I'm not going to try to fathom the leap of logic in that last post.

Indie, this is a remote island. EVERYTHING has to be shipped in. Electricity comes from diesel powered generators. Water is abundant but the delivery systems are questionable. The local Government is inept and in deep trouble with the citizenry and the economy is going down the drain. The whole system is totally dependent on tourists from Japan and Korea and on the military bases. With the current economic slump that's hit Asia there are few tourists to pump money into the system. Added to that is the devastation from the typhoon last December.

It all adds up to an expensive place to live, but houses are cheap. It's a buyer's market here. I am renting a four bedroom home with three full bathrooms in the hills of Santa Rita. The owner wanted $1400 a month for rent but I talked him down to $900 and he pays for water (that's a big expense too). But that is how the market works over here. I expect my electric bill (haven't seen one yet) will run between $200 and $300 a month. You cannot live comfortable without air conditioning. There are five air conditioners in the house but I am trying to get by with only two of them running. It works well so far.

But there are compensations. This morning I came into work following a rain shower. As I topped the ridge I looked down into a green valley and my eyes followed a rainbow down into the valley to it's end among the trees. I squashed an urge to go running off insearch of the pot of gold and headed down towards the water. The other end of the rainbow ran down into the harbor, making me think of aquatic leprechauns. It was a gorgeous morning with the sun behind me and the island waking, fresh washed, from a long night.