Our first full, and only, day in Bahrain is slowly coming to a close. We started out early this morning on base for our 9MM re-qual. I was SUPER nervous as I hadn’t actually shot for qualification in almost a year and wasn’t sure how well I’d do. Luckily, a good eye and steady hand must have been on my side because I shot my best yet; out of 240 possible points and 180 minimum to qualify, I scored at 228, which is Expert. I was shocked because normally I don’t do as well. The “range” was actually a trailer, like you would see a big 18 wheeler on the highway. It was totally padded inside, 3 narrow shooting lanes and no air conditioning. Luckily, they said it was “cool” since it was still morning. Obviously, my definition of “cool” is still stuck in San Diego, although I’m sure it will change soon.
From there we ran around base (ok, most of the time we didn’t run, Malissa, the girl from CTF IM who was assigned to help us, had a golf car so we cruised around ☺ ) getting gear, uniforms, and supplies from the NEX. We were issued CBR-D gear, which stands for Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense gear (aka- 25 pounds of stuff that I can barely wear fully dressed out and hopefully never will!), also, “battle rattle” which consists of a klevar vest and helmet in a lovely shade of desert camouflage. I got 3 sets of desert “cammies” and a set of desert boots. Because apparently my 2 HUGE duffels wasn’t enough--- now I have like 30 more pounds of gear to haul out to ABOT.
We stopped by the NEX where I got a new pair of sneakers and some converters for all of my electronics that I am bringing with me. Then we swung by the Armory/Security Attachment to get everything squared away to pick up our weapons tomorrow. Apparently we are issued 9MM’s to carry on ABOT, but luckily, it is not mandatory. In fact, once we finally got through the red tape of getting permission to have our weapons issued, the guy at the Armory asked us how much ammo we wanted to take and our response immediately was “None!” So, we can all sleep well knowing that I am not only not planning on carrying a weapon on ABOT but I have no intention of giving the ability for it to be loaded at any time out there. Let’s be honest, if little LTJG Laufer, the Training Officer, is using a 9MM, then something’s gone terribly wrong that cannot be solved with a 9MM. Great, just another piece of gear I have to haul out there.
We came back to the hotel when the jet lag hit us INTENSELY and despite our best intentions to go out to lunch and explore Bahrain, we settled on the Iranian restaurant in our hotel. We had a DELICIOUS, albeit expensive, tasty lunch which was much needed. I don’t think I’ll ever be hungry now! They started out with some vegetables, including some interesting leafy veggies that were a bit peppery and spicy, served with a side of tzaziki. It was good, but the garlicky tzaziki of Greece was much better. Then we ordered a dish whose name I cannot remember but it was basically like a mezze, or tapas, plate of Iranian appetizers. It included “Salad-e-shirazi” which is made exactly like Gaby’s Israelis salad, except the veggies weren’t chopped quite as finely and it was not as good as his ☺, a puree of spinach and yogurt and friend onions, a puree of olives, walnuts and pomegranates, a fried eggplant pure with onions, mint, and garlic and another eggplant puree with tomato and eggs and cilantro. It also came with a HUGE basket of warm bread, I’m not sure what it was called but it was similar to Indian Naan but a little more crispy. Everything was DELICIOUS, except I didn’t like the one with olives and walnuts. For our beverage, we had “lemon with mint” which is lemonade with REALLY fined ground mint leaves- AMAZING and so necessary in a city where 99 degrees is considered “cool.”
For our meal we had a saffron, spicy rice with marinated shrimp (it’s funny, the menu says “Gulf Shrimp,” which to me means “caught off the coast of the panhandle of Florida or perhaps New Orleans” but out here it means the Arabian Gulf!). It also had really super grilled tomatoes, green peppers and onions, and Nicole had a really spicy, dilly rice with the most tender, fall off the bone lamb I have EVER seen. It was SO MUCH FOOD. We SERIOUSLY over ordered. So we decided to continue it with some dessert. We had a dessert of frozen vermicelli noodles (like the noodles you might have in a Thai dish) but it had been scooped, maybe like the consistency of a “chunked” shaved ice, but with noodles and it was covered in a rose syrup (it is weird “eating” roses) and also with Iranian ice cream, which was saffron ice cream. It was delicious and interesting and we finished the meal off with some Iranian tea.
We justified it as it was pretty much our only “real” meal since leaving SD over 2 days ago and probably our last good one for a long time. Then, we rolled ourselves to the salon where we got pedicures. Although not as good as the ones in the US, it was still very great and only $15! They were very busy as there was a big Bahrainian wedding that night at the hotel- we saw these little girls getting their hair SUPER curled with glitter spray and women getting the most elaborate make-up done. Also interesting, the “hair salon/spa” place is women only, because I guess it is a place where women can go un-covered so no men are allowed. The lady made a comment that I “really needed a pedicure” and proceeded to spend the next 25 minutes scrubbing dead skin off my feet, which was much appreciated. She kept saying that I get a pedicure every week, I won’t have these kind of feet. I didn’t feel like explaining to her that I wouldn’t be able to get a pedicure for the next 6 months, much less every week. If we end up in Bahrain at the end of our tour on ABOT, I will be sure not to go back to her, not because she wasn’t good but because she would be so disappointed to see my feet 6 months later ☺
I have never traveled to the Middle East and the cultural differences between here and home are ASTOUNDING. We have spent most of our time on base so I haven’t gotten much chance to see it, but it is evident just from being in the hotel. What is also interesting, is that all the different countries have different traditions, etc on who has to have there head covered, who doesn’t, what the men where, etc. I suppose I should do a little research to learn more. I wish I had spent more time today exploring Bahrain but I am SO jet-lagged, I’m just trying to stay awake until an “appropriate” time to go to bed around 8pm, otherwise if I slept all day, I’d be up all night and never get over it. I also know I have many months ahead of very hot weather, a lot of work, and not as nice living conditions so I am enjoying laying in my nice, air conditioned Sheraton room, reading, and relaxing ☺ hopefully, we will get some visits on the tail end of deployment to a few cities out here.
I guess I should also explain who my new friend out here is. Her name is Nicole, and she is our new intelligence officer for the DESRON. She is 32 and has been in the Navy for about 8 years. Luckily for me (and unlucky for her), she just returned from an 8 month tour in Bahrain and did another year long tour here a few years ago so she knows her way around really well. It’s also nice because we have at least 2 things in common right now- we both have no interest in bringing a gun to ABOT and we are the only people that we know out here. She is very nice, very knowledgeable and I am so glad I know someone for these 2 days!
Tomorrow morning will be an early one and I have a feeling that our trip to ABOT will be of epic hassle. We have a van coming to pick us up at the hotel at 6am. From there, we go to the base to pick up our weapons and get our escort. Then we go to the airport where we board a helo (not sure which kind yet, one that can land on a Destroyer) out to the John Paul Jones, a DDG. From JPJ, we will ride a RHIB (small, fast boat) to ABOT where a crane will lift all hundreds of pounds of stuff and gear we have, and then we will climb a ladder up to the platform. I am very very nervous about all of my stuff getting wet- I’ve spent enough time in one of those RHIB’s to know!
Well, that’s about all I have to say for now. I am watching the awarding the of the Olympics right now and then going to order some soup and get all my gear packed up as as best I can. I will post again as soon as I’m safely on
ABOT, maybe not a lot but at least to let you know that I’m there!I included a few pictures, our luxurious accommodations at the Sheraton Bahrain, my welcome screen on my TV- it’s not bad enough that everyone is confused by the fact that I introduce myself as and my uniforms say “Laufer” yet my name is still "Harris" as far as the Navy is concerned but now apparently my gender was confused by the folks at the front desk. I think it’s because I used Dan’s SPG# ☺
Also, here is all of the gear I was given today. The green bag to the left does no justice to the fact that not only is the bag actually about as big enough to fit me, but also feels like it weighs as much as I would in the bag!
Also, here is all of my contact info:
Email- molly.p.harris@gmail.com
Skype- molly.laufer (if you get skype, we can talk for free! It’s awesome- I get to talk to Dan everyday!)
Address (packages take anywhere from 1 week to 1 month; snacks, books, magazines, holiday goodies are always welcomed and appreciated, but pictures and cards are my most favorite ☺):
LTJG Molly Laufer
Kuwait Naval Base
CTG IM/ABOT
APO/AE
09337
Phone (I won’t be able to answer this one, but it is connected to my gmail account so I can listen to voicemails and read texts via google): 619-721-3486
Alright well, I’m off to get packing. Wish us luck on our transit to ABOT and I’ll write more later!
Love,
M
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