No Better Than Bananas

I made it to the Middle East! So far my trip has gone impressively well. I got reasonably good reat on the transatlantic flight and have met several very interesting people thus far. I'm at a base now where I will wait 24 hours to fly to Baghdad International (BIAP). I should arrive there sometime Thursday night or Friday morning. The lady in charge of media relations said as far as seat priority goes on the flights to Baghdad, soldiers have first priority, then supplies, and media comes just after produce. So I'm just below bananas. I'm sleeping in a tent here - one of what seems like hundreds of brown tents that are set in rows. My tent is close to the latrine, and I got a bottom bunk. Hopefully I'll only spend one night here. In the internet cafe where I sit now, there are several soldiers using webcams to talk to loves ones. These guys are either on their way home, or, more likely, on their way to spend the next year of their lives in Iraq. They must feel lonely leaving family behind, but these shining smiles as soldiers connect with home - these are priceless.