GREETINGS FROM THE COSTA DEL BASRA

[Mandy]

And Polish, Kosovans etc etc

[Mr Bridge]

Well camouflage is the new burberry just ask butch..........

[No8]

UPDATE 2 from the desert ......

Groundhog day has kicked in, in a big way.  I've no idea why we have 3 weather forecasters down here, how cold can it get when you live in an oven; their startling statement last week was the temperaure plumetted from it's usual 49 C to 47 C....wow.  The local tribes are still kicking the shit out of each other and sometimes having a go at us...interesting...they generally tend to lose ?  Go figure, we've got bigger guns, tanks and are trained (well the Army are !!!!).  I'll give you a proper update on life in a flak jacket and helmet in 3 weeks !!!!  I was definately right to join the RAF and fight wars from hotels, 300 miles away !!!!

Just to top off the daily nause, the Secretary of State is here.  I can't understand why a politition would want to stay in the arse end of nowhere if he could take an aircraft and nip off to Kuwait or Dubai for the night ??

Hope the pre-season training is going well.  It's not going as well as was anticipated here !!!!  Still no exercise allowed in the heat, but the bar does appear to be open each night for our 2 cans so I'm really kicking the arse out of the top social life here ??  Sailor would be right at home.  Good luck for the selection, post trials game.  Who are the front runners for the coveted back row slots.....I could possibly take a hit out on the opposition from here !!!

I would like to reserve a shitload of the £1.50 beers for when I return, you jack gits.

One final note before I go and try and find the will to live for the rest of today....we will NOT be coming to Basra on rugby tour no matter how much you plead !!!!

21 DAYS TO GO....ACTUALLY I PREFER TO THINK OF IT AS APPROX 504 HOURS !!!!

[Dave Mitch]

Sounds awful.
Anyway must get back to work in my air conditioned office in Covent Garden, with loads of young office chicks running around. Might pop out for lunch in a minute to one of bars or restaurants that surround me. Then after work think I'll nip out for a few drinks.

Mitch

[kielys]

sounds like the accommodation is pretty good & cheap  - will it be OK for Mikey to stay there for a while?

[Skinny]

you think you've got it tough mr patterson, I got a paper cut today that really stings! and then i got lemon juice in the cut while i was eating my prawn salad at lunch.
I'm in living hell.

[Coxy]

Been pretty mean!!  All that sand between your toes must be pretty annoying and the 'fry an egg' sizzling temperatures!!

Well anyway heres a website to keep you full of ideas in the sand!! 

http://www.wssa.info/

[Young Mike]

Mark, I can completely empathise with the severity of your situation.

I was chatting up a girl the other day, it was going pretty well (obviously, I had on the jeans with only 1 rip and in them and are only 3 sizes too big - dressed to kill)

Anyway, the banter's flowing and then she tells me she's 36....


....hell on earth.

[Bigtrev]

Mikey,

nothing wrong with that age, a mere whippersnapper! You should enjoy the experience of the more mature and usually more adventurous, or are you worried that you may not have the stamina!

Mr Petterson,

the count down for your eagerly awaited return has begun and I am sure you will be fit and raring to go. I'll try to get Brian to sort out an extra keg just for you to have to catch up with training!

BT

[No8]

Update 3 from the desert......

Thanks for the sentiment Big Trev, the reality is somewhat different !!!!  Training appears to have fallen by the wayside due to the fact that a plane crashed and a shit load of soldiers have died in the last 8 days.  Work has reverted to wake-up-eat-work-eat-work-eat-work-sleep and can last into 17 hr days.  The reality is that the thirds may be doing some serious reconstruction.  I'm convinced that my 7 week holiday on the tax payers hasn't really panned out to be Pina Coladas by the pool, sunbathing and a bit of training thrown in for good measure.  I've decided not to come on this holiday again.....it's like going to Spain, the travel agents are lying bastards !!!!!  This place still dosen't even have a pool

Looks like my departure will be delayed by a couple of days but I should still be back freezing my ass off in the rain in 11 days.  My metal room air-conditioner is finally on it's last legs, it sounds more like a set of maraccas than a refridgeration unit but if you turn it off the temperature goes back up to 30 C+ (in the middle of the night).  It's a quandry, try to sleep in the noise or wake up in an oven

Well I figure the season should start for you boys today, so good luck with the first game.  Try and get Evens some points so he'll make it into the top half of the points scorers table !!!  Have we managed to recruit any young, fit, dynamic players or are we still stuck with the same set of shite backs we had last season   How are we looking in the forwards, any new faces Lets have a bit of post match critique, obviously constructive and engendering the club spirit we share......or just the normal slating will do !!!

My flight is due to depart from Al Udeid in Qatar in 11 Days, 22 hours and 56 minutes.....or 17216 minutes.....not that I'm keeping a close eye on it!!!

[Traxsuit]

mate sound likeyou've been well stiched up by those bastard travle agents, NO POOL?!?!!? I bet thats the whole country???

If you do have a few moments have a look at CRAZY mignt put a smile on your face or just wast your time?!!??! everyones a winer.

See ya soon

[No8]

Last update from the desert - well things are quietening down a bit here, we've not been rocketed by the mad local s for at least 12 days or so....result.  Obviously, tomorrow being my last day in this desert paradise, we'll get rocketed to shit and I'll be delayed home.  Tommorrow night, I'm off to Qatar for 2 days and flying home on Wednesday.  I'm hoping to get a bit of training in down there so I'll be ready for the seconds next saturday.  I've given up on the thirds as it does appear you are struggling to get a second team out

CHARLIE, I'M AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION.  CALL ME THURDAY IOR I'LL SEE YOU AT TRAINING...IF HOLLY WILL LET ME GO

Good luck for today's game although there seems to be a trajic lack of detail promulgated about last weeks plus I've not noted Evens new scoring record on the spreadsheet yet.

See you all next Thursday/Saturday

Signing off from the desert shithole.......34 hours until flight out of here !!!!

[No8]

Sod the Costa Del Basra, I'm now partying down in the relative peninusula paradise of the Costa Del Qatar.  No more carrying around kevelar helemts and body armour, no local throwing mortars at me.  I've been chilled out by the pool for the last 4 hours.  Also celebrating first immersion in water for 7 weeks...result.  Flight home tomorrow night, should be back in blighty wednesday morning.
Those of you on tour will be happy to know that the Watford Lion survived Operation TELIC and there is photo evidence of him on flying and ground operations doing his bit !!!  Also the Blackpool tower stayed in Iraq as a reminder to those in Basra of what British sand looks like....see you all Thursday, I'm off for one of my three rationed beers !!!!!

[No8]

For those of you who went on tour, I was challenged to bring the tour Lion on Operations, well, he really enjoyed it, from the flight into Iraq in body armour, through to patrolling in Basra and chilling by the pool in Qatar...please see below

[Mr Bridge]

Excellent, good to see, now for the next part of the challenge!!!