It's been a busy day!  Dick is very pleased that he now has a valid passport.  When Dick happened to look at his passport a week or so ago he noted that it had expired in early August .  As you may imagine, that created a bit of excitement and a sense of urgency.  Fortunately the State Department has a fast-track system for renewal to accommodate simpletons like Dick.   Crown Camera was quick with the photos, the County Recorder's office had some great suggestions (well beyond "Why don't you keep track of things like this?"), Fed Ex wouldn't take the package because it had to be delivered to a PO box but they suggested the US Postal Service which, after all, owns the PO boxes.  They did accept it and apparently delivered it, and the State Department came through with expedited processing.  And, it arrived today.

Oh, and, BTW,  then there was the jury duty.  Dick was on a jury all last week and through Wednesday of this week so his available time was limited and, for example, getting the passport application into the mail during a one-hour recess wasn't as simple as it may sound.  (Especially when one drives to the airport expecting Fed Ex to ship it, learns that they won't, and then tries to get it into the postal service before being cited for contempt for being late.)  There was also a bit of anxiety as to when the trial might end.  Dick was hoping it wasn't going to end in the middle of September. Fortunately, the jury managed to convict the accused on Wednesday afternoon.  Tough for him, but good for Dick.


Today Dick and Nancy plotted an itinerary.  They also discovered that the taxes and export fees in the Caribbean area can be significant. In some cases  "overwhelming" would be a more appropriate word.  Sometimes they're about the price of the air fare. Hostels and cheap hotels aren't just everywhere, either.  We'll let you know our plans when we've checked out a few things but, no matter what, we start by going to Bogotá and will spend about nine days touring Colombia.

Next, about four in the afternoon Dick remembered that he's supposed to salmon fish with Don Brooks and Charlie Clinkenbeard out of Trinidad next Wednesday and he didn't have a fishing license. Again, fortune smiled on the ill-prepared (this is getting kind-of scary):  The Fish and Game office was still open, so Dick now has a license.


 Time for a break!  More later.                  Dick