Hi,

>Sounds interesting. I know that a lot of folks get what is euphimistically called "Island Fever" but I'd think that in that area of the world that you could easily hop on a plane and got somewhere else for a few days.

Many mainlanders do have that problem here, but i don't...guess after living on the sailboat, an island of this size seems plenty big. I do miss my US friends and family, tho - I usually only get back once/twice a year (it's expensive and a LONG trip). People do go to Guam/Tinian/Rota for the weekend. There are often airline specials to Palau, Australia, Bali (a friend is in Australia for a 5 day long weekend right now). A huge Chinese owned gambling casina opened recently on Tinian, and that is a big draw for some (not me).

Japanese tourists are drawn to Saipan for the (1) golf courses, (2) shopping and (3) WWII sites and monuments. Oh, beaches and water sports also.


>Did you sail by yourself or with others???
Mostly it was my partner and myself...we owned the boat together. It was a great trip ;-).


>When I was 16-18 I worked as a deckhand on the yacht my cousin was the skipper of. He's a Master if I correctly recall. I really ejyoyed that time in my life. Allwe ever did was motor to Catalina and sail back but it was still a lot of fun.

How big was that boat? you took paying passengers? Catalina was our first stop, after leaving the San Franciso Bay area...I spent 11 days on board w/out going ashore, baked bread, eased in to the cruising life...I found I loved it all...was never bored. If I didn't get seasick, I'd still be doing it.


> While a 40 footer isn't a small boat most folks don't really understand just how huge the ocean is and when you 800 nautical miles off shore and having some difficulties it can be ..er.. energizing. <g>
YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN...at times it seemed like a big boat...other times, a speck in the ocean (which it WAS).



>Are you folks both in the US tax system but exempt from it then? I'd sure like to declare Kaysville, Utah as a US Trust Territory then. *bg*
As a self employed person, I pay US self employment, social security, etc. And local income taxes. The situation may change here, but until recently there was a boom economy - and most people were refunded from 50-90% of their tases! Now, what w/the "Asian economy crisis", tourism is way down and so are the gov. coffers....so it's changing. But the rates are still relatively low, and things like interest on US treasuries is not taxable. I pay a 1.5% gross business revenue tax.


> How do you get hardware?
There are a few computer stores here...I purchased my first desktop, a Gateway, from a local vender, since i wanted local servicing. The box was more expensive than in the states, of course, but it's paid off (as in when my monitor died and they were here w/a replacement in an hour). I order other things over the internet - fortunately we are in the US mail system...things take a bit longer to get here, but the postal rates are the same as w/in the US. It's more of a problem if the Internet company won't ship USPS. My computer lives in air con...and is still going strong after 3+ years. (My stereo, which does not live in air con, is not so happy.)

I have a fairly slow connection, but do download software often...

You grew up in S. CA. and are now in Utah? that's far from the ocean ;-)!

Take care, J