I'm in malaysia waiting for my flight to australia... we flew over pristine jungle alternating with ravaged land laid bare by strip mines. i suppose that's how our beloved america felt when white man came and started eating the natural bounty. Somehow I unfairly begrudge the developing nations their chance to wreck the land, a point well noted by friend toni stroeh during the emissions reduction talks.
And let's do the time warp: I'm in Oz-the land down under. It's body temperature here in cairns and very very moist. The active cycle here is shifted later to maximize coolness. The area is stunningly beautiful with rain forests glazing mountains that crash directly into the ocean. As soon as my body adjusts from a freezing climate to a melting one, I look forward to enjoying the scenery- perhaps on bike. Cairns is in low season because everyone except me knows that hot and wet means hot and wet. I spoke with one bloke who picked fruit for 7 weeks in 47 deg weather. And I invite anyone who doesn't know celcius to convert that one.
I was planning to visit Darwin but its southern neighbor was evacuated, and as my onward ticket is to the riotous indonesia, I may be making an alternate route and eating my ticket. Good reason not to plan too far ahead.
Anyone wanting a digereedoo, they exist plentifully here, ranging from pseudolame bamboo for $30 to decent unpainted ones for $120 to exotic bells with authentic aboriginal painting up to $2k. I'm in the market myself so I'll learn and then choose a goody. Let me know within a week.
Now I shall email this thing having discovered the X3 modem string for ignoring the problematic aussie dialtone.
Peace,
-xaq