Good-bye Baghdad!

Baghdad Day 44

Good-bye Baghdad!
I woke up at around 6AM and started packing up for good.
Nothing fancy with no ceremonies before leaving but I surely was happy to leave.
We left the city in the morning though our flight was departing at 4PM becaue of security reasons, so we waited in the airport for about 7 hours. I wanted to take some pictures, so I posed to take one near the security, but he just ran to me and questioned me if I was trying to film. Oh well I only can take pictures where no security guys are around...
Baghdad Internationaal Airport, the former Saddam Hussein Airport is a sytlish airport inside, but it really makes me disgusted when I feel it's filled with crazy guys. There was some American black guy who didn't like us lined up together before him challenging us with his rule of lining up. The Iraqi woman taking airport tax money at the counter asks for $2 though the receipt says 1000 dinars (one dollar is about 1200 dinars). This janitor in the toilet asks for $1 which I happily dismissed without even stopping. And there's a bunch of people lined up waiting for the plane with obvious faces of discontent. I did enjoy the birds flying around inside as you wouldn't see an international airport where you hear tweets all over the floor!

We were back in Amman in less than two hours after flying out around 5PM. It was ridiculous that we were stripped of our carry-on luggage before riding the plane, but I managed to get my binder filled with dollars into the plane. Just before riding the plane you get your security check for the third time and then you get another one right after you leave the plane. You can imagine how insecure Iraq is by just going through all these body checks just to ride the plane.

Photos from today...

saying good-bye to the bottles of water I had enjoyed!


and the Lipton Yellow Label


saying good-bye to the Tigris...


our last destination: Baghdad International Airport


terminals without seats... birds flying over our heads...


Royal Jordanian plane waiting for our security checks!

Back in Amman...

It was time to rest in Amman. I had a "tori and gyuniku" meal in Benihana restaurant, as my elder colleague had his sushi. The last time I had dinner in a Benihana restaurant is at least more than two decades, but I was surprised I'd see one in Jordan.

Well I took a bath and went to bed at around 11PM. Oh, it's heaven compared with Baghdad...


BENIHANA! long time no see!


it looks Japanese... it tastes... somewhat Japanese...

The Fifth Anniversary of the War

Baghdad Day 43

The Fifth Anniversary of the War

Exactly five years since the Multi National Forces started their Freedom Iraq campaign. I was in a different position in a different division five years ago but I was able to be one of the coverage team of the JSDF dispatch to the Middle East four years ago and I feel the story of myself has developed a bit.
I had to give out a live coverage for our evening news and give a report out for the night news. I'm never satisfied with my work, but I think I did a fairly nice job.
The four of us had a feast at night after having dinner with some beer. I was so tired and worn out that I couldn't resist going to sleep just with a moderate amount of alcohol.
Oh well... I can sleep all I want... I can pack up tomorrow... I have no more work to do... my last mission: To get home safely!

P.S.
Enjoying our last night in Baghdad...

with wine and shochu with courtesy of our seniors who imported these in!

Just another day...

Baghdad Day 42

Just another day...

As we were editing till 4:30AM in the morning, with only about three hours of sleep it was time to roll. If this was Tokyo, maybe I would not have had any trouble, but here in Baghdad three hours of sleep is nothing.
Whatever happens, there's only one more day to go till the finish line and with many doubts and objections, but with no energy to fight back, I must walk through this thorny path.

P.S.

at least they're flying a bit higher today!

and what do you have to say!? well I won't be here if you weren't there!

A new cycle

Baghdad Day 41

A new cycle

Our coverage team is renewed today. Two of our comrades will take over as they arrived our office in the afternoon. We were supposed to leave today, but as we had to finish our work about the five years of war in this country, we are staying for an extra three days.
It's great we can spend time together here in Baghdad as we can be comrades in arms naturally sharing the tough experience of staying here with shackles on our feet.
The work load is getting heavier each day and I just hope I can get through without fainting!

P.S.

the flowers in the garden is starting to smile...
I hope you won't get attacked!

Winning the bet

Baghdad Day 40

Winning the bet

Today, we took a chance and asked our crew to cover IDPs in Baghdad for the morning report for Tuesday. It's really a gamble as we never nail a story in one day and if we don't get enough footage today, we will lose out and it will be an impossibility to recover.
I think I won the bet as we were able to make the report and the quality was not so bad. I'm happy I didn't give up. Four more days to go and I hope there isn't any more large obstacles on the way!

P.S.
It's quite tough to eat dinner on time...

another chicken dish... I think it's the best meat we can get in Iraq!


we could see the moon from daytime...
under the moon is the pilotless blimp checking
where mortars are being shot from...

Good experience in a bad environment

Baghdad Day 39

Good experience in a bad environment

It was a difficult day. My teeth still aches and my throat and stomach still are not feeling right. This will not let me say I will not give out the live coverage we had to do today. But whatever problem I have was not the real trouble today as we had a major defect in the procedure. We could not link the line to Tokyo until only 8 minutes before I had to speak. This all happened because of "human errors", and with this mishap, I was quite nervous and though I tried to calm myself as always, I muffed many of the lines and I thought it was quite disastrous.
Oh well... I just have to say to myself anything irregular can happen to live feeds and this will be good experience for me. I hope...

P.S.
My first Turkish coffee in Baghdad...

thick and black!
herbish and sweet!

BAD...

Baghdad Day 38

BAD...

Working till about 3AM, I was exhausted and before going to bed, I sensed I will be having troubles as my teeth started to ache. In the morning it got worse. Not only my teeth were killing me, my stomach and my throat were both aching.
I have to eat to keep my fuel tank filled so I tried so hard to eat my meals but this is really BAD...

I was drug dependent today as I took painkillers to help me concentrate on all the work I had to do. And luckily I was told I can sleep early tonight so I can get up early tomorrow to get ready for the live coverage. I humbly pray that when I wake up tomorrow, everything will be just fine!

It's just after 9PM... Good night!

P.S.
Last night, I finished using my toothpaste I bought in Islamabad...

thanks! and good-bye!

some Iraqi pie for snack! very oily!

Fish and Meat!

Baghdad Day 37

Fish and Meat!

One week till we leave Baghdad. I'm happy I can feel the goal line is just around the corner. But it's just like the last corner of a horse race that any carelessness can blow me up.

Today our filming was not perfect but acceptable... Thank God...
We can now narrowly make our story with the least pictures but I surely believe we could have made a better one given another week. But since we're doing it on Sunday, the question is "Would we want to see this a week later?"
Maybe not... it might have been better if we've done it this weekend anyways. I know I'm thinking this way because we were able to sneak in our presentation at the last moment.

Still... there's tons of work to do and I'm really getting tired!

P.S.
Today's menu...

Iraqi fish dish called "masguf", grilled Tigris carp for lunch

finishing it up!


and roast beef for dinner!


you were sniffing at what we're enjoying, right!?


nah, you can't have any even if you try to be cute!

In the red zone!

Baghdad Day 35

In the red zone!

I must admit it. I think I'm getting stressed up. With little things I'm getting angry and uneasy. I usually get disappointed only to myself when things turn to the bad side with limited time and ability, but this time there's so many things I can blame on and that makes my mind unbalanced.
I'm trying to think logically and to be calm, but how can I stop this uncertainty that I can make it when I have no idea how I can analyze our output power!? I can say yes and no when it's about me and I only have to work for extra hours or even overnight to finish the task, but as it's quite dangerous to work at night and we have limited time, I have no idea where we're going to end up a week from now!

P.S.
I had too much Coke...

so maybe I should switch to Diet Coke!

and the fan... it's their season to work!

Inshala!

Baghdad Day 34

Inshala!

We had some progress today, but we're running out of time. We need a real boost but it seems to be an impossibility. Everyday I'm saying "Inshala"!
Inshala we can get permission. Inshala we can get the pictures. Inshala I can make the story! Oh well, maybe I'm saying "Inshala" each hour.

Inshala I will make great progress and nail the story tomorrow!

Not regretful... I think...

Baghdad Day 33

Not regretful... I think...

After finishing up some of the urgent work last night, as we had a lively conversation with some help from some whisky, I finally went to bed at around 4:30AM.
Of course, I had a hangover, and was very sleepy. Things were worse when our crew could not get the pictures we wanted... AGAIN! I'm going to wring those guys neck someday! Yes, yes... I can't leave the building... How can I go and beat them up if I can't even talk to them directly...
I think this is where all the stress comes from and drinking alcohol becomes a habit which I try to avoid when I'm in Tokyo. Now it's a hard habit to break...

It's getting hotter!

Baghdad Day 32

It's getting hotter!

The sunlight is getting stronger each day but since we're sitting in the room all day, it's quite comfortable with no cold winds bothering me anymore.
Being disappointed yesterday, I was losing my enthusiasm to go on, but it is my job to finish off the things I was asked to do, so as a reporter earning money, I must go on.

I understand there are so many Iraqis who want to have a better future, but I just can't feel sympathetic to those people who just sit in there office for four hours. (they get to work at around 10AM and leave at 2PM and they also have lunch!) Now my memories of those days working in Kuwait is returning as I was yelled at when I went to a governmental office... "Are you crazy!? It's 2:30PM already and what kind of permission do you need to stop me from going home!?" I thought... "No wonder they were invaded by Iraq". But hey, maybe Iraq is heading the same way!?

P.S.

enjoying some Turkish souvenirs for snack!

Second thoughts...

Baghdad Day 31

Second thoughts...

Now I'm disappointed! We were supposed to cover a good story today, but everything was ruined when some young soldier stopped our crew to enter the area to cover. I getting tired of hearing these stories! We always get the permission to cover stories each time, but how can we get permission from the MOD when all the soldiers say we must get a permission to enter their area. How many areas do you think Baghdad has!? They're just crazy and I'm starting to be a little bit angry that I have to try to get stories out for these kind of people.
Yes, there doing their job, they say. But they searched enough to find no explosives and they can see the camera will not do any harm. Why do they interfere!?
I don't see any future in this country if this continues!

P.S.
As the city is warming up...

la Coca-Cola! is what we need!

One month in the war torn city...

Baghdad Day 30

One month in the war torn city...

I'm in this city of violence... this city of tragedy... the city of trauma... the city of... you name it...
But I still see hope in this city. There could be many talents that can bloom and someday give brightness to the city. I think it will take a while, but I'm happy I can in this city when people are making history.

I admit I'm not making reports like they do in CNN or BBC, but how many of my Japanese nationals would be watching their news? I'll try the best with the limited radius of action. The time we have to send some messages from this city is coming.
Yes, I hope I can show how this city can be oneday the city of hope!

P.S.
When our crew went to the sight of yesterday's bombing, they were told to go away as they said "whenever the Western media comes, there are bad things that happen". I don't know which media but I hear that there were some media personnel at the area. I don't think this place was bombed because there were media there a day before, but this show how the citizens' are sensitive with the media bringing in cameras to the area.

our crew told me that there were bloody bullets like these all over the area... you won't survive with these striking your body...

at night...

having some curry!
yum yum!

Precious internet... precious life...

Baghdad Day 29

Precious internet... precious life...

The internet configuration was messed up and our network was out of order. We brought in an engineer but we just received the conclusion that we need a router. So we asked the engineer if we can get one, but the answer was that we only can maybe on Sunday. Sunday!? I'm really getting sick of the internet failing for time to time and using hours to fix it. It was out for about a day when the Iranian leader was visiting Baghdad and you can't imagine how it hinders our work when we lose the internet where we usually have it. It's not that easy to just forget the internet like it could be the situation in other developing countries where we could go on a business trip. Well I found a really worn out Japanese broadband router in our office and it's all fixed now, but we should get a new one before this precious lifeline shuts down!

Another bombing and suicide attack in the crowded shopping zone of central Baghdad. The western media all say that they've been to the area, but that's just an impossiblity for us. I would like to go out to the streets, but what if I were there today jsut before 7PM... yeah I don't think I'd be writing this diary... I'm realizing how precious life is but still so many die every week in this country...

P.S.
It's really getting hot each day!

the mighty sun is doing its job!

and glasses of juice is in high demand!

Nothing's easy...

Baghdad Day 28

Nothing's easy...

Things never go as planned here in Baghdad when you film as they are so many people curious about video camera being taken into their area. Even though we have permission to film from one ministry, another one at the scene says you need to get permission from another ministry. It's even worse when you're told to get permission from both the Interior and the Defense ministries.
We don't have time to waste, but we can't risk to lose everything by making them angry. OK... we will get permission, we will...

Just as I woke up, all these breaking news about Hillary... I've always thought WHO CARES!? but I'm understand that this is just entertainment. Rather than watching these as political news, it's goes on well by marking them the entertainment news of celebrities of America.


bunch of breaking news mails...

At night, there was this cat wandering in our building... I saw this kitten yesterday night too... maybe the kitty knows someone here from before...


hey kitty kitty!

One month!

Baghdad Day 27

One month!

It's a month since I left Tokyo... already! I'm not sick or depressive, but still as it was another ineffective day, and in double bind with time running out till the fifth anniversary of the start of the War on Iraq, it makes me quite uneasy to stay here.
I had to do my work quickly as possible, but as we drank whisky till nearly 3AM yesterday, I had a hangover and my eyes were all red when I woke up. I think my liver is not working well as my body as a whole is filled with fatigue especially from overwork these two days.

Still, I have to work harder to make all the reports needed for the coverage we have to send out from here in about 2 weeks!

P.S.

Mr. Nejad is on the top page!

Live Broadcast from Baghdad!

Baghdad Day 26

Live Broadcast from Baghdad!

Mr. Ahmadinejad left safely without a scratch, though there were suicide car bombs detonated in central Baghdad killing more than a dozen. I woke up at around 7:15 when I heard an explosion, followed by another fairly big one 15 minutes before 8AM. It was probably some rocket being launched as I couldn't hear the sound of it landing.

We had some troubles preparing for the live broadcast, but we somehow managed to give it out without any accidents.
I was sad that I made a mistake on Sunday morning, which I became aware of today. I have to be careful about many things as I can't speak Arabic and it's quite difficult to confirm any information. I have to learning from my mistakes, because I surely would travel to places where I have no idea what the people are saying and where I can get accurate information!

P.S.
I'm getting tired...

gotta munch on these lemons to keep the Vitamin C level up!

Historical... for the two long rivals...

Baghdad Day 25

Historical... for the two long rivals...


smiling presidents... are they really smiling!?

The historical event took place as planned as the Iranian President Ahmadinejad met with the leaders of Iraq and appealed to the international community its influence on this war-torn country right in front of what he calls the Devils from the West.
I had an impression that he was smiling from the start and till the end when he called on Mr. Bush to stop accusing them without evidence. Being a rival neighbor for years, especially with a quagmire of war in the '80s, I can't easily believe they could become so friendly.
Well let's see how these two countries fill their gap, right in front of the Americans!

P.S.
We started to work things out in a organized way!

having a bi-weekly schedule board is a great way to start!

It's getting warmer!

Baghdad Day 24

It's getting warmer!

As we're entering March, I'm happy to feel the warmth filling the air of Baghdad. We continued on with our preparation for the important visit tomorrow.

I'm getting so tired but I think I'm at least half way through...

The breaking news of the week...

oh, he has returned!