Wednesday, December 23, 2009

So You Think It's All Fun and Games

Kandahar 12/24/09

Ugh!

I'm just having loads of it here in A'stan!

This picture is from about a month ago, when we had a series of duststorms blow through. The dust is a talcum powder fine, heavy as granite particle that gets into everything.

Sucking dust!

To be honest, I'm amazed every time I see an aircraft, fixed or rotary, take off. You would think that the engines would stop dead in their tracks from all the dust. But our fellows keep them running, and running smooth!

Actually the most dangerous thing I have to contend with, (Besides the rocket attacks and the occasional small arms fire.) is dirty windows on the vehicles. I am surprised we don't run over more of these Third Country Nationals that dart out into the streets. My friends to the north, the fellows from Canada, are real bad about it too, especially the ones from Quebec.

Outside the PX.

We are in the "rainy" season now, if you can call it that. It is a wet, freezing, and miserable rain that comes down and turns everything into a sodden mess. The mud is slick, sticky, and smelly. And the water can't percolate down because of the soil conditions. Nothing works like it should in Afghanistan.

Remind me to tell you the story about Alexander and his band of Greeks...

Running out of time my friends...

Best Regards, and Happy Hunting!

Albert A Rasch

6 comments:

Holly Heyser said...

Fun and games indeed!

Glad you're finding time to connect - we miss you.

Stay sane...

The Suburban Bushwacker said...

Good to see you looking so well.
Like Holly says, stay sane
SBW

happy new year

jes said...

What the hell they got over there worth going for, unless it's teaching Americans how they've managed to fight off every other invader that set foot in their country for the last thousand years..And what the hell are YOU doing there? Besides making money? Enjoying yourself? Oh, that's right, sucking dust....Merry Christmas from the swamps, buddy! And don't shoot all them Afgan bucks...

Borepatch said...

Merry Christmas, Albert!

Albert A Rasch said...

My friends,

The truth is I'm here making the dough. Yes I get a certain satisfaction from doing my share and supporting the guys and gals that do the real heavy lifting.

Folks like me are normally back on the Forward Operating Bases, basically in garrison. Oh we still get some fireworks, and one of my Post Offices gets rocketed on a regular basis. Gets to the point where we wear body armor 24/7 for days at a time.

But overall it is pretty safe, unless your number comes up, and you buy the farm. It happens.

Very Merry Christmas to all!

Albert

SimplyOutdoors said...

I'm sure those dust storms are no fun. Keep safe and Merry Christmas.