final informal thoughts on kuwait...

...before I leave the creature comforts of a luxury hotel and head into Baghdad.

• Apparently, the term "sports television" in this part of the world has been redefined solely as "soccer television." There are 12 channels labeled "sports" and each and every one has a soccer game or commentary about soccer on it.
• I brought a couple of seasons of "The West Wing" with me on this trip and reveled in the irony of watching the fictional politics of Qumar unfold as I glance from the television and out the window to the Kuwait City skyline.
• I always find watching "The West Wing" pumps my psyche up for a mental challenge. I'm glad I had a chance to watch a few episodes to prepare myself for the comings days, weeks and months.
  
• I questioned my decision making in reading choice this morning; I was having an early breakfast at the hotel reading the latest issue of New York Magazine with Woody Allen and Larry David on the front cover. I realized as I was doing so that this may have implications in the Arab world beyond those on the New York street corner on which I bought the magazine.
• This hotel has amazing service beyond that which I am accustomed. Around midnight last night as I was preparing for bed I asked the front desk for a cable to connect my iPod to the stereo in my room (basically an RCA stereo cable into a 1/8 inch headphone input). The person at the front desk didn't understand my request and was extremely apologetic. I told him not to worry about it, but around 12:15 someone from the hotel's technical staff showed up at my door to ask what he could help with. I showed him what I was looking for and he aplogetically said he didn't have that particular cable. I told him not to worry about it, but about 15 minutes later another knock came on my door. It was the same technician with a spliced cable he made for me. It worked perfectly. That, my friends, is service. :-)
  

So enough of the light and fluffy. I am ready for the myriad challenges ahead of me. In the immortal words of Josh Lyman: "Game On!"

The Journey Officially Begins

I arrived in Kuwait City at about 4:00 p.m. local time after having departed from JFK at 9:00 last evening. That's basically an 11 hour plane ride and an 8 hour time difference compounded on each other. Surprisingly, I'm not yet feeling much of an effect from the shift (at least not yet). I did get a decent night's sleep and another slight nap before we landed, so right now I feel about like I should at 10:45 at night.

I have visited two malls and took a walk several miles around the hotel. Very interesting city. Lush extravagance directly next to extreme poverty in many places. Such is the way a place like this works I suppose. There are a couple of Ferraris parked in front of the hotel which is directly next to a large building with many boarded up windows, laundry hanging from balconies and broken windows and doors in the entryway; clear signs of a more destitute level of habitation within.

I have learned a few very important things about Kuwaitis: they really like shoes, watches and perfumes/colognes. Walking around the malls, store upon store sold high end accesories. They are not so much into what I am used to as “haute couture.” I suppose that becomes less relevant when nearly everyone is wearing matching white robes (or black robes for women). This is also clearly not a town for “night life” and I am quite happy I had a final “night out” back in New York rather than waiting to have a night out in Kuwait. It’s very strange to see a bustling city with literally no bars. And the “cocktails” they advertise on the drink menus at restaurants are, in reality, mocktails made of virgin fruit concoctions.

Looking forward to seeing 3 of my colleagues tomorrow and hitting the ground in full stride upon arriving in Baghdad. But for tonight, I am going to take advantage of the pool and jacuzzi overlooking the skyline so I’m fresh and ready for tomorrow…