Elizabeth and I sailed on a speed boat cutting across the
Pacific on our way to Australia. The boat glided near underwater and surfaced
rocks. Our guide who had a long beard and a white gown. We pulled right up to
and onto the town landing. We walked to a restaurant. Others joined us. Others
who looked like the bearded guys. They all had beards. We sat down in an indoor
outdoor café. I had to go to the bathroom. I had to stand in the wooden stall.
Some guy outside kept teasing me. Yelling profanity at me. Finally, I left the
stall and knocked him down. I went back to the table. Everyone tested me.
One
test -- I left my cell phone on the table and they wanted to see if I could
find it. Elizabeth sat there, just eating and laughing. I told the bearded guys
about the fight. But then admitted that I made it up cause I would never win a
fight. The laughed and that brought us all together. Then we went to a cabin. I called home and told my mother I was not in
France like I originally planned. For some reason, Hugh Dugan, a friend of mine
in the Foreign Service was on the phone. Told them I was in Australia. It was
difficult for them to hear me (lots of background noises) and difficult for me
to hear them (lots of static). It was a relatively short call.
Got back to the
cabin. Elizabeth had just showered. She was packing for a trip into the
mountains. She showed me lots o f maps for her three day trip. There would be
guides. She said there would be some climbing. I told her I was nervous about
my knees holding up. She said people handle going up and down differently. Some
crawl. Some hold on to someone. Some repel. Some just watch their balance
carefully.
We agreed to hit the trails together.
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