I just returned from my Rest & Recuperation (R&R) in Qatar. Active/reserve and DoD civilian personnel are eligible to take a 4-day pass to Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar for every six months served in Iraq. I've attached a map along with some pictures from my Cultural Tour.
Transportation:
36 hours of travel/waiting in a UH-60 Black Hawk, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, and Rhino (Armored Bus). I stopped in Baghdad International Airport (BIAP), Balad, Tallil, and Al Udeid.
Camp As Sayliyah Details:
I shared a Bay (better than a tent) with 10 girls in bunk beds and wall lockers. I enjoyed showers with hot water for more than 2 minutes!!! I went to the gym, had a massage/manicure/pedicure, ate a hamburger at Chili's and had Orange Julius. My favorite experience was drinking beer with American Idol on the big screen! I also liked having my laptop with a wireless connection and watching Lost (DVD TV series) in the Cyber Café!
Cultural Tour Details:
It was an all-day tour. We stopped and visited with the camels--no one was bold enough to hop on one after all the noise they were making! We then traveled to the fruit/vegetable market where I bought some bananas from two sweet little boys. The gold/silver/pearl outlets were the most popular and also where many purchases occurred! Our final destination was the City Center Mall in Doha. It's a four-level mall with a movie theater, ice skating rink, and 3 Starbucks!!!
Baghdad Temperature Update: Partly Cloudy, 55 degrees
Deployment Countdown: 154 Days Down (87%) -- 22 Days to Go (13%)
For God and Country,
Tracie
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