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These are recent stories - the rest are in my latest book,"Walking Through Adversity."

Stories about European Trips (3)

Rob bryant
2006-01-09 11:34:22

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cargo seized and even executed as spies. So in order to travel 150 miles, I rose at 2AM, was driven 50 miles South to Skopje, Macedonia, boarded a plane bound for Zagreb, Croatia 600 miles North, waited five hours for another plane to fly back 450 miles South to Sarajevo arriving at 4PM, fourteen hours later. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and this was more like a trapezoid.

The Eagle has landed - On one of my many flights � I watched the movie, �Behind Enemy Lines.� It is about a US plane shot down in Bosnia and the pilot�s attempt to escape after his co-pilot is murdered by Serb patrols. This was probably not a good movie for me to watch as I traveled around Serbia to Bosnia. However, the UN�s presence here ensures our safety and UN officers don�t even wear weapons anymore. They are here to keep the peace without firing a shot � like in the old Andy Griffith show � but I never saw Barney Fife. We drove up to an enormous US Army base in the mountains North of where the war was fought six years ago. We went through heavy security on the base and weapon systems were ready and able if the President gives the order. Many of the soldiers and weapons have been moved to Afghanistan. It is an honor to assist the greatest military on the earth today. It is ready for orders to defend our great nation. After visiting the UN and visiting our International Police Force, I went to dinner with two high-ranking UN police officers at a famous Bosnian restaurant visited by dignitaries from all over the world. I can see why - it was wonderful. Then I was fast asleep in a UN home with a good friend and slept just a few hours before it was time to leave for another set of flights, time zones and countries.

Journey through time - We departed for the Sarajevo airport at 6AM and were momentarily detained as the Ambassador to Croatia passed by. Soon ...