Friday January 12

This photo is from the jungle in Costa Rica two years ago. It was a real adventure, and totally different from any vacation I'd taken before. Here at Casa Corcorvado, down in the Pacific south close to the Panama border, the only way to get there was by light plane then transferring to small boats to journey down the river, past crocodiles and snakes, out to sea then arrive at the jungle resort by beaching the boats. Cool stuff. What with the stunning monkeys and birds, plus other wildlife, it certainly was a memorable place.

Today, though, I find myself laid up a bit with a spasming right thigh that kept me awake half the night. Been to the doctor and hopefully what with a few drugs and a visit tomorrow to my new chiropractor I should be fine for our Sydney visit next week. I cancelled a trip to Toowoomba for a birthday party tonight because it is just too uncomfortable sitting or lying at present, but it'll be better soon.

Rene and I had a delightful dinner on Wednesday night for a friend's 50th, delicious food and good company. Last night we had dinner and played cards and a game at friends in Lota down on the Bay. Another fun afternoon and evening. Our social calendar is full from tomorrow until Sunday week. Just love it!

Australia is swamped lately by cricket and tennis. I'm sort of casually interested but fail to follow either religiously. Yes I know the Poms were slaughtered in the Ashes Series. I have a delightfully wicked joke about a child and his English cricketing father, but I'm a bit tame here at present shocking too many people, so suffice to say it'll remain for your edification only if you write to me at owen.langdale@gmail.com I'll send you the couple of jokes I have.

I posted on another forum something about the present situation in Iraq and got flamed by all the members of the Right, so I won't reitterate the topic here but I do remember being in a crowd of over 100 000 marching in March 2003 to stop even going to war. If I'm correct a million marched that same weekend in London, and of course many more in other cities. The current situation was forecast way back then, but still little heed was taken. We always have people saying "oh, with the benefit of hindsight"etc etc but we HAD hindsight, and it was called Vietnam (plus countless others). They mention in the media 3000 American troops killed so far, but never is a word said about the tens of thousands of troops wounded or maimed, let alone psychologically scarred for life - with its on going cost to society. I haven't forgotten the civilian toll in what is now a civil war.

I recommend reading 'Baghdad Burning', a blog by an Iraqi woman living day to day in Iraq. It was nominated for the Samuel Johnson literary prize in London for non fiction. Her blog has already won the best Middle East/Africa blog for 2006. http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

Well, enough, my thigh is paining a bit now, time to lie down. Have a wonderful weekend.