Ancora impartial: Medium steak

23 January 2012

Medium steak

A quick guide to my people:
Cpt B (me)
Doc M
PA G
LT F
SFC B
SSG E
SGT T
SGT J
SGT L
SPC FM
SPC EB
SPC AS
SPC BS
SPC EK
PFC DT

So, now that we are on the ground, I can shpeel about everything.
Kandahar, Afghanistan is kind of like a muddy version of Busch Gardens. We have lots of different sections in the "park" for all the different countries here. And its been raining the last 2 days, so all the dirt roads (just about all the roads are dirt) and the few hardtop roads are all saturated in mud.
Thankfully, this mud is normal mud, not like the mud at Duty Station, that will stain everything you own, and then-some.

The night of our first full day here, we made our way to the Boardwalk, which is a nice 15-30min walk through the mud. The Boardwalk is the entertainment center of the base, and has a bunch of small shops, food stalls, and two sit-down restaurants: TGI Fridays and Mamma Mia Pizza.
Because it was pouring rain, and freezing, we decided to dry off a little, and ate at TGIF. (I've heard lots of good things about MMP, and plan on trying it next venture down there).
Being a warzone, supplies can be sketchy in delivery, so after several failed orders, we were informed that there was no: Ranch, sour cream, guacamole, ribs, hot wings and 2 other things I don't recall. I ended up getting the chicken fingers and fries, which definitely hit the spot.
The source of the title of this post is actually from my soldier, SPC FM. She was ordering a New York strip, and was very adamantly explaining to the waiter that she wanted it "Between medium-well and medium-rare. Only a little pink in the middle"
We were all laughing trying to tell her to just say "medium"....but apparently "medium" isn't specific enough.

We were definitely cracking up all through dinner. I love the folks I work with, and it definitely makes things fun when it feels like a family.

Review: The mashed tatos at TGIF are way better than the ones at the dining facility (DFAC), and the fries are amazing!
The sodas here are all made in Arab countries or Europe, so the taste a little different, like Pepsi tastes a little more like cola over here. But they are good regardless.

I actually got the turtle at one of the shops there.

I just downed a muscle relaxer, so bear with me if my sense stops making! :P

I also got a cell phone there, too, but at $55 for 200min, it is only for calling mom, wife, and my soldiers (after Rocket attacks and such, we have to all check in)
That 24min phone call I had with my wife was essential....if anyone asks!

Last night the defense system kept me up half the night, it being rather loud, its something I will have to get used to again.

We got our orientation at the office today, then got our personal boxes (that we had shipped over, by boat, in Oct), and then got to try the Far East DFAC. After having eaten only at the Monti and Independence DFACs (both American) it was a nice change of venue, and had amazing food!