Say what you will about the USA on the world stage but, make no mistake, they know how to cook a steak! Aussies have access to good steak and mostly it is well cooked. But, here, I have eaten at the bar and grill style eateries each night and the food only gets better. Last night at Black Angus Bar and Grill, I had a 12oz rib eye with potatoes au gratin, mushrooms, green beans and shaved bacon and a couple of Coors Light beers. Unbelievably good! Excellent service and the bar staff was easy on the eye as well. (Well Steve was a bit ordinary, but Brittany, Bobbie and the buxom Cheryl were definitely more viewable than DJ at 50 Satang in Pai).

So, I have ordered a new satellite phone. An Iridium doodad along with a package of prepaid minutes. 500 minutes for about $675. It seems expensive, but it is a great way to communicate when one is a squillion miles offshore.

The satellite phone has arrived and will become active on February 14th-ish. The number to dail is 881 632 612 784. Meanwhile, I have to go to West Marine today to look at dinghies and outboard engines, EPIRBs and safety gear....and, of course I will be stopping into Barbeque Bob's Bar and Grill tonight. (Yee-haaah).

I had an interesting taxi ride this morning. Clinton expounded at length his christian beliefs (and showed me his bible...and asked me if I wanted to read it whilst I was in his cab), he explained the only reason he owns a mini arsenal, including an M1 assault rifle, is because he believes one day the US Government is going to send the army into his home as part of the imposition of a new, national political regime, and he wants to be able to fight back. And when I left the cab, despite telling me his socialist views, he still expected a tip and told me he hoped I will have a nice day. And y'all thought tuk-tuk drivers in Asia were an odd representation of the human race.

My room is currently being serviced by a cliche. Rosa is large-ish Mexican 'lass', she lives with her 'Moe-derr' and her four 'bebbies'...and wonders if I am here to obtain a green card. Also she asks, "Do dey spik henglish in Ous-trellia"."No", I replied, "We speak Strayan". "Oooh" she giggled, "Spik some of it weeth for me".

"G'daymate,didjaavagudweegend. I see we clobbered SriLanka in th'crigettlastmonth ". I replied with some buoyancy. This brought forth another round of effervescent giggles as she asked what I had said. "I was merely wondering", I said, "Why it is that all Mexican women are so beautiful"?!

And that, my friends, is how you make someone's day.