Johnny says he can get me a "special monkey" for $80.00

A special monkey that likes to drink and smoke cigarettes.

I have been in Eritrea for almost two weeks now and things are very good here. There have been no pirates, no disasters (major ones at least) annd we are on an eight hour on/twenty-four hour off schedule. And when we ARE on? All we have to do is keep al the grain dust out of the house.

I haven't had a chance to do any of the things that I really wanted to do while I was here. Yet. But I have managed to become entrenched into the town and the comings and goings. Massawa is a very safe place. In fact I am probably the most dangerous man in the streets early in the morning. But that, as they say, is another story.

Now that I have found this Internet joint, I will carve a little time out of my hectic drinking schedule to write it all down. I have the midnight to eight watch tonight, so maybe I will have time to type when everyone is asleep. There have been no big adventures. But my time here has been filled with innocent (and not-so) small pleasures of a simple life where people like to drink beer and smoke cigarettes all night, and sleep all day.

And you KNOW I love the fact that EVERYONE in the streets knows my name.

And tommorrow? Lilly is supposed to be taking me to Gergasham beach to go race camels against each other. She may not understand thumb-wrestling, but I think I can wrap my head around a camel race.

Life is good. Life is very good. (but never, ever drink Asmara beer. Which is very, oh so very bad...)

Wish you were here.