Bangkok

I'm out of Africa and in Thailand now. I spent the past week learning how to scuba dive and now have my Open Water Certification, so I should be able to dive the Great Barrier Reef in a few weeks (I might even get my Advanced Open Water license there as it's only $70 more).

Africa was glorious and Cape Town is quite possibly the most beautiful city in the world with Table Top Mountain dominating the skyline and glorious white beaches nearby (plus penguins!). It reminded me quite a bit of San Francisco which in turn reminded me of Kate and Alex, so it was nice to think of the family for a while (also, I can't believe Alex is going to race for charity in an ice cream truck -- he's crazy!) It was nice to run around a real city with set prices and to not barter for at least a little while. I definitely want to go back and spend more time in South Africa because the country is fantastic. Hopefully I'll get there sooner rather than later.

It's a bit weird to be somewhere warm for the holidays. Even when the family has gone somewhere tropical for Christmas before it was still cold in the run-up to leaving. That's not the case now and it's a little weird (although I'm the tannest I've ever been -- though that's still pretty white). I'll be in Malaysia in a few days and then further South again and back in the Southern Hemisphere again soon. Wow. Anyway, Merry Christmas, Mai! I miss you darling and I hope you're having a wonderful time in SC. Eating spicy Thai food just reminds me of you something fierce (the cup o' noodles here taste like your delicious Vietnamese ones).