Finally returned from a 4-day R&R pass in Qatar.  It's a small country on the Saudi side of the Persian Gulf.  It's okay, I didn't know where it was either.  Had a pretty good time, got to relax for a few days.  They had a few clubs and a band from Georgia that was actually really good, but like all cover bands, not so famous.  Tried to go deep sea fishing in the Gulf but they pushed it back until the day i flew out.  o well.  C-130's are not so smooth.  Went downtown to the mall in Doha and it was HUGE!!! like 6 stories!  overall a much nicer mall than any I've ever seen in the states.  Ice skaing rinks, swimming pools, waterfall and palm trees everywhere, and that's just inside the mall!


Most of the stuff they sold was the same kind of stuff you'd see in the states, excepting the novelty and tourist shops which were more culture oriented.  Best of all........coffee shops everywhere!!!!!  Being a true coffee junkie and having spent the better part of my life in coffee houses, I had to hit them all.  The Arabic blends are awesome, very dark and bold.  By the time we left I was bouncing off the walls from caffeind.  Three starbucks in the same mall!!!  I met these ombres at one of em.


They were pretty cool.  Very friendly and very, very polite.  The one on the right was Muhammed and the one on the left was Ali.  What are the odds?  Pretty good i guess cuz I've met quite alot of Muhammed's and Ali's.  Turns out Muhammed was actually going to study at Vanderbilt in Nashville but changed his mind and decided to stay in Qatar.  His loss, he seemed like a country music kinda guy.  Overall Qatar was much cleaner than Kuwait and the locals seemed to follow suit.
Well, gotta get some sleep.  Going to the port tomorrow.  It's time to put the equipment on the big boat for the ride home.  They offered me a job riding back w/ the equipment, but getting home in late March was not so appealing.

10 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!