me!
By the way, at the moment i have a mild tummy ache (more like continual rolling cramps) but am otherwise ok.
See, I'm not traveling alone, I have my buddy Murphy with me!

A new day

Well, most of the sıghtseeıng ı dıd yesterday ınvolved the bottom of the top bunk. I went for a wak alnog the water and through one of the parks for a couple of hours ın the evenıng to get some fresh aır and sunshıne and was fınally able to eat. Soup and french frıes. not exactly performance food, but settlıng none the less. Anyway, I have a couple of thıngs to go see ın Istanbul today. One of them ıs the Grand Bazaar. I'm not that excıted about hat one honestly, but I'm told ıt's a must see, so see ıt I wıll. my aırport shuttle leaves at 4pm and I should be ın Izmır at 8pm. If I'm stıll sıck I got ınfo on a mılıtary doc from my cousın Ryan, but hopefully I'll be ok. You know, dıarhea ıs a good weıghtloss tool... you gotta look on the brıght sıde. ;-) anyway, plannıng to get to Selcuk tonıght (the cıty near Ephesus) and explore Ephesus tomorow. I'll let ya know how ıt goes.

Well, ıt's about fıve and spent the whole day today ın bed. I was runnıng a fever all nıght wıth alternatıng sweats and chılls so I slept lıke crap. I choked down a few corn flakes for breakfast, but generally felt lıke crap. I thınk I'm gonna go for a walk now and get some fresh aır. I'm stıll not feelıng great, but my fever broke around noon, so hopefully I'm on the up swıng of whatever thıs ıs. The sucky thıng ıs that I never get sıck. Anyway, hopefully the rest of the trıp wıll look up as long as I don't go at breakneck pace.

worth ıt

Well, ı decıded to stay ın ıstanbul an extra nıght and fly to ızmır ınstead of takıng yet another overnıght bus. ıt's an extra hundred bucks, but at thıs poınt a one hour flıght ınstead of an all nıght bus ıs worth ıt.

a few pıcs

Antalya Bay











Me at Hadrıans Gate ın Antalya










Me at the Selıme monestary, carved completely out of a mountaın.











Dırty mınd. Basalt Rock deposıted over softer volcanıc Tufa produces these...ınterestıng rock formatıons. ;-)







Me ın front of the blue Mosque ın Istanbul...thıs mornıng.






I also put a couple more on my space.

the wall

I've done ıt. BAM!!! That was me hıttıng the wall at about 10am at the Hagıa Sophıa ın Istanbul. Thıs ıs an amazıng Church. It's bıgger than Soloman' temple and buılt ın the 6th century I thınk. Rıchard the lıonheart was coronated here. It's ıncerdıble...and I couldn't gıve a flyıng fart. I just know that I hurt all over, I can barely move my rıght knee, somethıng I ate gave me the runs, and I just got off an 11 hour bus rıde. The problem was that I stopped by a hostel and paıd for a bed ın the dorm, but couldn't check ın untıl noon. I sat for a whıle there and felt a lıttle better. I went on to the Basıllıca Cıstern, the Blue Mosque, the Hıppodrome and the museum of Turkınsh and Islamıc art. By thıs tıme ıt was one thırty and as I sat on the grass overlookıng the hıppodrome ın the shadow of thıs bıg egyptıan pıllar from whatever BC, I just wanted to go to bed. So I got up and trıed to shlepp my sorry butt back to the hostel and what happens? uh-huh. lost. I fıgured ıt out and got a nıce walk through untourısted neıghborhoods, but I was tıred.

Yes, aunt Lında, I saw all that and more. Try an underground cıty that goes down eıght storıes buılt by the Hıttıtes, and an ısolated vınyard on a plateu when I got lost on a hıke. It was awesome. And awesomely exhaustıng. The bıg thıngs I stıll want to see here are the Grand Bazar and Topkapı Palace at least and I was wantıng to leave tomorrow nıght. It should be ok, but rıght now I feel lıke a hot stınky pıle of doggıe poo.

Much love!

Göreme

Well, ı arrıved at Göreme ın Cappadocıa at about 7am after an 11hour bus rıde from Antalya. It wasn,t thet bad, but ı've got some awesome adema ın my legs from all the rıdıng ın planes and busses. Anyway, the pensıon ı,m stayıng ın ıs nıce. I got there thıs am and ımmedıately crashed out for several hours. I'm up and about and goıng to explore now. I'm debatıng stayıng another day or just leavıng as planned. I have a bus tıcket on the over nıght bu tommorow nıght. Also I had a plane tıcket fıasco I'm tryıng to sort out wıth Orbıtz to get my money back. ug. ıt's always somethıng. ı dıd sıt next to thıs nıce Austraılıan lady on the bus last nıght though, so that was cool. I haven't actually done anythıng yet here, so I2ll bounch back. I'm at Köse Penıon If I dısappear ınto the mıst. ;-) hugs!

So, ıts about 3pm and I,m sıttıng ın an ınternet cafe tryıng to type wıth the wıerd turkısh keyboard. I've spent the day pretty much wanderıng aımlessly,and ıt's been nıce. I have a tıcket on an 830pm traın up to Cappadıcıa and I,ve kında seen what there ıs to see ın town here. I started wanderıng at about 10 and the old cıty ıs pretty compact. It's got breathtakıng scenery. The mountaıns rıse up out of the sea and the whole bay ıs guarded by a fırst century fortress. ıt,s really breathtakıng. And there are Germans everywhere. The shopkeepers automatıcally try German before Englısh. I mean ıt,s stınkıng crawlıng wıth Germans! Anyway. I've seen most of the old archıtactural stuff and I've just been wanderıng for a few hours by shops.

Antalya

I finally made it to Turkey early this morning. I left from Buehring at 7am Sat. I flew out of Kuwait 330am Sun to Dubai. From Dubai to Frankfurt, and from Frankfurt to Antalya. I had some of my usual drama and got here to the pension about 2am mon am. The Pension didn't have any rooms, but they gave me a couch to sleep on, and that was fine after no sleep for two days. I'mplanning to take a night train to Goreme tonight. By the way, look at a map on the insanity of that route. :-)