And we're back!

Sorry for the lack of updates. Wendy and I took a little vacation.

We are back safe and sound and continue to marvel at our good luck in traveling. There was an air traffic controllers strike here right around the holidays that was resolved before we left, had good weather for flying, no layovers. We flew budget airlines “Ryanair” and we know they do not have assigned seats but do have “priority boarding” for four additional Euros. So when they announce the flight, 200 people line up, Wendy and I walk to the front of the line and get on first. Anyone can do it, but either people don’t know about it or don’t care. Standing in line for an hour is not our idea of a good time.

We had a great vacation. I am now a certified scuba diver and am allowed to dive anywhere in the world up to 18 meters (although if a dive is 22-24 the dive master usually fudges the numbers a little.) I had a wonderful instructor and I did four dives in the ocean with her to learn skills like what happens if you lose your regulator (air supply that goes into your mouth), how to take off and put on your mask underwater and clear it with oxygen, controlling your buoyancy using your vest so you’re not sinking or rising at different depths, etc. Very intense. Wendy and I then did three more dives with her just for sightseeing underwater. We saw some great stuff including an Angel Shark and a huge Ray as well as huge schools of fish, cuttlefish, an octopus, sea anemone, etc.

We went to Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands that had massive eruptions in the 17th and 18th century so lots of great scenery and places to visit as well as great weather the whole time.

I believe my next series of posts will be a detailed description of the trip spanning many days. Maybe even with pictures.