Took a little trip today...

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Haven't been to that many places yet but everywhere I go I see something so very different. The sunrise was absolutely spectacular as it is many mornings. The sun rises very slowly and reminds me of the wonderful skies over North Dakota, the glow of the lazy orange and there are days it appears to be so close you can reach out and touch the vibrant colors.

Now getting out the front gate of a military post is not as easy as one thinks. First you have to have a good reason and get permission from your supervisor or have an assigned mission. Then filling out the paperwork is no easy task either. The name, rank, serial number gig, where ya going, how long you gonna be gone and they even want to know when in the world you plan on being home. Kinda sounds like the first time you go out on a date and your Dad asks all those pertinent questions huh? Well, it’s all good, this way the Army can keep track of all of us at all times for positive accountability.

Once out and on our way we start to cruise through the small townships that are between Camp Bondsteel and our destination. The roads are narrow and pocked with holes, divots and have downright poor surfaces. Defensive driving in this area is an absolute must. I am pretty sure there aren’t any Kosovo Drivers Training businesses. Probably is some kind of rite of passage. First you get to drive the horse drawn carts, then move up to the tractor pulling a trailer and then finally when you are thirteen or fourteen you get to drive the family car. Now not to knock anybody for being poor, but their cars are pretty shabby. A little rust here and there, bald tires and dents that have taken on lives of their own.

They for the most part drive like they don’t have a care in the world. Zipping in and out of traffic, cutting in front of you with inches to spare and more times than not we see the most as they approach us head on when they are passing the other clunkers, and we just calmly slow down and prepare to take evasive actions. There is no napping in the passenger seat, all of us are pretty focused on the actions going on around us.

So aside from the driving part, the view is quite something to look at. The smaller towns have so many homes that are unfinished or destroyed, and the most prevalent business on the sides of the roads are the repair shops for vehicles. Imagine that! The bigger cities have multi-level buildings that all seem to be under construction and I’m not exactly sure why every building you see is unfinished but I am told that there is an astronomical high rate of interest for home loans (maybe up to 60%), so instead of borrowing money, they just add a window as they save up the money. Visually, it appears that the entire population live in homes that are unfinished.
Another fun part of the adventure are the horrible traffic circles. Some have as many as five entrances to the circles, so it’s mostly a maneuver that as you enter the circle, you hold your breath, merge with confidence and forgive those who cut you off. Unlike when I was in Iraq, in which we owned the roads and vehicles thought it best to stay out of our way, here in Kosovo we try to be a positive part of their world so we follow the posted traffic rules and regulations. But I must be honest…Those traffic circles are just a free for all and we do the best we can under extremely difficult driving conditions.

While we are conducting our business in Pristina, it is impossible not to notice the extreme haziness of the area. It is smokey, and makes your eyes burn with the invisible hazard. This country is all about burning their trash on the sides of the roads, in their yards and any dang well place they please. They have never heard of a "Burn Ban” because of dangerous levels of pollution floating around in our breathing space. So right above the horizon on most days is a ring of haze that perpetually lingers throughout our days. It does create those beautiful sunrises and sunsets though.

We did not to dilly dally after my meetings mainly because the darkness begins to set a few minutes after 4:00 pm, which is entirely too early if you ask us. I have observed many soldiers who are feeling a slight sadness about so many hours of darkness throughout our days. It really does remind me of the Seattle area. Plenty of cloud cover and a hope for more hours of sunlight. We will get used to the changes in our climate as the winter approaches which should bring snow and the blistery winds from the mountains.

As we drove back onto Camp Bondsteel it is actually more tedious a process than to get off of the camp. Check our paperwork, make sure our weapons are clear of any bullets, look under and around the vehicles for anything out of the ordinary and report back that we have arrived. But this day a pleasant surprise in the sky awaited us as we drove around the corner to find the helicopters silhouetted by the setting sun. Taking everything into perspective. It is so good to be me. It is true that around every corner is something wonderful, we just have to make sure our eyes are open for the discovery. We are surrounded by beautiful landscapes and people with stories we cannot fathom. As soldiers we carry our own stories and aspirations; what a great place to be stationed to be able to reflect and focus our individual efforts. We just need to remember that there is beauty in every sunset and with every setting sun a promise is extended to witness another sunrise…

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Photos

Setting sun here at Camp Bondsteel
Photo courtesy of KFOR 12 Safety Officer