southern adventures

i am sitting here watching the mist float in off the ocean, it is a totally surreal image.

today was another good day. i mean, i got up early-ish - 0800hrs., which is early for the weekend - and went on a recce with steph. she had another one earlier in the week which was a complete disaster, so this was the second and she wanted some company. our female cp pavlina came along, it was actually kind of a fun trip.

we went to the middle areas, to khan younis, and then further south to rafah. we got to go through gaza airport down in rafah, i took some more pictures, which i will hopefully post soon, of the runway and the buildings. i say runway and buildings, but really the israeli's dug up the runways, so its more  piles of tarmac sitting in the middle of paved stretches. and the buildings are just riddled with bullet holes.

we didn't get too close. the israeli's were holed up there just a few days ago - i have some great pictures of the tank tracks where they really tore up the dirt road. but because its a favourite incursions base for the israeli's there's a certain caution with regard to uxo - if you don't know what it stands for, then you really don't want to, so don't ask. so we stuck to the more beaten path and didn't really approach the buildings. regardless i have some great shots.

thats definitely on my christmas list. as i don't think that i will be having a chance to return to the states, i am going to spend my plane ticket money on a good camera. there is really so much call for it here.

half way through the recce we got a call that the CG wanted to have lunch with us, no obligation, ha! when you're boss calls and says that she wants to have lunch with you you can only say one thing: 'what time?' so, we went back via the office and had a great lunch.

its surreal to just sit and talk to people. the things we discussed, combined with the fact that we're sitting in the middle of gaza, and the people who were there. we're such a varied bunch. there is so much knowledge and experience in this team, its awe-inspiring. its really amazing to be able to work with these people. i only hope that in a few years i am on my way to having such knowledge and experience.

but it really was a fantastic lunch, even if it does mean that i have worked/gone into the office seven days in a row. which is a bit of nuisance.

but then i came home and bummed around, caught up on some tv shows, uploaded some pictures. so for those who have been whining, take a look here there are some photos from around gaza, as well as a set from thanksgiving. i will post some more from thanksgiving later, as well as some from jerusalem and some from some school visits. its just tough cause i have to wade through all the photos, name them and orient them. there are not too many of my flat, but the thanksgiving dinner was in my flat, so any background is my flat. will try to take some more photos of it this week so that you can have some more context.

in flat news: i think i have a place in jerusalem! saskia and i have been looking at sharing somewhere, she's been doing all the leg work as i am stuck in gaza. but it will be nice to have somewhere to go to over the weekends, once i can finally get out.

that and i had a tremedous battle with my heating this morning and won! the fan is on and its a lovely 24-25 in my flat, go me! conquering technology one step at a time!