Day 431 - The Journey Home!

I'm leavin on a jet plane...

So I separated everything I have here into four piles, Mail Home, Carry Home, Sell, Leave Behind.

I sold the TV, X-box, Electric guitar and amp, and my desktop computer.

I mailed home five trunks of clothes, cords, books, boardgames, a cardboard standee of me, and yoda.

I am carrying home a duffel full of the equipment they issued me (only as far as the place I have to return it,) a trunk with wheels carrying my clothes and about 10 TB of data, a backpack with paperwork, books, ipod, etc. Also I am carrying my acoustic guitar in a soft case and my laptop.

I left behind my posters (by now they are probably claimed by my co-workers,) power converters, extension cords, two stuffed animals, lamps, sheets, and other misc stuff.

All that figured out I am on my way. It will take six days of travel to get home. Why so long? I have to go from base to base and then process out.

First flight took me from Al Asad to Balad. (Both in Iraq)

Second Flight took me from Balad to Ali Ah Salem (Kuwait)

For once I made it through to Kuwait without any delay or flight issues. We rode in a C-17. Military flights are uncomfortable yet fun. They take off and land with a quick vertical and drop. They call it a combat takeoff/landing. Think roller coaster but more fun!

So now I am in Kuwait in the US holding tank waiting to process here and then fly out this weekend for the US. Next stop is Ft Benning to do the final out processing and then fly to Orlando.

This chapter only has a few pages left in it. Its been a boring, long chapter of life but the story is better for it.