Johannesburg Arrived today around 11:00 after an uneventful, if bumpy, 12 hr overnight. Just happy to have left Frankfurt on time after all that has been going on w European (and now US) airports. Not much to say today. Just that this is a sharp contrast to 24 hrs ago. Lunch was by the pool, and now I sit, at 18:00, in shorts and a tank top on a park bench overlooking the summer terrace and the hills of Joburg (pictured) It's pleasantly humid and lovely warm...

A Pet Peeve Just a little rant here. I can't imagine why they have, but I have become increasingly certain that the EU has passed a law w respect to hotel showers. It seems that the water-tightness of a hotel room shower must be in direct inverse proportion to the water pressure. That is to say, if you have a water-tight shower cubicle (never large enough for me, let alone a man of 6 ft, if you please), then the water pressure shall not exceed a fine dribble....

Vienna We arrived in Vienna on the 23rd. Sailed into town without too much trouble and w the help of the Frau at the front desk, were able to return the car just a couple of blocks from the hotel instead of way hell and gone. It's been three days of walking and museums, really. The first afternoon we checked out the Christmas hours for the museums, and then wandered over to the main Xmas market in the Rathausplatz. I can't imagine a more stunning setting. ...

Left Calgary 3 hrs late, but it was OK to eat and then go to sleep on the plane. Both of us got 3-4 hrs, and so felt quite human on arriving at 2. Stored our summer gear, picked up the car and hit the autobahn. We were clipping along at a fair pace (150-160kmph) when a car blew past us, followed immediately by another car going even faster, right up on the other guys bumper 'til the first guy could get into our lane. I looked over at Gus to see him grinning b...