Back in the US

Nearly 13 months after leaving the US for my grand adventure in Afghanistan, I have returned home. While the next chapter hasn't been written, my immediate future is filled with plans of reacquainting myself with family and friends, and making up for lost time with Princess Anne.

To those of you that made this past year possible, a sincere 'thank you.'

Beijing

Frozen Kunming Lake inside the Summer Palace, Beijing.

Skating on Kunming Lake, Beijing.

Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill, Beijing. I climbed all of the stairs up the circular building and took the photo below.

Looking back toward Kunming Lake from the top of Tower of Buddhist Incense.

A closer look.

Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, about 70km north of Beijing.
Mutianyu.

Rooftop dragon on Great Wall.

Tian' anmen Square, Beijing.

Inside Forbidden City, Beijing.

I finally have a free moment to post a few photos taken in China early this week. I stopped and visited with family in Beijing on my way back to the US. It seems that the bitter cold of Kabul followed me to China.

The trip to the Great Wall was probably the high-point of the tourist ventures. I arrived at first light, so early that my escort had to wake up the operators of the ski lift/cable car to take me to the top. The reward was standing alone on top of the highest point of the wall at first light on a crystal clear, and bitterly cold, morning. It was humbling to look upon the miles of incredible engineering.

The same day I visited the Great Wall I also visited the Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Square, along with the Summer Palace. Walking through Tian'anmen Square, it was hard not to recall the young man that in 1989 bravely reminded the world that a single person can indeed change the course of the world.

The Summer Palace is enormous. I walked and walked and walked and probably saw less than ten percent of the grounds. Every time I thought that I had seen what a particular hill had to show me, I would find another spider-webbing series of trails leading in every direction. The grounds and buildings were beautiful.

Everywhere you travel throughout Beijing you see signs of the upcoming Olympic Games. To the consternation of many, China has given itself a regional face lift and is preparing to host the world this summer.

After four wonderful days, I left China on my final leg back to the US.

More Travels

I am back in Dubai and am nearly finished with my work here. I will be leaving for Beijing in a little over two days for a quick visit there before returning home. I would venture a guess that at this rate, I will have enough frequent flyer miles for a free trip to the moon before the end of spring.

Stale Crackers? Call the Health Department!

In today's local paper: a customer went into a grocery store and purchased a package of potato chips and noticed that they were beyond the expiration date. Instead of taking them back or chucking them into the bin, he called the municipal health department. After the investigation (how tough could that have been?), the health department closed the store and fined the owners Dhs5,000 (about $1,400). I'd hate to think what the consequences would be if you sold a flat Coke!

Weather Forecast

Any bets on whether or not I fly out on Saturday?

Rain in Dubai; Snow in Kabul

After some airline errors, I got to spend an extra day in New York on my way back. Times Square can now be added to things I have done and don't need to do again. When I finally arrived back in Abu Dhabi, I couldn't make it all of the way back to Deira in Dubai because of President Bush's visit. The security forces had all of the highways closed, so I stayed in Jumeriah on the beach. I know, we all must suffer some of the time. :) The UAE was in the middle of five days of rain. You can imagine how that was playing out for the local folks that are used to dry roads. On my way to the airport this morning I'm sure that I passed over 100 cars that were either 'dead in the water' or crunched losing control in the many, many lakes that had formed on the roadways. It didn't slow people down as they continued to pass us going well over 100 mph--that is until the giant lake they hit!

I am now back in my little home in Kabul. The snow started falling this afternoon and the ground is turning white. Like many cities, Kabul looks magnificent with fresh blanket of snow turning everything crystal white. I will be here for four days before taking off again on my next adventure.

Back to Kabul

My short trip to Texas has come to an end. I start my two-day trip back to Kabul this afternoon. Two weeks in Asia and then back to the US for some much-anticipated R&R. See you all then.

Texas

I am in Texas! I received a phone call during breakfast Saturday morning that I needed to get on a plane that day to come to our Dallas-area offices for a week of work. Not a lot of notice, huh? Two long days of travelling brought me to the home of great food and big everything. Of course, as hard as I tried to sleep, my body said "Wake up!" and I finally stopped trying to fight it. I found the laundry in the hotel so that I could have something somewhat clean to wear to the office today. After that, I did what every guy that used to call Texas home would do at three in the morning... I went to Taco Cabana for breakfast. Dad, the fajitas are as good as ever, even in the middle of the night.

Happy New Year

2008 arrived on a cold and clear night in Kabul. The weather has been so unusually clear that even local residents are commenting on the lack of snow. The residents of Camp Gibson stayed up and entertained themselves at various small parties. There were card games played in one area while some music and karaoke was enjoyed(?) in another building. I rewarded myself for making it through the year by turning off the alarm and sleeping in a few extra minutes. It was glorious.

This morning as I was getting ready for the day, I thought back to the events of the year. For me this has been a year of meeting new people and making new friends. It was a year of professional growth in an arena new to me. It was a year when some dear friends and family members lost their lives and moved on to their rewards. It has also been a year of travel: countless trips to and through Dubai, a city that always surprises you; meeting friends in Vienna and London; meeting family in Spain and UAE; seeing old friends and family in the US; and some quiet, personal time for me in Fujairah.

One of the proudest moments of the year was when three new Afghan friends of mine, people that have witnessed hardship and strife like most Americans can not imagine and certainly not lived through, were granted permission to start new lives in the US. They will each have challenging times ahead as they adapt to a new culture and way of life. I have every confidence that they will be successful in their goals for themselves and their families.

For 2008 I look forward to completing some of my own goals in SW Asia before returning home and starting the next chapter in my life with my own family. Happy New Year to you all--be well.