The flight from Dubai to Kandahar was a short hop only about 2.5 hours and really not much to talk about for the flight. My flight attendant was cute and the Diet Coke I had was really small. Those were the only two real highlights from the flight.
We circled over Kandahar, Afghanistan before we made our final approach into the military side of the airport and I was able to take a few good pictures of the city since once we landed that was about as close to it as I would ever get. We finally landed and taxied through all the military areas and it brought back memories of flying into Baghdad International Airport several years before.
Only this time a few more helicopters due to the terrain of Southern Afghanistan.
Now I had discussed the heat of Dubai and when those doors opened in Kandahar I was excited to feel no humidity and I grabbed my one bag and headed to the check in station for my temporary Kandahar Air Field (KAF) ID. After a few moments the heat really hit and wow was I stunned yet again it literally felt like that moment when you open an oven and get blasted only this was constant and unrelenting. Upon finding a thermometer I was shocked to see it reading 139.9 degrees Fahrenheit but realized it was 2pm so it was at the hottest part of the day. Only I should have known better.
After getting my appropriate paperwork and bag I was greeted by some fellow Fluor employees and taken to our Fluor compound to get settled in.
Yes that is a hockey rink in 135 degree weather. Thanks to the Canadians
Once I dropped my stuff off in a non insulated tent I met with some of my bosses and did the required meet and great. All loads of fun and all I suddenly realized I was exhausted after traveling 9000 miles in 3 days. I was released and went back to my tent looking forward to getting some rest only to find the tent, non-insulated and all, a whopping 98 degrees inside. So rest evaded me until 7pm that night when it finally started cooling down outside.
The next day was just a few classes and minor paperwork and I was done around 5pm. Now at KAF there is an area called the boardwalk. Literally a ton of shops lined with a boardwalk that draws a great deal of people, male and female in the evenings. I wandered over there to check it out and was surprised to find a hockey rink courtesy of the Canadian Army in the center.
I grabbed a cup of coffee and just sat back and relaxed as the sun set on my first full day in Afghanistan. For the record the Canadian Army has the best looking women, simply amazing. As 9pm rolled around I had to get back to the tents to find out about my final destination since I was not lucky enough to stay at KAF. Frankly I was glad to be leaving I would have gotten in trouble at KAF to many umm how shall we say it, distractions.
I found out that at 4am I would be flying to a new FOB near the border of Pakistan. A few hours of sleep and then on the move once again getting on a really bad looking helicopter from Russia heading to FOB Wolverine my new home!
