A few days after Shelby's parents left Shelby had to leave to go TDY to Kyrgzstan for a week. It was more fun than work for him. The visit was mostly for international relations. The US is giving Kyrgyzstan $30 million to spend on new air traffic control equipment. Some Kyrgyz officials came to the US back in May to visit our ATC facilities and now they were returning the favor. The US put together a team of Air Force representatives to go to Kyrgyzstan and tour their facilities and country and advise them on how to spend their money. Shelby lucked up and got invited along. He flew out of Frankfurt on Turkish Air to Istanbul and then on to Bishkek. The flights were late, delayed and it was kind of a mess getting there. The first plane he got on had a huge section of duck tape where a side panel was supposed to be! Yikes, lol...apparently duck tape works to repair planes because they made it. He had a really rough landing that scared the crap out of everyone and the airline lost the luggage of all 5 people in Shelby's group! It didn't make the flight in Istanbul and the next one to Bishkek wasn't until the same time the next day, so they had to go a good 24 hours without their stuff. Shelby had to sit next to a Turkish man who was traveling for school on his first international flight, very strange and very talkative. He told Shelby all kinds of strange things like about his school, how his mother would arrange his marriage for him eventually because she knew what kind of woman would be good for him, and that Shelby didn't have to worry about him because he was no terrorist, he was a Christian, and he grabbed Shel's leg for emphasis when he said it! LOL Then at the airport as they went their separate ways the man hugged him, um...wierdo! At least things got better once they arrived in Bishkek.
The hotel was very nice, there are some pictures in the album. Sunday they all slept in very late since they didn't make it to bed until about 6 am by the time they finally arrived at the hotel after all the delays. When they got up they just walked around some markets and malls looking for some supplies since they had no luggage and nothing to do until work on Monday. The market was filled with all kinds of amazing smelling fruit, spices and bread Shelby said. The bread there is 13 Som, and with 1 USD you can buy 46 Som...so bread is super cheap!
On Monday Shel revisited the air traffic control facilities on Manas AB, where he deployed to back in 2005. He said the base has changed a lot from when he was there. The group toured the Kyrgy side of the Manas facilities and attended some meetings for half a day. After that their Kyrgy hosts took them to a shish kabob place for lunch and then drove them up into the mountains to view some of their beautiful countryside. They saw wild horses and gorgeous scenery.
Tuesday the group went back to Manas to tour the US side of the facilities and get their input. Of course the US side was a lot more talking and organized than the Kyrgy side of the tour and not as fun for the guys. Their gracious military hosts fed them lunch at the chow hall too, lol. After the work day was done their Kyrgy hosts showed them some more of the markets and the city of Bishkek before having dinner and then taking them out for a late night of drinking. They didn't make it back until 4am and had to work the next morning, ouch.
Wednesday, despite the late night and the hangovers was their best day of the trip. They went to visit the only Kyrgy Air Base and saw their complete inventory of aircraft (not too many as there isn't a need). They got to shoot pistols at the range, ride on an MI-8 helicopter through the mountains, watch paratroopers parachute in for landings and then tour their air traffic control facilities. They had a traditional Kyrgy lunch on base complete with three bottles of Vodka, their drink of choice. After such a fun day they had to go have another late night of fun with their hosts.
Thursday things started to catch up with Shelby and he started getting sick with a cold. I keep telling him getting old sucks, he agrees now! They did some more tours with their hosts and had a few more briefings before having dinner. The guys went shopping for thank-you gifts for their hosts and the translators who hung with them all week long as part of the group. Some of the guys headed out for more vodka, but Shelby decided to turn in early tonight and catch up on some sleep.
Friday after a little work at the embassy the group went shopping one last time for souvenirs to bring home and then back to the hotel to pack up. They had to leave at 3am Saturday morning Kyrgy time to get to the airport for their flight, yuck! Shel's cold was now kicking in good too so the flight home was not not a fun experience at all. When he got home he felt like poop, and his one ear wouldn't clear for 2 days. (Sidenote...Monday after his school he went to the ER and had a sinus infection and double ear infection, OUCH!!!!)
Aside from the sickness Shel really enjoyed his trip there and the visit. He met some good people who are also good-to-know people in terms of his career. I'm jealous, I wish I could have gone!
