Travel

50 hrs
Three countries
Three continents

I will say this, 747s are BIG.

They take about an hour or more to load or unload...

We left Ft. Lewis, WA on the evening of 24 Jan. We arrived at Frankfurt-Hahn Airport Sunday morning. We deplaned and went into the Tax-free zone and waited for the cleaning and refueling. Sunday evening, we re-plane and wait...

And wait...

We move and stop...

Deplane, buses take us into Frankfurt proper where we stay at a very nice hotel...

Monday morning, flight canceled, rescheduled for Monday PM...rumours abound...'No flights til Thursday' etc.

Monday evening - late, we board buses and move back to the plane, reboard and take off...bound for Kyrgyzstan.

Arrive at Manas AFB Tuesday morning...inprocess into theater...and wait.

Flights to Bagram announced...and cancelled

Bagram closed due to a C-17 landing without landing gear (this tends to be bad for the runway).

Bagram and Manas closed due to weather...

9 days pass.

We are told to manifest (prepare for flight) at 0045 (1245AM)...we show and wait...
At 5 we are told that the plane we are supposed to be on never left Bagram and the flight is cancelled...

No sleep...

Next night (Day 10 of our Kyrgyz exile) we do it again...but lo and behold the plane shows and we fly...arrive in Bagram around 1 AM, find our tents about 3...have to be up and at briefings at 7....briefings last until around 2300 (11PM)...bed down.

Next morning, more briefings...afternoon off (whew...no nap though)...evening briefings...

3AM show time for flight to Gardez.

We take two CH-47 Chinook helicopters...we run through 4 of 6 stops when one of them springs a minor leak....cram everyone on the other bird and finally!!! make it to Gardez.

And that is where I am, and where it looks as though I shall stay for the foreseeable future. Hope to have more news (and pictures) soon.

God bless,

Mik