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 In Kuwait: Heading for campOn 'the camel route to Iraq' with Sinatra
By Martin Savidge
In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and newsmakers around the world. KUWAITI DESERT (CNN) -- Two months after arriving in Kuwait, I'm finally heading off for what I came here to do: "embed" with the troops. That's journalism's term for being placed in a unit for coverage. In my case, it's the Marines. We're on the bus. It's a bit like a Greyhound, only different. The air conditioning doesn't work, the windows don't open and we're driving in the desert. The heat is stifling. Up at the front of the bus there's a cabinet for a television. No one's expecting a movie, the TV's gone. Behind me Frank Sinatra croons, brought back to life by somebody's laptop. "Come fly away, come fly away with me... ." The bus is jammed with journalists and their things. The Marine's guidance to "pack only what you can carry" somehow translated in reporters' minds to "bring everything you can." The driver keeps braking sharply, dozing bodies lurch. Scottie McWhinnie, my cameraman, looks like one of those bobble-head dolls. We've joined a military supply convoy plodding north. The "journos" are now just part of the ammunition, fuel and other material streaming to what, if war comes, will be the front. We seem to be at the back of the parade. I wonder if the convoy is organized by value -- essential stuff up front. Frankie's now switched to wandering "the camel route to Iraq" -- that's a lyric from Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen's "It's Nice to go Trav'ling" from Sinatra's 1958 album "Come Fly With Me." It must be the song that sold the album for who ever bought it. I'd tell you about the wild scene of the sendoff for the journalists. I'm sure many others will write and tell about it. What could I add? -- except to say that never in my life have I seen such an odd mix of camouflage and Frappucinos. One guy had a different embed look, wearing a blue blazer and pulling two huge Tumi suitcases. Behind him, a Marine dragged what looked like a set of golf clubs. A label on the bag said it was portable shelter. He quipped that he was off to summer camp as a TV camera focused on his face. Back on the bus, Frankie has stopped singing. I've learned a few things from previous wars about bus rides and journalists: The ones who have done this before tend to sleep; the ones who haven't tend to talk. All the conversation is keeping me awake. For latest developments, see CNN.com's Iraq Tracker.
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