Go Erika!

So, you gotta love my Mom. She made me a sign before my English Channel Swim. She said she did it for me all through high school and college, so why should deployment be any different? I hung it in my office! I love my Mom, she's too awesome!!
And my partner and I had some fun taking pictures, he had me posing, he said I needed to look mean and determined. Whatever, we had fun!!!

English Channel

So, Camp Arifjan is hosting an English Channel Swim. It began on August 12 and it will end September 26. People have 45 days to swim 21 miles. There are awards for first and second place in two age group categories and gender. There is also an award for the swimmer who completes the most miles over the 45 day period. So, being slightly competitive I wanted to be the first person to finish overall. So I thought I should swim it in 5 days. Well, then I heard someone swam it in four days last year and not to be outdone I decided to do it in three. Well my competitor inside my head got the best of me and I completed the swim in a day and a half. I swam 14 miles the first day and seven the next. I finished just shy of 29.5 hours and swam an aggregate time of just under 10 hours. My next goal is to complete 100 miles in the allotted 45 days. Right now I am a little over 42 miles and I hope to complete over 50 by the end of August.
OH! I was extremely fortunate because the two days I swam the race we had relatively mild weather. It was slightly overcast (AKA dusty) and it was only about 115 degrees with a water temperature of about 83 degrees. Which really was nice for out here! Unfortunately it is the time of year that the wind changes and we are now in tremendous humidity. It is almost 90% humidity which has effected the water. The water temp is now 92 degrees and climbing. Today I had to take a break every 20 minutes so I could stuff my swim cap with ice cubes to keep my body from overheating. A lifeguard tried to help me out by dumping a bag of ice in my lane, it melted in less then 45 seconds. This place makes the Walsh Intermediate School Pool seem like a dream to swim in!!!

Pool

Alright everyone, here is the pool!!! The pool is not regulation 25 yards, it is more like 22.93 yards. Apparently if the lanes were placed going the other direction the pool is 25 yards. But last summer the pool got retiled and the brilliant Kuwaities put the T-lines going the wrong direction. But I guess this is better, it gives other recreational swimmers a place to goof around and play water basketball. On weekends the lifeguards remove most of lane lines to put in the volleyball net for people to play. It's a good time!

Deep Fried Oreos!

So yeah, we are really living the hard life out here. While poolside my buddy Dwayne (in the yellow shirt) and I were discussing things we missed from home. I mentioned Deep Fried Oreos. Our other friend, Eli, (the Puerto Rican guy) had never even heard of these deliciously diabetic dessert. So we scrounged up some supplies and we ate until our arteries were about to explode. Note to all, Swiss Cake Rolls and Reese's do not Fry well. We attempted to freeze them, but our freezers dont work well. But the oreos and twinkies came out AMAZING!!!!