Famous Last Words

OK, there is nothing "Famous" or "Last" about these words, but it seems like a good post name and I can't think of when else I could us it. "Point of No Return" was passed some time after I'd bought tickets and my first three hotel nights - and I plan to return - so that name was a no-go.

First off, I really appreciate those of you coming to the blog, commenting or writing to me. What was meant to just be a great vacation after one job but before another has turned into something else with this blog. Let me credit Aneta for the idea.

Now that I am done with work (last day was Friday the 18th), I can wrap up some things before the flight: find Deet mosquito spray (done), figure out how to load images from our digital camera onto this computer (done - see driver in training), figure out what is wrong with video camera and how to upload videos (kind of done), find Aussie plug adapters (we already have two!)... There's more: which CDs and DVDs make the cut? Which toys make the cut?(hint: small, light, and playable in a car seat) The Sat Phone showed up - very cool, a little bigger than I imagined from the photos and it does have an antenna, but it still is about the size of that first cell phone I got back in '96 and the coverage is better (as long as you stand outside) and the call quality is about the same (same as 1996).

In another development, I touched base with the guy who runs the Alumni Association for South Carolina. I had met him back in 1999 - he remembered me right away and within 24 hours I got a couple DHL packages with Carolina stickers, beer coozies, and a shirt. It looks like beer drinkers in pubs across Australia will be treated to both Gamecock and Hokie imagery (if that Hokie box arrives today). Yes, I know what you're thinking: my six years of education gave me better named mascots than yours did. You're right. You could go to Stanford and Harvard and get nothing more than two words for "red" (Cardinal and Crimson for those not sure what I am talking about). Then what would you do? The question answers itself. This really explains why so many more people go to South Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Well, the weather in Cairns looks very ...warm and stormy. Wish me luck on the planes. Wish the people sitting around us luck. Have a nice January 25, I won't have a January 25 (not sure why I find that so interesting). Next post from Oz.