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| Barchan sand dunes and the view out of his window on approach to Al Udeid, Qatar |
Bryan then spent 3 days at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar while waiting for a flight to Afghanistan. This gave him time to adjust to the time (7 hours ahead at that point), drink a few last beers (no alcohol in Afghanistan), and catch us up on his journey. We were able to skype every day while he was in Qatar, which was awesome!
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| They were allowed to have up to 3 beers a day in Al Udeid and were able to wear civilian clothes. |
His flight and arrival into Afghanistan was not so fun. Leaving Qatar in 108 degree F weather, Bryan and everyone else fully covered in protective gear and helmet were crammed onto a crowded, windowless C-130 for the 5-hour flight (blacked out, etc) to Bagram Air Base (north of Kabul, Afghanistan). Then, during in-processing, everyone had to take cover from a mortar attack (apparently a normal occurrence). Finally, Bryan was able to get his stuff and himself onto a short helicopter ride to Kabul and his final location for the next 6 months (which thankfully does not get attacked and is relatively safe). Bryan said that that part of Afghanistan looks a lot like Nevada, but with greener valleys and very different buildings.
Bryan is settling into his new job and the intense 14-hour work days, 7 days a week. We have skyped many times, talked on the phone a couple of times, and text and email daily. All of this makes it a lot easier for us to be separated, but it does not completely ease the worry and loneliness and sadness of not being together. We are all adjusting, though, and are counting down the days until Bryan returns home!
And in case anyone is wondering, Bryan is 8.5 hours ahead of us in the Eastern Daylight Savings timezone. That makes him 9.5 hours ahead of Central, 10.5 hours ahead of Mountain, and 11.5 hours ahead of Pacific.
