Well, it looks like the internet is more or less fully functioning again from Indonesia into the US.  Read an article that 50% of all world-wide internet traffic is routed through Virginia ... which is why it was so easy to knock out 25% of the world ... And, I hadn't realized that Taiwan was a major hub for sub-sea fiber optics to the US ....

I will be working today and tomorrow ... and will be postponing 2 days vacation (plus carrying forward 10 days).  More importantly, today ... Decy will take Chris and Paul to Singapore.  They will overnight there and then catch an early morning flight to the US (Decy returns to Jakarta tomorrow).  The boys are having a challenging time grappling with the concept that they will leave Singapore on a Thursday morning ... fly for 24 hours ... and land in Chicago on THURSDAY MORNING ...  ah, the joys of world travel.

Overall, it has been a very good visit with the boys.  They have had an opportunity to see many aspects about Indonesia in general, our lives in Indonesia, and seeing me in a "non-vacation" environment (which they haven't seen in many years).  They've eaten at 5-star restaurants ... and they've eaten food from a street cafe.  They've frozen to death at 9,000 ft ... and sweated to death at the Christmas eve dinner.  They've ridden bajai's (bicycle taxis) and they've travelled around in our Fortuner with our driver.  They've gone to Dairy Queen and they've eaten Nasi Padang.  No doubt they (and we) have made many new memories ... and they will be coming back to the US with about 2,500 pic's to share with friends. I think this experience (especially at this age) now has helped the boys better understand why I do the things I do ... and why I am so intrigued about living in Asia.

Dear Ms. Stacy - RE Chris and his promise ... sometimes strange things happen and we don't always control the situation ... to whet your appetite ... ask Chris or Paul about New Years Eve at CJs and the young lady that tried to lip-lock Paul and then tweaked his nose ....

Last night the boys and I decided to watch as much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as possible.  We started at 9pm.  We quit at 3am having completed only the first two movies.  I decided to "sleep in" until 430am ... so after cuddling up with Decy for a while and thinking about missing her on Wed night ... I picked up about 45 minutes sleep.  As for Chris & Paul ... not sure how much sleep they will get as they need to leave for the airport around 8am .... as for the boys, the sleeping issue actually will help them begin adjusting their body clocks.  As for me ... well, as Paul would say ... Dad, face it, you're a freak.

With that, I will close for now .... ciao ciao