Well we made it to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is arrestingly American, Latin American with a dash of Caribbean  After tying the boat up and taking care of US border control formalities a few of us ventured out for a drink at the micro brewery. It was my first drink with a lot of the crew and I did have to put the hand brake on my tongue at one point because it was cleaving egos mercilessly. I am blaming the Gin. I am not sure what they add to the Gin here but it is clearly poisonous as I felt very average upon arising the next day. My direct boss and I went and spent $70 on breakfasts at the local McDonalds. McDonalds is a great leveller  I find if I feel too healthy McDonalds will take me down a peg or two. If I feel terrible McDonalds levels me out. It is franchised lithium.

My department worked half a day. My other colleague named Dan wears jandals when we are not on charter. I have decided that if we are in port and it is a weekend day I will wear my slippers. The conclusion of working half a day poisoned in my slippers was that I needed to go shopping for the boat.

Puerto Rico is endowed with the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean. I think it is called Plaza Americanos. It was huge and it was my first real experience of American shopping. The variety and scope of shopping was overwhelming. I bought three t-shirts and a pair of new shoes. I did not buy one critical article but that will have to wait until we can go to best buy. I have been getting a bit of shit for having three man bags. So it was very comforting to see the ridiculous torso covered carry bags one gets at Abercrombie and Fitch. Not only can you look like a nob wearing it you can look like a nob on your way home. My apologies to Abercrombie and Fitch wearers, not.

I will be leaving the boat on Wednesday. I will fly to New York, Los Angeles and then to Auckland. I will arrive in Auckland on Friday morning. Call me weird but am kind of excited about walking around in Airports that have been in so many movies. I will have circumnavigated the planet. It has only taken me 35 years. There are many things to look forward to in the next little while.

*Getting home
*Moving into a new house
*AVIT’ing the new house
*Going to Sydney to see my long but not lost Sister and partner
*Seeing Above and Beyond in Sydney. Need tickets email me if you can help.
*Seeing all of my family and in laws at home
*Seeing all of my friends at home
*Seeing the Hobbit in Middle Earth
*Annas 30th Birthday
*Days at the beach
*BBQ’s
*Our Six year wedding Anniversary
*Seeing the Stone Roses
*Some photography lessons(more about that later)
*The end of the Year of the Dragon. I think there will be a bang.

It shall be quite an incredible couple of months. Ah and I arrive home just as my birthday month begins. Perfect timing again.