Wheels Up

23 December 2010

Katrina Faulkner is anxious. What am I thinking? This isn’t Facebook. No third person necessary.

Well, Im anxious. Im tired of preparing and want to get on with it already. I’ve been telling friends and family goodbye for a month and Im sure they are thinking “Will you leave already.”

Its Friday December 23 and Im still at home. It seems I have been “getting ready” for ions. There was the week in Georgia for Air Transportation Leadership Course, the week at the base and the countless weekends of repetitious briefings, endless online courses and the normal chatter of excitement. And, the time at home and work making sure this part of my life is taken care of and no loose ends are left behind.

We reported to base yesterday and received two briefings. Today, we had one briefing and were sent home on pass for Christmas. We report back zero dark thirty on Sunday and start the trip oversees.

I’m anxious to get this show on the road; although, it is nice to be put on pass for Christmas, it was odd leaving today not on a big blue “Blue Bird” bus; Blue Bird is the standard bus all military use. I was ready to leave and these extra days are just prolonging my departure.

One nice aspect this time around is Ive been in contact with the person Im replacing. We email everyday and when Im on base I call. I have to say it’s kind of cool to be able to call Baghdad direct.  We have already started the turn over process and it’s giving me peace of mind knowing what I’m walking into. Fear of the unknown is mitigated.

I’m still looking at my work email and feel a little left out. While the office has been working activation hours (24/7) due to the heavy storms, I’ve been watching from a far. It’s like going to training camp and not playing. I miss my co-workers who are more like family and miss making grilled cheese in the wee hours.

27 December 2010

I think its December 27. Whew- what a whirlwind of the past few days. Bill and I shared Christmas morning with the kids and spent a quick few hours with his family. After leaving Orange County, Bill and I stopped off in Norco and picked up burritos for everyone. Since our show-time was 0330 on Sunday, I was sure people would not have had breakfast and there would not have been many options open that early. I arranged with Botich’s wife, whose family owns a Mexican restaurant, and was gracious enough to  donate burritos for everyone, to pick them up Christmas Eve. (You might remember Botich from last deployment and he is in many of my photos.) Bill added orange juice and fruit to round out the selection.  We arrived on base Christmas Eve and tried to catch a little slip eye. Im not sure if it was nerves or the hoagie sandwich I ate at 9pm, but I was up most of the night not feeling very well.

YES! Sunday morning finally arrived and we boarded the Blue Bird bus and headed to Ontario Airport. Our group left on two plans with both groups meeting up in Dallas for our final leg. I was on the second leg and landed at Dallas/Forthworth around 1330. We were to board for Frankfurt at 1400. That didn’t leave much time.  The flight attendant assured us we had plenty of time to catch the tram and get to our gate on the other side of the airport. Now if we could only park the plane and deboard. It seemed a previous plane had mechanical issues and was in our space. Tick tick tick. We finally gated , exited the plane and caught the tram. Our plane was in the process of boarding when we arrived, a little to close for my comfort, but all went well.

Im starting to fade after a very long day.  More tomorrow.

28 December 2010

Currently Im in the PAX terminal in Ramstein AB waiting for our flight. I’ll try and catch up before head out.

We arrived safetly in Frankfurt  and headed to Ramstein Air Base via shuttle bus for our final leg. Our driver spoke English and as he drove he would point out local sights to us. We crossed the Rhine River which is cool to say I saw, but it’s just like any other bridge crossing a river on a cold winter day.  We passed vineyards and rolling hills. Germany had also been experiencing a storm the same time we were in Southern California and the countryside was blanketed in snow. As our driver went Mach 3 down the freeway, we whizzed past white fields and snow covered trees.

After checking into lodging, we had around 24 hours before our show-time and we all took advantage of seeing the sights.  Twelve of us took two shuttle rides into Kaiserslautern. Based on the recommendation of a local worker we headed to an eatery. We were a bit lost as we walked around, but eventually found it. The area we were in was a pedestrian walk area with no vehicles allowed. It was cobble stoned and very quaint covered in snow. There were little outdoor shops selling hot coffee and coco, street food, crafts, etc. I ordered a coffee and it was served in a miniature ceramic coffee coffee cup shaped like Santa. In the center was a gorgeous church which I tried to enter, but all the doors were locked. Several of us walked around, but every entrance was locked. It looked like a service would be in a few hours and thought I would try again, but I never made it back.  We found the restaurant and were immediately reminded there is not a "no smoking" policy. It looked like what you would imagine though. Dark woods and Bavarian architecture. The people were very friendly and we ordered beers and food. Being a large group, we tended to be a little loud and I was a little relieved when some folks walked outside to sample the street food. After we finished, we walked around the ped area and Manriquez and I pulled a crazy Ivan. We turned right and the group continued straight. We were too loud and too large and it just wasn’t fun.  Manriquez and I headed out and look pictures of the buildings and found a few pubs.  For those of you wondering and know of my love for all hot dogs types, yes I ordered a bratwurst from the street vendor, out of this world yummy goodness. I could eat those every day. The first pub we hit was closed and we searched on. The second was perfect. Again, exactly what you would expect. It had a circular bar with a few table surrounding it in dark woods and the feel of being there centuries. All types of people would come and go from a family with a small child to an older women and the business man coming in for lunch. If only we had places like this in the States.  We tried the first pub again and this time it was open. I sat down and Manriquez headed straight for the restrooms. I looked around and this place just felt different. It was all men and the magazines they had, all had men on the covers. When Manriquez came back, I told him I thought we were in a gay bar and he instantly agreed and had felt the same way.  We laughed and enjoyed our beers. We had agreed as a group to meet back at the giant Christmas tree at 1400 and we headed back. After waiting for 20 minutes in the very cold temperatures (30ish) and dressed for 60ish we decided to taxi to another town closer to base. We jumped into a taxi and the gal didn’t speak a bit of English and we didn’t speak a bit of German. Using our palm as a map, repeating Ramstein and pointing, we agreed upon a town that was close. You can see where this is going right?  Well the cab was nice and toasty and I was mighty sleepy. I dozed off in the back seat and woke up when she stopped.  We paid our fare and jumped out. Manriquez said he almost nodded off as he was tired too. I’m thinking he might just have as well. We could have been in Czechoslovakia for all I knew.  We started walking down the street and it was a small village with not very much around. I spotted a US military uniform crossing the street and we headed in that direction.  I didn’t see the guy, but there was a hotel and we walked in. I walked up to the desk and asked the gal where were we. She kind of giggled and told us we were in Landstuhl just outside of Ramstein.  She called us a taxi and we headed to the town of Ramstein which is a very small village just outside base. This taxi driver spoke English and all was well. Our Commander had told me of an Irish pub and we headed there, but it was closed. At this point we gave up and headed back to base.  This is where the story gets very sad. As we approached the main gate, I realized I had lost my camera. We asked the taxi driver to take us back to the Irish pub as I was hoping it fell out of my pocket as I ran to the building to check if it were open.  Nope not there. The last time I took a picture was back in the ped area taking pictures of the warming fires, which were pretty cool actually. I probably lost it in the taxi on the way to Landstuhl. I had just recently looked at the pictures I hadn’t transferred over before leaving home thinking I would have time to organize them once I got settled in Iraq. I pretty much lost the entire year of 2010.  Cabo, Hawaii, GA, AL, Christmas, Jeff’s HPV race, mom/daughter/g’ma day, and who knows what else. I’m still not over the loss.

This was quite a downer and we when got on base I bought a new camera and called it a night. I met up with a few folks, but shortly after that headed to my room.  This was to be last night with my own shower and bathroom and I planned on savoring it.

December 29

Wow.  I keep thinking I will have time to write. Thought it would be tonight but just learned we report for our next rotator in 4 hours. I have to catch a nap and pack up.  Plus enjoy my last beer.  I promise to catch this up and get it posted in the next few days. 

Next posting will catch you up from my arrival in IUD.