The Latest from JC

Many of you heard on the news about the incident on the base. Very sad. JC is fine and he still went on his trip. I just get this email from him:

Good Afternoon Molly, Still in Djibouti and will depart here on Thursday. Kenya denied my country clearance so I will be heading north not south when I leave. Travel itinerary is still in flux so I will let you know when I know. My toe is fine and I only have had a couple of mosquito bites. I am taking my pills. Poverty outside the base is bad. As far as I can tell the only marketable product is manual labor. Djiboutians do not produce anything and alot of the populations is high on khat (chewable drug). It is ridiculous abundant and how it is sold everywhere. Link goes to article about it called "high in hell". http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0906KHAT_182 This is not somewhere you would want to come. Still over 100 during the day and in the eighties at night. Garage dump just south of base is on fire and smoke burns your eyes.

Taps has sounded and it is an early day tomorrow...

But then he wrote a bit more, and after reading the article, the imagery makes me thirsty.

The base is a barren earth piece of land directly adjacent to the airport. Everything is dusty and most of the buildings look temporary in their construction. Everything you need on base is free, food and room. Room is a containerized living unit and is furnished about as lavish as it sounds. Basically a containerized truck box with a bed, desk, locker and bath. It was probably made 10 years ago and has been used continously. Sign about the sink says avoid using water to drink or brush teeth. Use only for bathing. Everything is made out of particle board but the bed. Hot water heater is off and water is colder using the hot faucet because hot water tank is in air conditioned room. Air conditioner is noisy window unit that cools space to the low sixties with two settings, too hot or too cold.

Navy living army style... is I guess the best way to describe it. Ok, rack time...

So that is most of it (the rest was for me!) So he is doing well and I hope to talk to him once he gets up to Dubai. But definitely when he returns to Bahrain, whenever that is.