Well to start off, its been a busy couple of days. Arrived in Guam early yesterday morning, don't ask the city because I honestly don't know. I just call the whole thing Guam and that works for me. Got off the boat at a reasonable hour, just after noon actually. Myself, Chase and a Mr. John Fittro made up the days liberty party. We had a plan and for the most part stuck to it. Well, it wasn't really a plan as much as a loose outline. But hey, whatever works. We managed to take a duty van the mile or 2 up a very desolate road to the NEX, got a few things, socks, new air fresheners (take that stinky people) and some other stuff. And also managed to grab a rental car. And since my good friend Chase doesn't have a non-expired drivers license yet, I got to drive. She was a mean machine, something like a 2006 Nissan Sentra, in burgundy. I guess a car rental place on a Navy base in Guam Can get away with stuff like this, but man that car was a pile. Over 50,000 miles, and it showed every single one of them, cigarette burns in the seats, and a smell we just couldn't place. It was cheaper than a cab, and since there were no buses, it was the way to go. So we made the 30 minute journey down to the main strip, I would elaborate, but in the 3 times I've been to Guam, I never bothered learning what anything was called.
After the traditional 7 wrong turns, and trying to find a legal parking spot, we made it to the beach. For those who have never been there, Guam has some of the clearest water in the world, not to mention some of the warmest. It's like a scene out of Finding Nemo on the seafloor. Fish and coral and all that. Well we were essentially alone on the beach aside from the standard Japanese tourist, and minding our own business swimming around, when what should appear but a gaggle of junior officers. Now if you aren't familiar with the naval architecture, a J.O. is anyone who went to college, and stayed sober enough to go to a NROTC program. Well, these guys, not too far off from the old college drinking days, have picked up where they left off. Needless to say shenanigans ensued. Not the least of which were a slap fight, watching them fail at picking up beach girls, and one of them thought it would be funny to pee himself. Our small sober group had more than a few laughs at their expense.
Later, after the drunkards left, we made our way back to the base to get some things, then back down to the strip for dinner. Trying to savor the last morsel of American dining, we went to TGI Fridays. It was a decent meal, and somehow we were the only people from the ship in there. After that it was a trip to a souvenir shop then back to the rental place.
We made it back around 1030, far in advance of our 1159 liberty expiration. As we walked by the NEX, the realization came to us that the duty van was no longer making stops there, and that we would have to walk. Not a fun prospect, in the still dripping humidity and heat. Well we made our trek, it was long, and we cursed the duty van for not stopping to pick us up (the drivers later would tell us they had been full). But aside from Chase's whining, it wasn't a bad walk. we made it back in about 40 minutes, plenty of time to watch the drunks roll in.
Overall a good port visit, albeit another short one. Kinda getting sick of these one day jobs. Oh well, the next few should be better.
