Christmas in Torkham

Having returned triumphantly from my search for rest and relaxation, well as triumphantly as one can when vacationing with the Army, I set my sights eastbound. Traveling to Torkham is not as easy as it once was, and I had to layover in Jalalabad. Fortunately I made some new friends there as well and was not put in the circus tent for my one night stay. On my way there I tripped getting off the bus in BAF (my rifle caught on the steps or something) and I twisted my right foot something fierce. I honestly thought that I had broken it (wouldn't that be embarrassing), but had only twisted it. I did a good job, though, my ankle touched the asphalt and had it not been for someone else's rifle in my other hand, I would have been on the ground. I'm not sure they appreciate its usefulness to me.

I could barely walk on it that night and most of the next morning. The next afternoon, though, I made a point of exercising it so that I didn't look like a moron walking around. I hate being so pathetic.

After an hour long Humvee ride I arrived at Torkham Gate, the day was the 23rd and Christmas Eve was the next day. The morning of Christmas Eve we went out three and a half minutes to the Pakistan border crossing. We returned to a good surprise (to me anyway). It seems that the group decided that Christmas dinner shall be on Christmas Eve, vice Christmas day.

As a part of the Christmas Decoration Package sent by the Army, two Ice Sculpture Swans and one Ice Sculpture Eagle adorned the table. The food was well prepared by a cook that had just arrived and just found out about the meal being 24 hours early. All was good. Following dinner, the guys played a pick-up game of basketball in preparation for the next day's tournament.

Christmas Day passed with little fanfare. I spent most of the day watching movies on my computer and being lazy in general. Waiting up most of the day, I finally called home in time for them to be preparing to go to a friends house for dinner. The twelve and a half hour time difference is quite interesting.

I will be returning in a couple of days to BAF and from there head back to Salerno where my mail awaits and patiently wait for my relief to show up.