Coming back from Diego

I already mentioned Singapore as a whole in a previous post. Totally awesome country, and I wouldn't mind going back. Nice exchange rate, good looking women, and lots to do in general. I do remember it being very hot though since it was as close the equator as DGAR was. Oh, one thing about Diego Garcia, because it was in the southern hemisphere, it was spring there. Lots of rain, but it came in guerilla warfare style. It would creep on us, pour like crazy and as soon as it started it was gone. Also I did not see one spider there, but lots of geckos. There was a one-legged rooster we saw hopping around from time to time Joe and I called the Legend of Diego. Diego Garcia doesn't have any indigenous people anymore. They were all booted out. What they do have though is a filipino workforce. They were contracted in, and provided the services there. They ran the barber shop, resteraunts, took us out fishing, etc.

A quick story about Singapore though. I went and did some shopping out in town before I had to be at the airport. I bought 3 CD's and a Mandarin version of Twilight for Jenna (since of its large Chinese demograph I counted it). Well, I hopped in a taxi and off to the airport I went. Shortly after I was dropped off I noticed I had forgotten my things in the taxi. This is when the fun started. Of course I couldn't remember the taxi number, but I did remember the phone number needed to call in case of anything was lost. So I called it and because I didn't know the taxi number things got real complicated. I would give details and information and told to call back about every half hour. Finally after about 5 call backs they located the taxi, but there was nothing inside. As pissed off I was I finally checked in and stopped in the airport book store. Sure enough they had a marked up copy of Twilight in Mandarin which I rebought, and using the complimentary Internet booths at the airport I ordered the CD's to be delivered from Best Buy. I also gave this guy $40 because I bought his story that he was stranded, etc. Hopefully that good Karma will one day pay for itself.

One more thing about my time on the island. My boy Darryl sent me a message about a former friend, Cody. She apparently did not like how she was in my blog. I sent back an email essentially telling her I did not care what she thought, what is on the blog is my life and whatever is in it is staying. When I write untrue things that ruin her character or attack her or anyone else I will make the adjustments. This paragraph only exists because it's my subtle way of saying I hope the navy isn't so small I have to cross paths with her again.

HM1 Martinez's husband, Damion picked me up from the airport in Fukuoka. He didn't have to do that, but I'm thankful he did. I'll have to share with the command my disdain for the policy on not dropping off or picking up their sailors personally. I was told to catch the bus and wished the best of luck. All that is neither here nor there. Damion and I had a good long talk back home, and it was the first of many rounds to share my times and experiences. He is a helluva guy and I'll miss him when he leaves Japan.

Once I got back to the clinic the weirdness began to settle in. I was obviously resocialized to the ways of life of Diego Garcia. Even the mountainous terrain of Japan sort of freaked me out compared to the flatness of the island. Back to arriving at the clinic, it was the Friday after Thanksgiving (I spent Thanksgiving 2009 in Singapore), and there was no one there except for the duty crew. It was empty, and I sort of felt alone. Not going to lie I was a little spooked, almost like I didn't belong there. That feeling would stay with me for about a week while the other staff members greeted me back. Then I started feeling like if I tried to think about it real hard, my trip to DGAR could be forgotten, like it didn't even happen. Almost like dream of sorts. Sure felt nice to sleep in my own bed again.

When I arrived at my apartment I was thankful to notice it hadn't burned down. Though I gave the key to Darryl, I could tell he hadn't used it for anything. Luckily my only problem was it was a little dustier than when I left it.