So long and thanks for all the fish!

Well, yesterday we didn’t fly either, though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and there wasn’t much wind. No one is sure why we didn’t leave yesterday, but there are a lot of jokes going around at the Air Force and the weather forecaster’s expenses. There was also a nasty rumor going around that due to weather and maintenance issues, the next flight out wouldn’t be till Monday. Color me not amused.

Today dawned bright and cloudy, and as of 8am, there wasn’t any ETA, ETD, or transport time. I put in a wake-up call with the dispatcher on-duty, and went back to bed, fully expecting the flight to be cancelled yet again. At 11am she called to tell me that the transport time was 1230. I rushed around, taking a shower, packing the little things up, and took off for the galley to get lunch. I said my good-byes, and it was off to the MCC to get in line for transport.

All the remaining firefighters on duty came up to say goodbye to those of us leaving. It was sad to leave all the people I’ve been working with for the past 5 months. I feel bad that I only really got to start to get to know them in the last month, but those are the breaks I guess. Hopefully Capt RJ will be making it out to MD this summer to visit some relatives that live near me, so I might get to see him. And a few of the guys who know about the SCA were talking about going to Pennsic this year, so I might see them too.

So right now I am on a C-17, having said goodbye to the firefighters on the airfield before getting on the plane. Today is as overcast and almost as windy as when I arrived here on the Ice, so I guess I’ve come full circle, though it’s not quite as cold. I’ve been working on parsing though the 90 GB of music I pulled from my friend Scott yesterday. I’ve made it through the C’s.

And now we are 30 minutes from landing in NZ! I have to turn my computer off now.

UPDATE:

It is now just past midnight, NZ time. We landed around 8pm, but by the time we got through customs and go finished at the CDC it was pushing 1030pm. There are a couple of us staying here at Base Backpacker (the same place I stayed on the way down), and I got a room in the 'Sanctuary' which is an all girls area. I went out with the guys, after changing into something other than jeans, and got a cider and some food, but it was late and I am tired. Tomorrow I have to get up early and get a shuttle to the CDC, where I have to mail out my one suitcase and a box of random stuff (mostly boots). Then it's back to city center, where I will do my shopping and exchange more money, and then it's off to get the shuttle to Nelson, where my friend will be picking me up. My flight home doesn't leave till 430pm Monday, (and doesn't get in until 1am Tuesday morning....something about two 3 hour layovers in LA and Dallas), so I may be able to stay later than planned Sunday....I have to talk to my friend about it, and check out the ferry and bus schedules.

When we landed, the load master welcomed us to "Not Antarctica.' Then he told us that we may see color, and to not be alarmed. It wasn't the trees that was the wierdest part....it was all the smells....I never knew you could smell humidity, but you can. The humidity is incredible. I'm sure it's not much, but compared to where I've been, it's a lot. We all got off the plane and everyone was sweating. It's unreal.

Oh well....time to get to bed. I feel bad leaving everyone down at the bar, but there's no way I can stay up till 3am or later and be able to function tomorrow, even if I won't see any of them again, most likely. I feel so old.

But...I'm in New Zealand. And strangely enough.....I miss the Ice....