Jan. 12 - When we planned our vacation to southern Okinawa, the travel brochures we previewed all featured photos of brilliant seas under bright sunny skies. The day we arrived, however, Ishigaki's palm trees were buffeted by strong winds under overcast skies. Our second day brought heavy rain and winds, but we looked forward to improving weather since the culprit was a typhoon passing us by to the south. At least we were not directly in its path, we thought.

Suddenly this typhoon turned back towards the west moving inexoriably closer. The powerful storm brought strong winds, heavy rains and rough seas. Our resort became more and more deserted as guests scurried home and incoming guests cancelled their arrival plans. Ann and I spent a great deal of time in our room, at the exercise gym or in the lobby reading books and listening to music.

We realized that bad weather is a part of life. Without the fresh water brought by the rain, we could not enjoy the fresh sugarcane from the island's farms. Instead of the outdoor activities we had envisioned, we participated in indoor sports. Thanks to this typhoon, Ann and I enjoyed playing ping pong together for the first time ever in our 23-year marriage! We also learned to respect the power of nature.

Until next time,

Jim