CAMP SHERATON

So I'm back in Sanaa after a delightful R&R. It was great to see all of those who I did see, and a bit too short to see the rest of you. Don't worry if I didn't see you; the two R&Rs of 2013 will be in the US and I'd be happy to take reservations. This one was pretty great. I spent three days driving Formula Skips at Laguna Seca, ate at Disneyland's Club 33, and for a brief second forgot about work.

I returned to find that while nothing in Sanaa is ever predictable, nothing changes that significantly either. I returned to find the Sheraton is still the same Sheraton we all know and love. Which is why today is the first day in 3 weeks I have had enough internet to post anything. The good news is that I've moved to a new hotel room. Now I'm on the luxurious seventh floor, complete with functioning air conditioning and non-avocado coloring. I've enjoyed the place so far. Not to say the fifth floor wasn't great, but this feels like a real hotel room. I've put a picture of my old room up (as I was moving out).

I recently read a blog post by a Foreign Service Officer talking about how big his apartment is. I have no doubt my assigned apartment is even bigger, as Sanaa houses are enormous by any standards. But before you start to complain that my house is so much bigger than yours, do remember that I have yet to seen my house. I will appreciate my next post's housing so much more (I'm hoping to ask my next post "Are my bed, family room, and office in different rooms?" rather than "Where's my swimming pool"). And hopefully I won't be getting home from work at 8pm only to go back to the airport at 1:15am. Still, Sanaa isn't without its charms. I think our plastic bottle boat race proves that. At least three or four times since getting back to Yemen I have been involved in a visit or activity that I've then read about in the paper the next day, like our 400 person 4th of July party I helped set up. Anyhow, for the fourth time this week, I'm off to the airport. By 2014 the VIP lounge will be named after me.