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Postscript: In December, 2010 I hung up my Driver's cap for good. The road had taken its' toll. I was no longer willing to drive 180 days a year, regardless of the money and the ability to work when I wanted. I had seen America. I was tired of being gone from home for 9 months a year. I needed a rest. In 2011 I sold my truck and trailer and was unemployed for the year. However, I wasn't inactive. I traveled overseas to Asia and South America for several months. In the fall I enrolled in an online course to to become certified in Oracle, the world's preeminent database. I want to go back to work sometime in the near future as a software developer or administrator. Even though I programmed for 20+ years, my skills are dated. Fortunately, I have a little flexibility as to my future.
RollingOkie OKC, Jan 1, 2012
"114 Countries"
I've Visited
Albania
Andorra
Antigua
Argentina
Aruba
Austria
Bahamas
Bali
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bonaire
Borneo
Bosnia
Botswana
Bulgaria
Canada
Cambodia
Cayman Islands
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Crete
Croatia
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
England
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guernsey
Herzegovina
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland (Eire)
Ireland (Ulster)
Isle of Man
Italy
Java
Japan
Jordan
Jersey
Kenya
Kosovo
Laos
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Malawi
Malaysia
Martinique
Mexico
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Norway
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Rhodes
Saba
San Marino
Sarawak
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Srpska
Sumatra
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Tortola
Turkey (Asia)
Turkey (Eur)
Turks & Caicos Islands
United States
Vatican City
Vietnam
UAE (Emirates)
U.S.A.
U.S. Virgin Islands
Wales
Zimbabwe
Wadi Al Wurayyah Dam Posted: August 8, 2012
My friend Martin picked me up and took me to several places in and around Dubai. One of the places we went was the Wadi Al Wurayyah Dam. A wadi is a dried up river bed that sometimes has water in during the rains that happen every so often. This dam was built to catch some of that water. What was on the other side of the dam? Nothing. Not a thing.
Wadi Swimming - Dubai Posted: August 8, 2012
While Martin and I were cruising around the United Arab Emirates and in particular around Wadi Al Wurayyah Dam he took me to one of his little spots in the desert. Martin has been here long enough to know a lot of "hot spots" and in the type of heat that can be found in Dubai, the term "hot spot" is entirely too correct. The have temperatures there that approach 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That's hotter than I want to think about. Way too much hotter than I want to actually experience. Here is a little swimming hole. We had to hike to it. Apparently, it's in the desert and it's spring fed. Note that we weren't the only ones there. There were people there when we arrived and there were people arriving when we left. It was a very neat little place hiding in the desert.
Wadi Climbing - Dubai Posted: August 8, 2012
This is Martin climbing out of a wadi. This how we came down to find the swimming hole where we went swimming. Note that it was hot. Really hot. I'd guess it was somewhere approaching 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit. It was so hot that I couldn't hold on to the rocks for more than a couple of seconds as I was climbing out of the wadi. It was so bad that I had to use my hat as a glove to help me get out. Males old enough to draw social security should probably admit that their best rock climbing days are behind them. Martin, however, didn't seem to notice my age. He'd stop every once in a while and ask me if I was doing okay. What could I say? He wasn't going to rescue me unless I got into some serious danger and it wasn't like this was a major mountain. It was, however, a serious climb for me.
Simon's Town South Africa Posted: August 8, 2012
I'm in Cape Town and I had been told by some people that it was a good day trip to Simon's Town. I went to the train station and found that a round-trip first class ticket to Simon's Town would set me back less than $5. I thought that sounded pretty fair so I took the train. I made sure and get a first class ticket which cost me twice as much as a second-class ticket. The reason why was that I was told that there was much more petty crime in second class as first class and only really, really poor people took second-class train rides. Sounded like hog-wash, but who am I to question local wisdom? It seems that South Africa is much like the United States. People with money tended to use their own autos when they wanted to go somewhere reasonably close.
Phoning Grandma Posted: August 8, 2012
I saw this on a t-shirt in one of the malls in Cape Town. I liked to think of it as a slogan a younger person would use to deter tough-treatment at the hands of their parents. I am intimately familiar with a grandchild that actually uses this tactic. Fortunately, the grandmother, with whom I am also intimately familiar, is too savvy to get sucked into the middle of behavior issues with her grandchild and her child.
RoA South Africa Posted: August 8, 2012
Note that this was not the best picture of the Right of Admission sign that I could have found. Unfortunately, when I had a good sign in front of me I always seemed to forget to take a picture of it. It seemed that all private businesses had one of these signs on the door or window of their establishment. South Africa still has remnants of the apartheid era in place throughout the country. Some of them obvious, some of them less so.
South African Penguins Posted: August 8, 2012
They are south African Penguins and they are really cool. I went to see them at the Boulders Penguin Reserve in Simon's Town. Actually, I think all penguins are cool. If I had a choice of animals to watch for extended periods of time, the penguin would be at the top of my list. I like to watch them walk. I like to watch them stumble. They are so ungraceful. They are just so much fun to watch. I like to watch them interact. They have so much personality. I took a lot of video of the little creatures. The only thing missing was a bench at the penguin reserve to let me sit and watch them for a while.
Cape Town American Donuts Posted: August 8, 2012
While I was in Cape Town I visited the local Spar Quick Shop for a couple of American Donuts every morning. The two donuts set me back about fifty cents. I really liked them. The hostel where I was staying offered breakfast, but it did not come free with my bed as it does in some locations. Plus, breakfast wasn't served until 7:30 in the mornings. I was usually up and into the local 24-hour McDonald's for coffee by 6:00 and I would pick up a couple of fresh donuts between the hostel and the McDonald's.
Cape Town Myciti Posted: August 8, 2012
I got the Cape Town Myciti card as soon as I got to Cape Town. It allowed me to ride the bus around town for 60 cents a ride. That was a good deal. Taxi cabs are available in Cape Town, but can be quite expensive if I was riding a long way. I remember it cost us $45 to get to the botanical gardens and back. Fortunately, we split the fare three ways. The Cape Town buses were clean and safe. They were fairly timely. The bus stops were convenient. I rode the bus all the time.
Cape Town South Africa Museum Posted: July 31, 2012
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