Trip to Doha and Home Again, Home Again

Sorry for the delay in this, what probably should be, last post.  After going to Doha on Friday, Saturday was just getting ready to fly out, and Sunday was Fly Across the World Day again.  Oh how I love flying.  Yes the bus with wings for 14+ hours, not including the two flights we had to take to get from Baltimore to Providence on Monday.  First Doha though.

Friday we went into Doha for our morale trip.  Basically we went to a touristy section where there were a bunch of restaurants and shopping stalls, and…….. camels.  That’s right friends, a whole corral of them.  Nice.  I knew I’d get to see one.

Several of us ate at a Moroccan restaurant, where the food was great.  Afterwards we roamed the area and shopped and I attempted to haggle with the vendors- once again, I probably got hosed, but it was fun.  Not much else to report-  oh yeah, one of us lost their ID.  Who, I’ll never tell.  Suffice to say that it wasn’t a surprise as to who it was and we found it in the other van, so happy ending.  After driving all around Doha of course, which actually was just more sightseeing for the rest of us.  No worries.

As mentioned before, we boarded the bus-with-wings on Sunday morning and basically didn’t get off that wild ride until Monday morning at about 9’ish in Rhode  Island where we were picked up by Msgt Edgerly, Captain Keeler, and 1st Sgt Moriarty.  I rode with 1st Sgt Moriarty’s truck on the way back to Milford.

Tuesday we outprocessed and now we are on orders until the 1st of September.  Below are some pics of our trip to Doha.

Hookah shop- these guys were some serious hookah smokers.

Couple of merchants taking a break.

Walking down the alley.  Adam on the right.  Check out the burkas.

Told you there were camels.

 

The group, prior to assault on Doha.

Our table at the Moraccan restaurant.  Artsy photo.

Some big fancy building in the distance.  Possibly the home of the Grand Iatollah of Rockinrolla.  Not sure.

Squaaawwk!  Klepacki want a cracker?

I guess these are to make rice in?  Lots and lots of rice.

This concludes the blog  for now.  To all the families that were following, your loved ones were outstanding on this deployment.  I could dedicate a single blog to each one to describe how well they performed, both musically and plain old just getting it done.  It was an honor to serve beside them and do this important mission.  God bless.

 

James.