Mexican Riviera Cruise on the Carnival Pride

On Sunday May 18, 2008, the Wade family along with Gordy, Linda, Michael, Kristin, Mel, and Karen emabarked on a week long cruise on the Carnival Pride to the Mexican Riviera. We went to Puerto Vallerta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. It was a fantastic vacation.

Because we had booked suites, the McGuire's and the Wade's were given VIP boarding. Which was terrific until I realized that we had left our camera backpack at the curb when we checked our bags. This had all of my camera equipment, Patrick's laptop, and our digital video camera. A costly mistake to say the least. After boarding the ship, Gordy and I backtracked through the lines to the curb where the porter took our bags. Unbelievably the backpack was sitting about 10 feet from where we left it. We were so lucky.

We met up with everyone at the buffet, had a quick bite and the $10 drink of the day and then went to check our room. Our suite was really nice, a big room, nice bathroom and a vanity outside of the bathroom.The McGuire's room was absoultely fabulous. The were on the aft starboard side of the ship - room 8-273. They had a sitting room, a vanity room, a separate bedroom, a walk-in closet and best of all a huge wrap around balcony.

While we waited for our bags to arrive, we took a tour of the ship led by Thomas. Thomas was allowed to wander the ship by himself provided he took a walkie talkie with him, he was out and about before we even got your carry-on bags into our room. His walkie talkie call sign was "Sushi Boy" which I am sure annoyed other people but we thought was funny. As he gave me a tour, he pointed out places of interest. Places of interest to a nine year old boy. I think just having the freedom to come and go as he pleased was the best part of the trip for Thomas. The best part for Madigan was room service every morning for breakfast. She diligently filled out the room service card every night and hung it on the doorknob before she went to bed.

After the lifeboat drill, we had a private sail away party on the McGuire's deck. They had brought some Rose Regale sparkling wine on board which was absolutely perfect.

Our second night on board was formal night. We had a great time dressing up and having our pictures taken. By a happy mistake, we had our pictures taken without having to wait in line. We were rushing downstairs for the"free drinks" (watered down nasty tasting Whiskey Sours) at the Captain's Party. But we stopped for our portraits before we made it to the party. Good thing. The lines after the "party" ended were really long.

We were at sea for 2 days and our first port of call was Puerto Vallerta. When we pulled into port on Wednesday morning, our ship docked right next to the Disney Magic. We had taken the Magic on our Carribean cruise in 2006. We had a nice time in Puerto Vallerta but honsetly it was just so hot. We went to a really nice restaurant called "The Blue Shrimp" and roamed around the town for a few hours. That night at dinner we had some excitement. Patrick had some side dish that had eggplant in it. OK - add eggplant to the list of foods he is allergic to... we got to see the medical clinic up close and personal. Not fun.

The next day we were in Mazatlan which was my favorite port. In the morning we took a pulmonia (golf cart type vehicle) to tour the city, and then spent the afternoon on Stone Island at a restaurant called Moloki. The coconut shrimp was fantastic. After lunch, Patrick rented an ATV and took the kids on rides while Karen and I sat drinking Coronas in a lounge chair. The water was really warm and the warning of jellyfish didn't scare any of us off.

We even got our Christmas card photo taken here (thanks Karen).

Our next stop was Cabo San Lucas. It was absolutley beautiful. It was a little chaotic for us because we hadn't booked excursions through the ship. Patrick found a parasailing excursion and he purchased one for he and Thomas to ride tandem. I went on the boat with them to take pictures and we had a great time. I was a little nervous watching them, but Thomas was all smiles.

The last night of the cruise we went to "David's Supper Club" which was a very nice restaurant on board that had an additional charge. It was well worth it and we had some very nice wine and some fabulous food.

Still working on the pictures...

Slideshow of the Party

Waves, Wades, and Welcome Backs

The Party was FUN, FUN, FUN! I'm still unpacking from the weekend - but I wanted to post some pictures. If you have pictures, send me a disk with the jpg's so that I can put them on the DVD (not kidding, I'm making a DVD of the weekend).

Highlights included:

*T-shirts created by Clare (logo above), yes mostly blue and green. We wore them Friday night on the beach, I think the other hotel guest were jealous.

* "Flat Pat" was a huge hit, he is now somewhere at WD-40. OK - I'll explain. I ordered a "Flat Daddy" in October, free to military families so that there loved one can come with them to events etc. It arrived on Thursday at 5pm (we left the house on Friday at noon). Clare got in from Boston at 9pm and after a beer or two decided that we absolutely needed to mount the picture on foam core board and put him on a stick.


Which was a good thing... the conga line had "Flat Pat" as their leader and 'Flat Pat" made the rounds with the guests getting him into many precarious positions.


* Mai Tai's were a HUGE hit, thanks Mark. I had 2 or 3 myself. Keith and Robert's Long Island Ice Tea was redubbed "jet fuel" and I think most people only had one for fear of falling down on the deck. We only had 4 cases of beer leftover of the 22 that we bought... I think other people brought beer too. This included beer consumed Friday night and Saturday on the beach with Rubio's fish tacos. Nothing is better than being on the beach with good friends, a Corona, and a Rubio's fish taco.

* Funky Pox was SPECTACULAR. Fun, Fun, Fun and they played overtime. If you ever need a fabulous band for an event in San Diego, call me for their contact information.

*Phil's BBQ was outstanding as always (sorry, I forgot to order a vegetatian alternate for some of the guests).

* The decorating committee did a wonderful job and the centerpieces by Selma were perfect (as always).

*MANGANO was on their best behavior and got along with everyone (surprise).

They didn't make the next table cry. They weren't here for a long time, they were here for a good time. We missed the members of MANGANO who could not be there... but don't worry, we talked about you!


The Pat's (Wade and Meriwether) look so much better in shorts on the beach (rather than in full battle rattle).

And best of all, I have my husband back!

Party Update

Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) is now part of Naval Base Coronado (so you may see both listed but you are in the right place). Naval Base Coronado is comprised of two main units: the Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. This is fairly new. North Island itself plays host to 23 squadrons and 80 additional tenant commands with an endless flow of state-of-the-art jets and huge cargo planes on its flight line and aircraft carriers along its bay. The carriers include the nuclear powered carriers USS John C. Stennis, USS Nimitz, USS Carl Vinson and the conventionally powered carrier USS Constellation. It is a large and very busy base. In that there are nuclear powered, heavily armed aircraft carriers docked there, the security is tight. They have no sense of humor about security.

It’s easy to get to the Old Chief's Deck… just go over the Coronado Bay Bridge to Coronado and follow Third Street all the way to the front gate of Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI). At the main gate, you be stopped by a gate guard and asked for your name. CDR Wade (aka Pat Wade) will be submitting guest names to Base Access, Calvin Alexander, a few days before the party. To be allowed on base, you must have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and vehicle registration. (You shouldn't be driving around without these anyway). If you have a rental car, the rental agreement will suffice for proof of insurance and registration. The rental agreement must have an expiration date later than May 3, 2008. My cell is 858-449-4440 and Patrick’s is 619-981-3041 if you have any trouble.

Once you make it through the front gate, it’s really easy to find the Old Chief's Deck. At the first light, take a left onto Rogers Road and keep following the road for 2 miles past the golf course until the Navy Lodge (Terra Cotta rooftop) is on your left. Just past the Navy Lodge on the left is the exit of the ONE WAY street "L Street" . Go to the next left and enter "L" Street. Park in the first lot on your left. DO NOT PARK in the next lot that says parking only for NBSW (Navy Band South West). As you are looking at the water, the deck is on the left hand side of the 710 Building.

Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) is a federal installation which means that talking on CELL PHONES while driving is ILLEGAL. You will be pulled over if Shore Patrol or the base police see you chatting on the phone. They will also give you a hard time if they see your phone out while you are passing through the gate. Every once and a while I will be “reminded” of the rule if they see my phone out. They are not picking on you… they take safety VERY seriously on the base. While driving on base, obey the speed limit. Not only will you receive a ticket, but CDR Wade as your sponsor will hear though his command up at Port Hueneme that there was a problem. This is not fun for him.

In the below picture (Zoomed out to see the street configuration), the Navy Lodge is the building with the terra cotta tiled roof. The 710 building is the one on the beach just to the left:

Slide Show of the Party Venue

This is a slide show of the "Old Chief's Deck" aka Building 710 at NASNI... the site of Patrick's Welcome Home and Birthday Beach Bash. The Navy Lodge is the large building with the terra cotta roof tiles. Please note that part of the beach has been cordoned off for nesting birds. YEP, copulating birds right in front of the party. You can go around to walk to the water, but really, what are the chances of having part of the beach closed for "f-ing birds"!

Memoirs of a Chai Boy

FADE IN

A buzzer rings in the outer office calling in the Afghan Army General's assistant. The General's assistant is dressed in a traditional set of off-white man jammies and enters the room.

General Ahmed
Chai! (said in a firm voice)

The assistant runs out of the room quickly. He returns within minutes with a tray of chai tea in glass cups along with some nuts and small candies. He quickly serves it to the General and all his guests. He is the Chai Boy.

This is the beginning of the script of the new movie called, "Memoirs of a Chai Boy". OK, so there is no movie coming out, but it sounded similar to Memoirs of a Geisha. For those of us who were in Afghanistan, we know what a Chai Boy is. For everyone else, it is traditional to serve Chai Tea when you have a meeting in the Afghan culture. Chai boys were those who ran around with the Generals or other high officials and gathered whatever was needed during meetings. I thought a Chai boy would be someone who heard a great deal from sitting in a corner of a meeting and observing. Sometimes I like to think that I was observing what was going on in Afghanistan. I often thought that the Chai boys would see and hear some interesting things and it would be worthwhile getting their stories. Of course without those Chai boys you get my stories, which may not be as interesting.

Yes, I am back for one final episode, this time from beautiful San Diego, California. I mentioned I would give you all a brief reflection of what I experienced in Afghanistan. Before I do that let me update you on what I am doing right now. I have been home for almost a month now and I have returned to work at WD-40 Company. For those who wish to contact me, my information remains the same as it was before. Office phone is 619-275-9304, cell is 619-981-3041 and e-mail is pwade@wd40.com. I am now working as part of Team Tomorrow working on New Product Development with a focus on finding sources of supply and guiding the long range plans for WD-40 Company. It is a great opportunity for me and it will be fun and exciting.

Now back to Afghanistan. As I reflect back on what I observed, I will always remember this as a very positive experience where I was able to help a country that truly needs assistance. When you look deeper at Afghanistan, you find out that the average annual income for a typical Afghan is just $400 per year. Another interesting fact is that the GNP for Afghanistan is about $750 million. Clearly this is a very poor country with a limited economy. Until the country is secure from terrorist activity, the economy will struggle and until the economy is stabilized and allowed to prosper, the people of Afghanistan will remain in the dark ages. The mission of the United States and the many nations of the world is to stabilize the country and allow it to grow. I do not foresee this as a short lived mission and will take many years to stabilize the country and help these people. One consistent question I receive is whether this mission is worth our effort. The answer is yes. The Afghans are a good group of people who merely want the same things we as Americans want. They seek the safety, security and well being of their families. Although we have cultural and religious differences, the basic needs of food, shelter, safety and family well being still hold strong. We do not expect to create another America, but must give the Afghans the opportunity for the basic needs of life.

It has become clear to me that the country of Afghanistan needs and wants our help. The efforts of the many military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan are making a difference for the people of Afghanistan. Although the progress is slow, it is realistic considering the cultural differences we experience. We cannot have the expectation that the country will change in a year or even in 6 years, it will take more time. What we as American service members and civilian contractors must do is take a long view of the mission. If we look to "just put in our time" meaning look to finish our year in the country and get out, we will make the wrong decisions and not do what is in the best interest of long range goals of Afghanistan. This is difficult to convince people coming to Afghanistan as many service members are put in very difficult circumstances and merely want to serve their time and move on. As leaders we have to reinforce the idea that this is a long war and each of us must do our part to move us and Afghanistan forward.

My adventure began in January of 2007 and now it is hard to believe it is completed. I have reintegrated with my family and I happy for that. I have gone back to work and started on a new adventure with Team Tomorrow and I know it will be a worthwhile experience where I can make a difference for WD-40 Company. I am thankful I had the experience and that I did my part to help Afghanistan. It was very difficult, but overall a rewarding experience and I learned a great deal.

Back on the homefront, we had a stressful day on Sunday, April 27th as fires came within a few hundred yards of our house. Fortunately, the great firefighters of the San Diego Fire Department were able to keep the fires in the canyons and kept the fires from destroying a single home.

Peace to you all,

Pat

Madigan Reading at Church

Madigan doing a reading at the First Grade Mass at St. Therese of Carmel.

Back in the US

You may remember the old song by Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass called, "I love to live in America". The sentiment is oh so true. Our group landed in Norfolk, VA on Easter Sunday and the first thing you notice is the clean and clear air. There is no dirt and smog, and you can see the sky so clearly. Sometimes it is the little things we take for granted that become what we are most grateful. After we got over our short return to nature, we started figuring out where to get beer for the rest of the day. Alcoholic beverages are the next thing for which we were thankful. Being Easter Sunday, we were a bit worried about finding a store open. Fortunately, the handy local 7-11 was open and we grabbed a few well deserved beers.

The week in Norfolk was spent examining our records and then conducting our final processing back to US Navy Reserve status. Many of us were frustrated with the lack of coordination and communication from the Norfolk processing site. This caused many of us to have to stay an extra day.

On Thursday, I finished my processing and did catch a flight out that afternoon. Unfortunately, I could not convince the Norfolk site process my ticket to San Diego, so I travelled to Los Angeles. Upon arrival to LAX, I had to figure out how to get to San Diego. I tried to work with the Reserve Center in Port Hueneme to book a flight to San Diego but that didn't work out too well. Stranded at LAX, I decided to try and rent a car. The first rental company did not have availible cars, so I headed over to Hertz where they proceeded to take care of me. The line was incredibly long, but I am used to standing around in lines and getting abused now... so I was pretty numb. I did finally rent a car, although I paid too much, and drove to my house that evening. I finally got to see Rebecca and the kids that night around 9:30 PM. Everything worked out in the end and I am finally home. It's great relaxing at home and enjoying doing nothing except hanging out with Rebecca and the kids.

Back on the homefront, (oh yeah... that's where I am) Thomas had a baseball game. I actually got to see this one. Madigan had a softball game, which I was also able to see. Today I spent a couple hours playing baseball with them both and working on some ball skills. It is great being able to play with them. We are all much happier.

Peace to you all,

Pat

Kuwait

Yes it is true, the journey home has begun. On Monday, March 17, 2008 at 1439 (that is 2:39 PM for you non-military time types or those who have forgotton how to tell military time) the wheels of our C-17 left the ground from Kabul International Airport lifting me away from Afghanistan for good. How fitting that the day I leave the country of Afghanistan would be on my Saint's Day, St Patrick's Day. Of course we celebrated with jugs of green beer and corned beef and cabbage. Just kidding, you know we can't drink here, we celebrated by having green MRE's; I really do hope that was food coloring and not some Afghanistan strain of bacteria that discolored the meals.

Prior to leaving Afghanistan, much of our original group all traveled to Camp Phoenix in Kabul to conduct final outprocessing. This gave us time for a mini-reunion where we had a little non-alcoholic beer and had a cigar. It is actually a funny feeling leaving and several of us noted the same strange feeling. For over a year now, we have been living the combat life and essentially doing the same thing and living a different life. Almost, all of a sudden, it is over and here we are finding ourselves having to adapt to new surroundings and new situations (at least ones we have not experienced for a while). The transition is somewhat ackward as you are extremely excited to be done and going home, but you have a little bit of trouble letting go of what you have been doing for the past year.

We have all arrived at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait including many of our original teammates who were down in Kandahar, Afghanistan. They met us in Kuwait and the original group is now all back together, minus a few who have either left early or elected to stay longer. We are in Kuwait (Rebecca and the kids have renamed it "Youwait" for obvious reasons) to go through the Warrior Tranistion Program (WTP). This is where we will turn in all our gear and weapons and listen to lectures about how to transition back to home life. Basically, don't get angry and kick the dog and listen to your spouse and of course enjoy your family. I can't imagine I have changed much, but I am sure I have. I am sure some people have changed a great deal depending on their personal experiences. The purpose of WTP is to help people cope with the transition, even though all of us are anxious to get home, we will cooperate for the next 5 days and do all we must to continue the process.

After Youwait, I will head to Norfolk, Virginia and go through the transition from Active back to Reserve status. There must be some procedure to once again allow logic to guide some of our decision making back in the real world. I call it the real world, even though they are both real because for me, this was a time away from my real world.

So all is well here. I am living in a tent, but it is pretty nice as tents go so I am comfortable.

Peace to you all,
Pat