Rob and I first met in Basra, Iraq. The first meeting didn't exactly go well. I had just returned from leave to discover that the Queen's Birthday Party that I thought I had missed was actually that night. Any one who knows about the planning that goes into making these events happen will understand why I was so unhappy! I was in a foul mood and not at all impressed by the arrogant army officer that I found wandering around my compound like he owned it. I thought he was a real A.R.A.B! He was equally unimpressed by me, the stroppy head of security handing him a radio and asking if he needed to be taught how to use it! The party itself went all right but behind the scenes was a nightmare. The Army messed up and so did my team. Rob and I argued and try to lay the blame on each other! Then he got bored and wandered of in search of politicians to schmooze. I went back to work and thought no more of it. Just another day in "paradise"