Jordan - Email Update #1

[What follows is an edited version of a family email]

Hey there - all of you.

The flights were okay with long (unnecessary) layovers.  I'm sure I could have gotten to Jordan sooner. I had a bulkhead on the flight to London so I could stretch my legs, thanks to a nice American Airlines attendant who saw my military ID.  The hop to France was uneventful because of the thick, low clouds.  There was a huge rain storm in Paris - a hard, hard rain that you could hear on the roof of the airport.  I did see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.  Most of the customer service people spoke enough English that I was able to order food and coffee.  In return I did my best, Merci, Bon Jour, etc. I found an ubiquitous Starbucks (tastes the same) and a Disneyland Paris Store (same merchandise) in the international terminal.

The flight on Royal Jordanian Airlines from Paris to Amman was just okay but the little meal of Curry Chicken was good. The flight path took us over the Alps, which I did get to see, and the Mediterranean Ocean.

I arrived in Amman and the airport was as empty as it should be at 10:15pm.  I whisked through Customs without a second glance and headed to luggage pick up.  My bag looked different when it rolled off the conveyor belt.  It was wet.  Remember the rain in Paris?  Yep.  Pillow - soaked.  Towel - drenched.  Some clothes too.  The nice thing about being in the desert?  The arid desert?  It was all dry by the morning.

We drove in a Suburban - just two plain clothed Soldiers and another passenger.  No weapons, no convoy, no armor - it was a weird feeling - like being exposed.  It was hard to see the city at but I got the sense of it; concrete, traffic (even at night), and trash. We ended up about 20 minutes away from the capital on the outskirts of the desert. Immediately there was a familiarity to this place similar to the other Central Asian places I've been to.  Not as dirty or smelly - but definitely familiar. 

My first impressions are that this a small (postage stamp) sized base with just enough life support to keep everything going.  Our part of the base is only set up for the exercise so everything is a temporary as it looks. I can do two weeks here but wouldn't want to do more.  There is a coffee shop, PX, two gyms, and good, locally prepared food.  I am staying in a tent with other Colonels.  No private room. Rank does not have it's privileges unless you are a General.

Lisa, I opened my first card this morning - thank you. Your cards help lift my spirits when I open them and when I see there are more to keep me going throughout this trip.

BTW - I am most likely NOT staying the extra day(s).  More to follow.