From:  Chris Tarr < ctarr@alum.mit.edu >
Date:  Tue Nov 13, 2001  08:31 pm
Subject:  Where is Chris?!

Maybe some of you have been wondering where in the
world I have been these past couple months.  Well, I
am still travelling so don't think that I snuck back
home without saying a word.  Okay I should have been
writing more and I got really lazy about keeping up. 

I should mention that today is the 14th of November
and tomorrow I will be flying back to good ol' USofA!
Yes, my world travels are coming to an end.  I'm
spending my last few days here in Fiji.
Unfortunately, I had the flu the past few days so I've
spent my time here mostly sleeping and relaxing at the
hotel.  I'm not broken up that I haven't been much of
a sightseer here since I have so many other places I
can reflect back upon.  I think I am a bit burnt out
on sightseeing anyways.

Prior to Fiji I spent 1 month in Australia, 1 month in
New Zealand and a surprise visit to Bangkok for 2
weeks.  Australia was great and it was nice to visit
with my mother there for 10 days.  We visited Sydney
and Melborne, and drove the great ocean road.  We even
took in an opera at the Sydney Opera House!
Afterwards I headed north along the east coast where I
finally dived the barrier reef, visited Fraser Island,
Byron Bay, and the Whitsunday Islands.  New Zealand
was amazing as well.  My father and his wife joined me
there for 2 weeks.  The mountains there are amazing
and I was lucky that I could meet up with past friends
I met along my travels. I think the highlight there
was swimming with about 400-500 Hectar dolphins in the
icy cold waters of Kaikura north of Christchurch!  It
was just amazing to be an arms reach from hundreds of
dolphins swimming right by you and sometimes swimming
around in circles for as long as I could maintain eye
contact.  I even forgot about the 9degree (celcius)
water I was swimming in!

Later I visited my friend Rachael up in the Bay of
Islands.  I think I'm still recovering from the
drinking that first night!  I believe 3 of us had 5
bottles of wine and 20 beers.  Ouch! 

Afterwards I flew back to Bangkok for 2 weeks.  Yes I
broke down and flew back to Asia.  I was missing asia
and wanted to visit Kay and my other friends there and
do some shopping as well.  So I had a nice time there
and did a bunch of shopping.  I had a suit tailored
($110), bought some new specs ($70), bought other
clothes, and aquired more handicrafts and a few gifts.
It so happened that Halloween coincided with the Thai
festival Loy Krathong.  The Thais pay respect to the
god of water and the waterways by placing an ornate
float (Krathong), made from banana leaves, flowers, a
coin, incense, and a candle, into one of the local
waterways.  First we made a pilgramig to the top of
the Golden Mountain temple which was choked with
people plying there way up to it along a maze of
narrow alleys lined with street vendors and a small
carnival. 

Anyways, I flew back to New Zealand after my 2 weeks
in Bangkok and spent 1 night there before flying to
Fiji just 3 days ago (11th).  I'm both anxious to be
home to see family and friends, but I am alittle
nervous how adjusting back to real life will be.

So that's the scoop.  I will be in LA from the 15th
till the 19th and afterwards I will be home in Dallas!
Hopefully I will be seeing many of my local friends
soon after I arrive. 

Cheers,

Chris