This pic is interesting as you can see the man standing on the right. That's an Iraqi Army checkpoint right off the road. I feel for these men b/c they have to sit out in the heat all day. But then again, when you're born and raised in a place whose heat rivals Hades, you're used to it.
These three pics I took while outside the wire yesterday while there was a huge duststorm. Duststorm is misleading...apparently, when it gets hot enough, the fine sand gets heated up enough that it drifts upwards into the atmosphere. Eventually, it cools enough up there that it drops back down and voila, instant sandstorm. Makes it difficult to see any distance.
This pic was taken as we were driving into Baghdad. Note the amount of traffic on the left. That was traffic on its way out of Baghdad around 1400 (guess it was end of the work day). We ended up coming back through that traffic, and it was seriously like driving the beltway in DC...everyone driving 70mph, and not wanting to get the heck out of your way (when we travel, everyone moves out of the way to let us pass). Some people are so impatient if you're in front of them, they jump the median and take the other side of the road to pass you. There really are no rules here it seems.
You'll see that the typical roads we travel on are backroads that are either dirt, gravel, or broken up pavement. Most paved roads are major arteries and/or the local Sheik knew someone high up to get his road paved. The dirt roads are the worst. If you've ever driven on a dirt road, you know that you kick up all kinds of dust behind you. Well, that dust circulates back, up, and forward, which is why you get dust in your car if you have the back windows open. Same here. Except we don't open the windows, and there are all kinds of unsealed crevices on a humvee for the sand to circulate into the cab. It's almost choking. I usually have to put my hands over my mouth to be able to breathe because it feels like, well, like you're taking a big breath of fine dirt.
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