Sunday, October 31, 2004
French vs American MRE's
Not many captions to add, the pix speak for themselves. Just to be sure, the French is on the left, and US is on the right. The French package is designed for one soldier for 1 full day, the US plans for three packages per soldier per day.
Score: Presentation FR 1; US 0
Opening the French package looks like a walk through the supermarket, while the US is more brown packaging.
FR 2; US 0 for Packaging Appeal.
Close up of the U.S. "Food"
Meatloaf with Brown Onion Gravy. MMMMMM! (U.S.) 
From the French, the first meal of the day is Fish with rice and vegetables, the yellow packet is broth and the red is the heat source.
Here is the US MRE, crackers, the meatloaf, Oh! and a cookie. Yummy.
The second course, rabbit (Tastes like Chicken I hear), with 2 mustard sauce.
I did not do a side by side taste test yet, but will do so in the near future.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Kabul Halloween Half-Marathon
The Team: Maj Jim; Maj Patrick; LTCOL Ben; and LCDR Paul
The "race" was on treadmills...
And it was a relay....
At 6,000 ft above sea level, running is a bit more difficult...
The "anchor man" good thing he's a sailor....
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Clear Day in the 'Stan
Monday, October 25, 2004
More Road Trip Pix
A local girl we met while waiting by the Airport. She was very shy at first, and did not want her picture taken, but she warmed up to us. She spoke no English, and (Duh) we don't speak Dhari.
The girl with our new office mate, Capt Heidi.
Maj Jim War Trophy
Major Jim with a War Trophy, the bumper from his truck. Hard to see the blood.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Toxic Waste Side-effect
Friday, October 22, 2004
Some Bazaar pix
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Humble Pie
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
The Rally Cap's Not Working
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Convoy
Cause we got a little 'o convoy
walkin' through the night.
We got a little 'o convoy
ain't burhkas a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
ain't nothin' gonna get in our way
we gonna walk this burhka
convoy across the 'stan. Convoy!
My apologies to CW McCall.
Afghan SUV
Major Jim, Slacker.
Maj. Jim....decompressing after a tough morning. (He claims he was waiting for the Americans to catch up)
Two seconds later, "I wasn't sleeping".
The captain needs to field day the office.
Afghan Voter Marking Pen
Bakkalakkadakka St
The traffic from Kabul Compound to ISAF compound. It has it all, pedestrians, cars, motorcycles, bicycles. Oh, there are no rules.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Pete's Neighbors
Can't wait for the backstory on this. Probably not bloggable though, more of a "over a beer" story.
Picture dump
Some captions mine, some Pete's. I'm sure you guys can figure out which are which.
Inside a Doha shipping container. Looks suspiciously like a stateroom on a ship.
Hallway outside the containers. Apparently these are stacked two high in a warehouse.
Flying over Afghanistan
Circus tent in Bagram. My travel companions Tony, and Paul, the Aussie.
More circus tentage. That's gonna be a grey sweatshirt when Pete comes home.
Circus tent by day. Note the gaps and the "climate control" ducts.
Bomb shelter outside the circus tent.
Multi-culti military. Pete, you need to get one of those manly thigh-holsters.
Ready for the road trip from Bagram to Kabul, must have two vehicles, radios and two rifles. All personnel have a pistol, body armor and helmets. I look BAD!
Your cammies clash.
Afghan workers lining up at the Bagram Gate for work
Walls all over the place. There is no land law so folks build walls to "stake their claim"
Afghanistan's first (and only) Toyota Dealership
Afghan Wireless.
Both just seem out of place
A circle dedicated to Massoud, charismatic leader of the Northern Alliance who was assassinated 10 Sept 01. He is a national hero.
Maj Jim, Canadian Army. My personal driver....he is insane and has a bicycle and taxi to his credit. At least he is well armed. Note the lollipop in his mouth.
Seen on the road from Kabul compound to Camp Julian, the ISAF compound.
This is a battle damaged building in Kabul. No shortage of these.
The kings palace, the Soviets did not like the King....
People still live in these "houses" built into the hillside. 
