Abu Dhabi

Yas hotel skylight lounge with Cuz Kemp

Dubai harbor

Here is the view from the SAP office in Dubai. It's about 100 degrees outside, and the people in the boats have the right idea!

Welcome to Riyadh

This is one of those trips where you spend all afternoon and evening in taxis, airports, and immigration lines and get to the hotel too late to actually see any sights. So to show I am actually in Saudi Arabia, here is a picture of the store across the street from my hotel room, where you can see the arabic signs. I think it sells washing machines. Oh, the glamor of international travel!

Vacation over

I have stopped in Dubai on the way back from Africa.

Braai in South Africa

The last night of our South Africa tour is spent at the home of Martli and Phil enjoying an authentic South African BBQ. Phil is manning the "Jet Master", which we are figuring out how to import to the US.

Cape of Good Hope

We have made it to the bottom of Africa. You can't see it in the photo, but the wind is blowing 50 knots. I understand why the first sailors wanted to call this "The Cape of Storms".

Africa tour phase two: Cape Town

Here is Melane's report on her first day in Cape Town with Leila while Rick was still working in Joburg:

Just returned from an all day guided tour of the Cape area. We went out on a boat to see cape seals, went to a penguin colony, took a funicular to the top of Cape Point where we saw the lighthouse, had lunch at a beautiful view restaurant where baboons tried to steal our food, saw ostriches and snakes on the road, and went to the Botanical Gardens. We're tired, but it was a great intro to the area.

Ostrich steaks

A regular African staple. And Melané says, "can I please trade for Rick's lasagne?".

Arrived in Africa

Leila and I have safely arrived at the bottom of the world. Due to a massive screw up by Lufthansa, Melané had to stay an extra day in Frankfurt and will join us tomorrow. I see that my camera is still set in Northern-Hemisphere-mode, and will update the setting so the next pictures come out right side up.

Our chariot to Jo'burg

The new A380 - the double-decker bus in the sky.

Next business trip

The next business trip takes me to South Africa. I am currently laid over in Frankfurt, and you can see the Lufthansa logo in the background. But who is that in the foreground? Melané and Leila! This trip falls during Leila's spring break, so we are all going for two weeks. Get ready for lots of shots from the bottom of Africa!

Lisbon, Portugal

Now that my 20 country / 10 week tour is over, I am settling back into a more reasonable travel pattern of one trip a week. This week I am visiting Lisbon, Portugal, which resembles Southern California.

One year anniversary

One year ago on April 2, Leila and Melané arrived in Paris. To celebrate, Leila got a beautiful haircut and style.

Wine Expo

Twice a year about 1000 independent wine makers across France come to Paris for the "Wine Expo". You can taste the various wines and buy the ones you like. The stack of boxes on the right was our haul from the event!