Richard's email - Saturday night our time

No, I can't get into anything but my email out here, and facebook works
from time to time but I don't see myself trying to fight the connection
to check it. Internet only work during the night shift for some reason
out here. The flights weren't so bad and the layovers were pretty long.
I was able to call and

talk with you the first layover. After I got off skype with you and as
soon a I plugged in my laptop they announced we were leaving so I was a
bit annoyed. The second place we landed in Greece wasn't to bad at all.
I was able to talk with you again for a little bit and also charge up my
psp and laptop. I'm glad I did because after that when we stopped in
Italy there was only their type of outlet so I couldn't plug in my psp
or laptop to anything. They had only one phone and couldn't get the
calling card to work at all on it n the operator said he could only
process credit cards and the airport had no wifi in it. I wanted to talk
with you n couldn't do anything but sit there. I didn't want to use my
laptop or psp for anything there b4ecause I had a 4 hour flight from
there and wanted to play my psp on it so I just sat there for a little
over an hour. Thankfully it wasn't a long wait there. Once we landed in
Bahrain it was a circus with everyone finding out where they were going
and who to meet up with. When the Ike group got

together they told us all to quickly get our things because a cod was
already set to take us out. They broke us up into 2 groups to fly out
and I was on the first so I didn't have time to do anything really. Got
that all set n they told us how to put our cranials on and a special
life vest which we had to wear both the entire time. Craniels are a type
of hat/helmet that aircrew guys have to wear on the flight deck n it has
goggles on it. The flight was like a rollercoaster. You got on the plane
through the back of it that lowered down and there was 2 rows of seats
with 2 on each side, all facing backwards. There was no windows or
anything so you just felt the flight the whole time doing it backwards.
The takeoff was a bit weird because it pushed you forward rather the
backwards. We all had a 4 point harness on during the flight. It was
very crowded on that thing and I got

very restless. The flights all the way out here I was in the first class
section. Even tho it was a computer flight they still had the kind of
seats for first class where I was so I'm glad I stuck with the seat he
gave me and also gave that to me. I don't think I would've done so well
otherwise. The seats were like lazyboys up there. There was a part that
would come out you could put your legs up on it and also a foot rest
part, then you could also recline, and the head rest could fold in on
the sides. Was very spacious and roomy so it worked out great. But the
cod flight was very cramped. It was a 3 hour flight so I didn't do so
well being so cramped and tired I couldn't sleep on it. As we finally
got to the carrier he waved his hand in the air while sitting down to
let us know we were landing. That was freakin cool, and crazy. Cause
every so often you would jut feel yourself drop and turn

here n there. Then finally it just dropped and hit the flight deck and
when it hit the arresting cable you flew back in your seat because of
how fast it stops you. You would have definitely gotten sick lol. The
very first flight you would've been sick too, a lot of crosswind and
turbulence, the plane was shaking all over the place from side to side
and was also dropping here n here. I thought for sure it was the plane
and how it would be the whole time, thankfully it was just the first
flight cause even that got me a lil dizzy it was so bad. I've still been
checing into the ship trying to get things straightened out and also
figuring out what I'll be doing out here. I'm still not sure what they
are going to have me be doin but I am defiantly staying in this shop
they have me in now. The people seem to be alright, quite a few of them
I talked with regularly now and the work gets done thankfully. The
backlog isn't very high at all for them being this far into cruise.
Everyone had a beer day because of not pulling into port for so

long. They were jokingly mad cause I just flew out here and could have 2
beers with them even tho I could have been drinking right before I came
out here. I didn't get any tho. The lines for chow hasn't been bad at
all yet. Normally they wind a long ways and up into the hangar bay, but
everytime I go for food I can get right in line. I found a pretty good
rack and its on the top so I have an open roof rather then a little box
to sleep in. The pipes above it used to leak before they fixed it so no
one had it, but its in a great spot. They patched it up and fixed it
like the week before I came out here so was perfect. I haven't had any
problems with it yet either so its workin out ok. I head to bed right
after shift so I can get the sleep I need and then whatever time I have
before shift is my free time, which is like 2 hours. You can listen to
music while on shift but that's about it s its been a little boring
because there has only been like 2 things to work

on out here with everyone in the shop, so a lot of just talking and
standing around. I should be able to read some of my book tho, but I've
still been running around and haven't had time to read any of it.
Everytime I go get a signature I get like 3 more papers that have to be
filled out and finding out theres classes I have to go to that take a
couple weeks and then have to get all my training done so I'm wondering
if I'll be busy the whole time until I get home. Found out also you go
tad while out here if ships company, happens to everyone, even the
chiefs. So this will b my first time in my career going tad lol A lot of
people get sent tad to something while they are an e3 at their first
command and even at other places to. I've lucked

out so far. Guess I've been to valuable to send away hahah But out here
everyone has their turn. Luckily they cant send you tad for the first 90
days so I'll get sent tad on our way back probably. Whenever that will
be. I'll keep you updated on things but for right now Im going for some
food. Just got in the shop after showering and Im starving