One Month in the (clears throat)..."combat zone"

Things are going pretty well here at Camp Cupcake.  Yesterday markes one month in the "zone".  The job is going well and the quality of life (compared to Iraq and even Camp Shelby) is pretty good.  I get a whole day and a half off per week and there is a lot to do to keep ourselves entertained.  I really can't complain about the situation.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be hear but I still would trade it all for Afghanistan.  But that was not in the cards, so here I sit.  When I was in Iraq I went outside the "wire" a few times by Black Hawk, but never on four wheels.  It was dangerous business traveling in convoys back then.  Lots of IEDs, snipers, etc.  Well I have been on several trips off the post since I got here.  Mostly to pick up and drop off military judges at various locations across the country.  These trips have been interesting and a little scary at times.  Not that anyone is shooting at us or anything, but rather because Kuwaitees drive worse than NYC cab drivers.  They speed like crazy and do not believe in signaling.  And they stop---well where ever they want to.  Sometimes right in the middle of the road.  The road signs are in Arabic mostly and you never know what direction you are going in.  The other day myself and one of my soldiers were coming back from dropping off the judge and we got lost.  We ended up in downtown Kuwait City with bumper to bumper traffic.  We were in the middle lane when we watched a local speed past us in the breakdown lane...must have been doing 70.  When we finally did get on the highway again we ended up driving past Arifjan and ended up at the Saudia Arabia border.  Not wanting to cause a international incident, we simply turned around and headed back the other way.  Thanks to some directions from the Kuwaitee Army we found our way back to Camp Arifjan.  Yesterday I went out again--without much drama.  I will be doing this often I think.  The judge has even told me he will bring me to Afghanistan for a short trip with him.  I said that it was my dream to get there, one way or the other, so I intend to take him up on his offer.  AFGHANISTAN OR BUST!!., even if it's just for a day or so.  I hope everyone sends their mom flowers on Sunday.  Happy Mothers Day for all u muthers out there!!