(The journal will start in earnst once I get going, for now there are more pressing issues)

July 1997

Asian currencies begin tumbling in value after Thailand devalues the baht under speculative attack. Indonesia's rupiah crumbles.

May 1997 - Indonesia

Government rolls back fuel subsidies as IMF requires, sending gasoline prices up 71 percent in one day. Ethnic targeting of Chinese shop owners. Rioting kills over 1100, mainly in Jakarta. Hundreds of buildings burned and ransacked. Worried foreigners jam Jakarta airport. Hundreds of looters burned to death when rioters set fire to four shopping malls. President Suharto resigns after 32 years of rule in televised broadcast; B.J. Habibie immediately takes the oath of  office.

July 28, 1997

Bob and John discuss the idea of leaving work for one year to travel. Origin trip was planned to start November 1, 1997.

August 7, 1998

Bombing at the United States Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam

September 25, 1998

Verbal OK from Chris Egan (the branch head to be after coming re-organization) for 2 months annual leave after end of leave without pay (LWOP).

September 27, 1998

Did the big move! Urgghh. Helpers were Ray Roberts, bro John, Sue MacDonald, Brenda Brennen, Bruce Macleod, Margret Carr, Monica and Stu. From 10am to about 2:30pm.

September 29, 1998

Tickets ordered throught Ticket Planet. There is a big savings over ordering through a normal travel agent, but two tickets will be picked up along the way (Cape Town to Zurich, pick up in Cape Town, and London to Boston pick up in Melbourne).
 

October 8-10, 1998

Took the day off to trip to NYC with Sue, stayed at her friends John and Lisa's on the upper eastside. The plan was to get visas for Tanzania and Kenya, buy a 35mm camera set, and to buy a handheld computer. I had called the two embassies a number of times to be sure of the criteria for visas. A few days before NYC I learned that the visas were issued only up to six months in advance, so that part of the trip was nixed. Too bad especially since John had FedEx-ed his passport and photos to Newport. On Friday morning I telephoned B&H Photo and found that all the big camera stores were on vacation for the week for the Jewish holiday Sukkot. So, that postponed buying camera equipment. Sue and I wandered around the computer stores in Times Square to get our hands onto potential handhelds. I had found a good deal on the Casio A20 in Brooklyn and I planned to mail order, but had not actually seen one. However, Bennie at 51st Computers made an offer I didnt refuse for a Casio A10 (flip open, with keyboard, 2MB, about 7.5 inches by 5 inches). For $280 including modem and tax, I would have been hard pressed to find a handheld for less. The small amount of memory could be an issue, but I will be able to fit 100 pages of text on it.

October 11, 1998

Monica and Stu get married. John is in town for the wedding and we are able to talk about various trip aspects. We actually keep laughing about silly things per norm, and saying things like, "I can't believe we are doing this", and "This is going to be incredible". Next time we are together is to wait for the flight out of LAX, bound for Tahiti.