- Joined
- Jun 4, 2002
- Messages
- 3,930
What a trip! Eight hours from Kuwait to Rota Spain in a C-5 with a hydraulic leak in one of it's wings (my fingers still hurt from crossing 'em so hard). Had my first beer in Spain, a Heineken of course
, but didn't have time for another before I was on another plane for eight more hours headed to Norfolk, Virginia. In Virginia, me and the guys I was traveling with did our own version of the "Amazing Race", yes there was a flight out, but we had to figure out how to get tickets cut and get ourselves to the civilian airport in 20 minutes if we were going to make it. Oh by the way, it's anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour drive from Norfolk Naval Station to the civilian airport, depending on traffic. We stuffed six bodies and eighteen fully packed duffel bags into two taxi cabs (didn't have time to wait for anything bigger). It wasn't pretty, but with a few kicks and curses, and many bungee cords, we trundled on down the road looking a lot like the Beverly Hillbillies.
By the time we got our bags through security we were ten minutes late for boarding, and of course our boarding gate was at the other end of the airport. Must of been a sight to see us in our sweat stained desert cammies, eyes wild, nostrils flaring, rucksacks flapping, running full tilt down those cool carpeted halls, while muzak softly played in the background. Got to the boarding gate only to be told our plane was delayed and we had a good twenty minutes to spare. We stood there, chests heaving, sweat running down in torrents, giggling like absolute idiots. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a beer tap (I have an eye for such things ) and headed for it. Had a nice, cold, glass of draft beer, and thanks to an unidentified good guy, was not allowed to pay for it. Badda boom, badda bing, on a plane and headed to Cleveland Ohio. The pilot, God bless him, pushed up the throttle to make up for lost time, and we made our connecting flight to Austin without a hitch. A weary one hour drive from Austin in an Air Force pickup truck and we were standing right back where we started, on the sidewalk in front of our squadron building. "O'dark-thirty"(2 a.m.), still in uniform, with rucks and duffels, wondering if it had all been just a dream.
It's good to be home. It'll take me a couple of days to shake off the dust and clear out the cobwebs, but by golly I'm back. More important, all my guys are back safe and sound, all present and accounted for. Feels kind of good to know my job is done, let me see, where did I stash those retirement papers?
Sarge
, but didn't have time for another before I was on another plane for eight more hours headed to Norfolk, Virginia. In Virginia, me and the guys I was traveling with did our own version of the "Amazing Race", yes there was a flight out, but we had to figure out how to get tickets cut and get ourselves to the civilian airport in 20 minutes if we were going to make it. Oh by the way, it's anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour drive from Norfolk Naval Station to the civilian airport, depending on traffic. We stuffed six bodies and eighteen fully packed duffel bags into two taxi cabs (didn't have time to wait for anything bigger). It wasn't pretty, but with a few kicks and curses, and many bungee cords, we trundled on down the road looking a lot like the Beverly Hillbillies. By the time we got our bags through security we were ten minutes late for boarding, and of course our boarding gate was at the other end of the airport. Must of been a sight to see us in our sweat stained desert cammies, eyes wild, nostrils flaring, rucksacks flapping, running full tilt down those cool carpeted halls, while muzak softly played in the background. Got to the boarding gate only to be told our plane was delayed and we had a good twenty minutes to spare. We stood there, chests heaving, sweat running down in torrents, giggling like absolute idiots. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a beer tap (I have an eye for such things ) and headed for it. Had a nice, cold, glass of draft beer, and thanks to an unidentified good guy, was not allowed to pay for it. Badda boom, badda bing, on a plane and headed to Cleveland Ohio. The pilot, God bless him, pushed up the throttle to make up for lost time, and we made our connecting flight to Austin without a hitch. A weary one hour drive from Austin in an Air Force pickup truck and we were standing right back where we started, on the sidewalk in front of our squadron building. "O'dark-thirty"(2 a.m.), still in uniform, with rucks and duffels, wondering if it had all been just a dream.It's good to be home. It'll take me a couple of days to shake off the dust and clear out the cobwebs, but by golly I'm back. More important, all my guys are back safe and sound, all present and accounted for. Feels kind of good to know my job is done, let me see, where did I stash those retirement papers?
Sarge
he he he
