Hallelujah!! They found my luggage!!

I was told from the people here, even before I got here, that if I checked a bag, I might not see it for a week or so. Well, they were right. I checked a bag in at LAX when I left and I didn't see it until tonight.... a week after I arrived here. It wasn't too critical. I packed stuff I could do without, some shirts, a few dvds, a towel (I already bought one here), stuff like that. But it's nice to have it all back. Now my trip can continue.

Just wanted to share my joy!

later....crd

Church at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Africa

Attended my first church service here in Djibouti. They hold LDS services at 1430 (2:30pm) at the camp chapel. There was probably a dozen or so in attendance. It was good to feel the Spirit that was there. We're going to meet up next Sat night to watch the first session of Conf. It's about a 9 hour diff from Salt Lake so it will be 1800 (6pm) here when the morning session starts. I look forward to it.

Until next time...

crd

More Djibouti Pics

Here's where I lay my head after a long day at the office. Most buildings at camp are "containerized" structures. They put us up in CLUs or Containerized Living Units. It's a standard size shipping containter that has been converted into two rooms. They put bunks along the wall sepearted by half walls, add a desk on the end and throw in a couple wall lockers to put your stuff in. I'm lucky for the moment as no one else bunks with me. I get the whole CLU to myself.

Here's a look inside the CLU. It's small, but I call it home... at least for the next 6 weeks. :) Where do I shower, do you ask? They have 25 of these CLUs stacked side-by-side and the middle one is converted into a latrine/shower facility. You have to wear shower shoes/flip flops when you're in there as to not catch any nasties on your feet. Good times!!

This is the neighborhood. All the CLUs are stacked side-by-side broken up by blocks, A-Block, B-Block, C-Block, etc. I live in the F-Block, the farthest from the camp. I get to walk about a mile every day to my office and then back at the end of the day. I should be able the shed a few pounds by the time I come home.

Djibouti Pics

After a week of Djibouti, here are some pics. They have flights, both fixed wing and helicopter, out of here almost hourly for the different operations they have throughout the area. This is in front of the Air Ops office adjacent to the office I work in.
This is the "office" I work in. It's a converted storage container (or connex) that has a few tables in it where we sit and do whatever it is we do :)
My company, Harris, is contracted through NuVisions, who is contracted by SPAWAR (www.spawar.navy.mil) who handles all the infrastructure and system implementations for the Navy. I am here to cover for one of our engineers who works in Japan who deploys with the Marines to the Philippines. He'll be back 1 Nov, but I will be here to take care of a network migration project for the Joint Forces classified network.
This inside of our office. It's about 6 feet wide and about 40 feet long. It can ge cozy if you have too many people inside.

3 days down - 45 more to go

"What did I sign up for??" The question I asked myself when I stepped off the plane at the Djibouti International Airport... Actually, that wasn't the first time I had asked that. It crossed my mind when I landed in at the Addis Abada International Airport in Ethiopia; and then was stuck there for approx 8 hours waiting for my flight to arrive. Good times!!

Stepping off the plane in Djibouti was an experience in mild suffocation. Djibouti is located 11 degress North of the Equator and opens into the Gulf of Adan at the end of the Red Sea. The humidity hovers right around 60-70%. Even at night, when there is no sun, it feels like your walking through a sauna. Can you say 'fabulous'??. Luckily every office you walk into has A/C.

Have I convinced you to come to Djibouti?? Well, as I adjust to the heat and the time change, it gets a little better. I have my own room with AC, my meals are paid for ( I get to eat in the Navy chow hall every day), and I get a bunch of exercise because I have to walk a mile from my room to my office every morning and evening. I'm sure I'll lose a little weight while I'm here.

The work is challenging, but I'm able to bring my experience to the table and I'm being pushed to learn some new things. This will be good overall.

Stay tuned for some pics and further snippets of my journey.

Until then.... crd