So far, so good this end,

albeit knackered due to another night with minimal sleep. You'd have thought that the drone of the generator outside my room or the constant circling of helicopters might have lulled me into slumber but no such luck. I think that HEAT training might be playing on my mind subconsciously.

Been to get my site pass done this morning. Had to go into the American bit of the compound and have biometric data captured - retinal and hand scans...so that's me on some CIA database or other for posterity. Really stringent on security, check your retina at each entry point like something out of a 007/ Mission Impossible! No sign of Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan or Tom Cruise though... :o(

Comms are a big issue...phone signal's rubbish and at least twice a day the generators go down and everything grinds to a halt but not doing too badly getting through the stuff I need to cover whilst out here but then again I was working til 11pm last night. That's the typical work ethic when the guys are out here...nothing much else to do other than that and exercise and I'm certainly no gym bunny ;o)

1st leg completed

...ah the joys of an airport hotel...might be 5* but I may as well have been sleeping on the runway. Managed 2hrs kip before the Director I was meeting rang me to arrange our rendezvous :o/

The Iraqi airways flight eventually took off from T2 an hour and a half late. Getting used to this type of erratic approach to timetables now and just buried my head in a book and stood back from the mêlée that ensued when the gate opened...you'd think that there weren't enough seats on the aircraft or they desperately needed to flee the country. I guess queueing really is a British institution...

Fortunately I'd also been warned to expect a bun fight at immigration when I landed at Basra that's exactly what it was. I think the basic premise is if you're not Iraqi, you automatically go to the back of the queue. Eventually got my health stamp and then had to go to another booth for a visa. The guy behind the desk gave me a big smile and put my passport separate from the others to be processed. Wasn't sure how that boded but it turned out to be a good omen as once he'd collected the others in he pushed mine out first so I was actually waiting in the arrivals lounge when my colleagues turned up which is apparently un-heard of.

So first impressions of the Combined Operating Base is a huge site with approx. 9km perimeter. There's nothing but sand and a mass of shipping containers used for everything from accommodation to shops, cafes and gyms. Very military looking...to be expected I suppose....concrete blast walls, razor wire and armed guards as well as a Phalanx (fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20-millimetre gun system that provides defence against missiles, destroys them mid-air which I'm hoping I won't hear going off!). It's all set out on a grid basis so with no discernible differences it's a bit of a rabbit warren which didn't help when I tried to find my way back to the office in the dark tonight.

Bizarrely in the middle of the camp shielded by a bunker there's a coffee shop with rows and rows of amazing looking patisserie. On the basis of such promising coffee breaks I thought I might manage a few days here ok but I'm reliably informed they're nowhere near as nice as they look..."gutted" as Minor Mayhem would say.

Seconds out, round 2

off to sunny Basra...

Packed the M&S 'Percy Pigs' sweeties (as requested by my colleague...obviously one of life's essentials), along with a weeks worth of gear, a laptop etc. So with that and the hostile environment training I'm ready for whatever gets thrown at me...hopefully....

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Set off bright and early this morning to a somewhat damp and windy dis-used airfield for my postponed Hostile Environment Awareness training.

Has to be said I'm both knackered and emotionally drained after the course. I've learnt loads about the cultures of Iraq & Afghanistan, the religious aspects and how the various elements play into the situation. We then went on to look at various types of bombs, IEDs, RPGs, mortars and missiles.

I've been shown an assortment of Person Protection Equipment as well has their component materials, then had a demonstration of how successful they are in preventing piercing by various projectiles. Was drilled in 'actions on' operating procedures as well as being taught how to 'cross deck' between vehicles should the need arise e.g. the vehicles come under fire, have a blow-out or become incapacitated etc. Mrs. Terribly Squeamish also got to study first aid (including some pretty gruesome pics of war injuries - definitely not for the feint-hearted) and subsequently now know when and how to apply tourniquets to save limbs. Rounded up the day being taken hostage, blindfolded and instructed how best to behave in order to survive!!!

Outing to Oxford

for a HR conference today...Last time I was at that hotel was to run a training course for my last company many many moons ago. We did a business simulation game were we got two teams to set up a newspaper.  One lot decided to be a tabloid and persuaded the training manager and I (the only girls) to strip down to towels and pose in front of the sauna door so they could take some pics...Reader I was young and naive.

As is pretty standard it was one of those events where you get 'talked at' and are supposed to 'network'.  We had an employment law update...always useful. There was an interesting presentation about organisational design which is something I'm into so enjoyed, but am highly unlikely to use any of the theory/methods for the foreseeable with where the business is at right now. There was also a presentation around a bid to provide outsourced services to those on the range of unemployment benefits. Timely stuff with the 'White Paper" out today. Fascinating stats on the number of people out of work and the demographic breakdown, benefit spend and success rate of getting them back into work over the various previous government schemes...that sort of stuff appeals to the sociologist in me ;o)   It'll be interesting to see what how this current governments scheme pans out and whether we actually learn from history.

Oh to be young and idealistic...

Little did I know when I first coined the pseudonym 'Strident Student' for the birth of the blog some eighteen months ago, how true this would turn out to be.  The eldest has taken it upon herself to become involved in a wide variety of causes and developed strong political views to accompany her already decidedly ethical/idealist approach. 

In between studying (allegedly), she's involved with Chocolate Box (a voluntary scheme to provide support and education to prostitutes), helps with a teaching scheme for disadvantaged children, sits on the student union council and more recently has been found stating her views on the cuts to Further Education on News24....does beg the question whether she'll manage to get a degree next year, but she is making the world a better place in her own small way :o)

No surprise then that she is today stewarding coach C of Steel City students who have gone on their merry way to challenge Nick whom she fervently supported through the elections....

Now mother dearest having seen the news, the protest seemingly infiltrated by anarchists and high levels of violence in and around Westminster then been unable to reach eldest by phone sits and frets....

They might leave home but they're never off your radar....

Feeling a little jaded today after doing a 'Come Dine with Me' episode last night which included flambéd fireplace in the midst of the meal.....kinda dinner with a bit of extra 'spark'...

Organised pre-dinner drinks and nibbles in the lounge, lit the fire and some candles to create a but of ambiance etc. So far so good...
We all moved into the dining room to eat, with the sproglets deciding they'd prefer to eat separately. Good job....we'd just got to the main course when Miss Sensible came running in to say that two of the candles have burnt down and set alight something on the fireplace, fortunately Minor Mayhem doused the flames and all that was left was the smoldering mess and the distinct odour of burn. Played it down and got through the rest of the night with nothing more eventful than Monty sitting on everyone's knee due to further fireworks. Can't be said the night lacked entertainment value!
Surveying the damage this morning, the wall behind the mantelpiece is scorched and covered in wax. Spent ages trying to scrape the stuff off then remove more of the residue by putting some brown paper over it and running and iron across....needless to say the lounge now needs redecorating...deep joy....