A hummer makes its way through the sandstorm. It looks dark and late, but it's only around 4 p.m.

Today I experienced my first sandstorm. I woke up last night with a sore throat and feared I might be getting sick. I didn't get a ton of sleep, anyway, because the wind was so fierce it nearly blew the tent down. Strong gusts cause the walls to flap against my cot, making loud noises and waking me up. At about 1:00 pm, the sky started getting dark and "foggy" with airborne sand particles, and I figured out that that was the cause of my sore throat. The good news is, I'm not sick. The bad news is, my throat and head hurt like I am, and it won't get better until this wind quits. I wonder when that will be! Everybody is warning us that these storms are going to be worse and much more frequent in the summer.

In an effort to get some stuff posted, this is all I'm gonna write. Hope you like the pics.

Saddam's pond, obscured by the "fog" of a sandstorm.

I tried to take a picture of a palm tree during the sandstorm and forgot to turn off the flash. I captured nothin' but particles.

This is the picture I was trying to get when I got the one above. That was taken during my walk home this evening. That's Tent City.

Headlights and sand help create this surreal image. I like this shot. I passed this guy on my way home.

Not my tent, but a tent in my neighborhood.

Besides a severe sore throat, itchy, watery eyes are another drawback to life in dusty Iraq. The photo doesn't really do it justice.