Okay, heat and bugs, they go together here in Baghdad; kinda reminds me of working the feedlots in west Texas in the summertime. So what is there. Well, Ex Officio sells some pretty good clothing called "Bug-Off" that is synthetic with ventilation and sunblocking and impregnated with Permethenone (sp). They ain't cheap, but in Baghdad, anything to help is worth it. Just thought I'd mention them.

Dang, it is getting hot here quick! they chlorinate the bottled water here even, so you gotta be careful of drinking too much water as well as not enough. If you kill off all the flora and fauna in your lower intestine, it is just as bad as picking up a parasite or two.

Tabasco may be the best survival item in my BOB. You can eat dirt if you put enough sauce on it. Sure wish I'd have had some when we killed that Armadillo in SERE. Maybe I coulda eaten more than 3 bites of him. I'd have still had to hold my nose though.

Some of the local food ain't much better.

It is best not to ask too many questions about what it is you're eating if you have to eat local food here. Whatever it is, it don't taste like any chicken I've ever had before!!!

Lesson #1: When returning home from halfway around the world, you may want to rent a room for a night by yourself to recover before seeing your significant other. A strained back the first day home on R&R makes for a lousy two weeks off. Get some rest and let your body recover first after that long plane ride before trying anything rambunctious. She can wait one more day.

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If you have the time and an open container, you can let the chlorine out-gas (is that the word?) so it doesn't taste like you're drinking chlorine with a bit of water added to it.

Even in SoCalif, they tend to overdo the chlorine. All those dead cows in the water supply, I guess. (" 'Midge fly larvae', &#%%! I know maggots when I see 'em!"

Sue