EMPTY-NESS

EMPTY-NESS: So this week is the start of 'The Exodus'. What a lot of people here refer to as their summer leave. A time when Silk Air tries to make all the money they can for the whole year off the flight from here to Singapore. (this is the time of the year the price seems to go up) The American School finished up their school year last week and the Australian school isn't far behind. So almost all the expats are packing up and heading out of town. Even the ones that don't have kids.

This is pretty much the norm here every year this time. When Balikpapan in a weird sort of way - thins out. When whatever is left in the supermarket will quite likely will disappear and not get restocked. When things get a little bit quieter around here and it doesn't quite rain as much. And then - come late August, early September everyone and everything will all be filtering back in here again.

Last year I stayed in town through the whole of it - rather enjoyed it in fact. Instead of the usual stuff - you just find a whole lot of other things to do.

TODAY: What I really need to do is get at this big, big project that I need to do. At least get a giant start on it! And given that this is my second time around on this - you'd think it would be easier. Not. Note to Self: Next time don't sign up.

AC: Their back - working on it this morning again. This time with 3 maintenance men instead of the usual one. I am confident - this time they're get it. (most things here are a three try fix)

FYI: Goalies in the NHL - played without masks up until the year 1959. Ouch! Note: NHL = the (North American) National Hockey League. (you know, the game they play on ice, chasing a (puck) hard black disk around with sticks, all the while with ice skates - and pretty much aiming it at the goalie all the while too)