DAY 152 (Monday 19 December 2011)

Well today, what can I say, I cat napped for the 5 hours that I was to be in bed for as I had set the alarm for 0300hrs, that would give me time to get up and sorted and get some breakfast.

We finally left camp just after 0430hrs, as the roads were really quiet (not sure if that was because of he time or the Bhund) we got to the airport at 0500hrs, but instead of being taken to the International Terminal we were taken around to the Mov Det to wait, so if anything happens I shall be back in touch.

Well we finally moved from the Mov Det round to the International Terminal and whisked through the check in area before we had to separate to male and female queues for the security check, other than the guy having a good feel on Charlie the move the security section went pretty well, so here we am now waiting to be called forward for our flight to DELHI where we will have to go to the transit desk to get our onward ticket for KUALA LUMPUR before sitting around for another few hours for our connecting flight. 

Finally, we left for DELHI about an hour late, but one consolation about leaving late will mean less time at the connecting airport.

We arrived at DELHI and had to go to the transit desk to receive our next boarding pass, fortunately that didn’t take too long before we were going through the next lot of security measures (bag x-rays, body checks, etc), well if that place has made me realise about some of the local nationals, they are absolutely rude and arrogant.  I was stood waiting to put my bag on the conveyer belt for the x-ray machine  when a woman just came along and pushed in front of my, I told her she was rude, but she said she had to get through quickly to be with her mother, (so basically the fact that I was waiting and been queuing didn’t bother her), then, then there was this other woman who put her bag on the belt, (by this time I was waiting to be called forward through the scanner) when she just barged right past, after I said my piece about her pushing in, the man behind the desk told her to go back as I had been waiting, so not all people are that bad, just so far I have found the Indian women, (no wander I don’t ever want to visit the actual country).

After getting through security, we went through to the departures lounge, after a walk around the shops and a quick bite to eat we headed for the seating area and in there was this massive head of SURJA

SURJA (Sun God)

 The concept of SURJA is a symbol of radiance, knowledge, enlightenment and justice as also for time, space and the universal order.



 Details of Surja

Fortunately again, it wasn’t too much of a wait before boarding for our flight to KUALA LUMPUR, to be honest I will be glad when this journey is over as I haven’t been to bed or slept since getting up at 0300 hrs this morning.

Anyway unless anything happens on the flight I shall see you tomorrow once we have landed, we are due to land at 0445hrs (we are will be 8hrs ahead of the UK) so good night and I’ll see you later.

DAY 151 (Sunday 18 December 2011)

Well what I thought was going to be a quiet day with nothing happening was wrong, I got a phone call from Sunita at the Mov Det to inform me that there is a Bhund tomorrow so instead of being picked up at 1200hrs we are now to be at the Chautara for collection at 0415hrs, you have got to be kidding me as that will mean at least a 10 hour wait at the airport before flying.

So it looks like I’d best get up stairs and pack instead of doing it in the morning like I intended.

DAY 150 (Saturday 17 December 2011)

Can you believe it, it is my first day of leave and I did the square root of nothing today, no letter writing, no baking, nothing, I just stayed in and sat and watched Bones on DVD all day, it was just sheer bliss.

DAY 149 (Friday 16 December 2011)

Well it’s the day after the night before, and what a night I had, it was good fun as you would have already seen from yesterdays write up.

The best thing about today, other than knowing it was my last day in work before leave was that I had a bit of a cuddle with a lovely little pony called JENNY that was brought onto camp for the kiddies Christmas Party, the only problem with the name JENNY for this little pony was that it was a HE and not a SHE, nonetheless the pony was lovely.

Today was the last day in work for me as I am now officially as of 1730hrs tonight ‘ON LEAVE’.

DAY 148 (Thursday 15 December 2011)

Today has been quite a busy day for me on the work front, I had to get the finishing touches to the Draft Visit Programme for the VVIP (Very, Very Important Person) who at the moment I can’t tell you who it is for security reasons, but when the visit is over I shall be able to tell you as it may have been on the news by then, so watch this space.

Also doing the finishing touches to the tables and finalising which table is going to sing which verse of ‘12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS’.

A Finished Table

The theme for tonight’s Christmas Function was ‘Santa and His Little Helpers’ or black tie, unfortunately most people were pretty boring and came in either black tie of nice dresses, however, there were a few of us who decided as it was Christmas and in the good spirit of Christmas we shall dress.

Steve Williamson (Gingerbread Man),

Mandy & Anthony Childs & Me on the floor.

Only 49 people showed up for the function, but to be honest I was glad about that because the table lay out had changed a couple of times already, besides the KATHMANDU MESS isn’t that big and unlike a normal unit, probably would be able to hold the 150 people or so that normally turn up to a normal unit’s Christmas Function, saying that, there isn’t 150 people based here, so solved a lot of problems.

The food was really good and well cooked, for a change the vegetables were not boiled to death, it was a traditional Christmas Dinner that we had, (even the Turkey), but the one thing that was missing were sprouts.  There were profiteroles for those who didn’t like Christmas pudding and no matter how much I tried to eat the Christmas pudding, for me it still wasn’t going to happen.

Anyway, there was also a Secret Santa, each guest had to bring in a gift for the same sex as you and wrap the present in Blue (for boys) and pink (for the ladies).  The original present that I got was a Spa treatment, but as Kathleen didn’t particularly want the present that she got we swapped, which seemed to be the case for quite a few of the people that night, so at least most people went home with presents that they were quite happy with.  Charlie got a tie, cufflink set, which he then took our presents home (as we literally just live around the corner from the Mess), he then came back with a ‘Jack Brew’

Charlie with his Jack Brew

After the food, and the Christmas Carol singing, (that was fun), the COS Lt Col Elton Davis stood up and walked around the room singing the first line of each verse to the 12 Days of Christmas, whilst each table (they had already been allocated their verse) stood up for their particular day, but everyone had to stand up and sing FIVE GOLD RINGS and A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE, it was like a Mexican Wave, it was fun and everyone joined in.  We all went over to the YATRI NIWAS Mess for a few drinks and a bit of a disco.

The BGN Girls

My boots for my Elf outfit (very comfy)

Some of the Disco Dancers

The Yatri Niwas Mess

I shall admit, I had a good night and finally fell into bed just before 0200hrs (2am for my non army friends) even though I knew I was going to have to be up at 0645hrs to go to work, at least one consolation, there was no PT with it being a Friday.

DAY 147 (Wednesday 14 December 2011)

Today isn’t normally post day, but when I got into my office later on there was a parcel sitting on my desk from a lovely lady (Pat Percival) that I wrote to whilst in Afghanistan last year and have kept in touch with her since, in the picture in Day 145 the snowman was in the parcel that Pat sent along with a small Christmas cake and a few other bits and pieces, I have some lovely and thoughtful friends.

DAY 146 (Tuesday 13 December 2011)

No news to report today.