Vacation to Qatar!

I had the chance to go on a four day pass to Qatar which is an Island off from Saudi Arabia. I had to be at the LZ( landing zone) for the helicopter pick up at 0200 and that sucked. We got picked up around 0500 and got to BAF aroound 0600 and had to wait at the air field till 0730 till the roads opened up again because they close the roads for people to do there running in the morning. That is the dumbest thing I ever heard in a combat zone before but what ever right. So we get there and find out that we are leaveing for Qatar around 1400 the next day. There are so many rules for BAF(Bagrahm Air Field) it is rediculous salute on the FOB wear PT belts at night even if you are in your uniform who ever heard of that in a combat zone. Anyway so we get to the PAX terminal and wait till like 1600 till we finally leave on a C-17 (ARMY plane) and it takes till 2000 to get to Qatar and really it was 1830 ther and the humidity was at like 100% my eyeballs hurt it was so hot even at night. We go through customs which was really fast and then we sat for around 2 hours till we finally got our briefingand was told we could start our day 0 tomarrow since it took so long for them to get us in. So that was vey cool of him to do and we got to get our things and go to the barrics and then the guys and I decided to go check out the pool and then hit up the top-off which is the bar and grill on post. The poll was so nice to ust swim and hang out they also had a hot tub there by the pool too and a Chilis right in front of it too. I don not really drink but it is ok anyway they only have a 3 beer limit and I do not like beer. They had music and bowling lanes and pool tables so it was a cool place to hang out at. We got up the next day and hit the pool right away and did that most of the day and ate at Chilis with there endless tostitos and salsa I bet ther hated us for that. It was nice to get waited on though so we ate there quite a bit. We also checked out ther Big gym which had a hugh gym part to it with everything you could ever want and more for a gym. They also had bikes to rent for free a mini golf coures for free a room with computers and phones to use for free a spa, adairy ueeen wich also served protein shakes, a video rental store for free, a game room for video games, and a movie theater. I was like the greatest thing i have ever seen on a base before. The next day we decide to sign up for the off post water sports in the persain gulf for $25 so the guys and I did and we had a blast. They had jet skiis, a bannana boat, and a viper raft. They cooked us lunch and we got to swim all day. The food was good and they had Hummus which is my wife and her mothers favorite dip. I will wwarn all of you though you would think that all water is cool and refreshing but no not the Presain Gulf it is the total opposite. It felt like swimming in warm maple surup but not sweet very very very salty. But never the less we had lots of fun and it was the only thing we ended up doing off post we spent the rest of the time at the pool and the USO and we still had a blast till we had to come back oh and the day that Stine had the runs he didn't have fun that day but the rest of us did(sorry Stine). On the way back we hadto be at the Pax terminal by 0200 and were ther till 0500. And got to Baf around 1130and were told we had to be ready at the Pax terminal ther at 0345. So we went to our tent and it was like 100 degrees so I went to the MWR movie theater and slept through 2 movies and yes I called my wife everyday I was on vacation and flying. Anyway I finally went back to the tent around 2300 and these guys had the light on in the tent so after an hour of listening to them talk I asked them to turn out the lights and use ther flashlights if they need too. At that piont I really didn't care what ther rank was and they did it anyway with no questions asked. Then around 0200 an announcment came over the loud speakers that we all had to go to the main road and pay our respects to the fallen soldiers then they cancaled it. So we all went to the PAX and waited ther till around 0630 and went to the chopper and layed ther on the runway till around 0900 till the clouds cleared. Apparently these choppers can not fly in clouds who knew. Afetr that the chopper would not start so we waited till around 1100 till we got a new chopper and headed out. We made a stop and let some people off then we made another stop to get fuel. That is when the second chopper wiht us broke down and we waited for it for 3 hours til around 1430 then we left ther and got back to Methar Lam around 1500 and I went straight to sleep I was so tired. All and all I had a great time and would do it again but the traveling really sucked you would think with it being R & R they would fly you at a decent time like mid morning or early afternoon. Oh well live and learn and I got to visit a new Country and had fun although I would have rather gone home but that is a hole other story. I will post pictures of the trip on here when I get time to do so.