Pete arrived only a few hours before I did.  I insisted on taking a cab from the airport as I know how much fun it is to fly for twelve hours, drive for twenty minutes and then turn around and go back to the airport for another forty minutes of driving.

This year Pete has rented a house in a “quiet” residential area of the island.  He and I will share it until Thursday when his brother Dave and his wife arrive.

I give the cab driver the address and he scratches his head.  “It think I know where that is,” and we’re off.

Twenty minutes later he drops me off at the address – but it doesn’t look right.  The street name is right and the numbers are right but the vicious dog and the rusted Toyota pick-up in front of the darkened shack are not!

I don’t risk the dog and pull out the cell to call Pete.  It turns out I’m on the wrong side of a big loop.  A minute later and the champ pulls up in his rented Grand Caravan.  He takes me to a nicer neighborhood and all things are right and true.

We’re both bagged after the long flights and it’s an early crash.

At around one in the morning a young woman from next door began sneezing.  I mean she was really blasting away.  Probably seven to ten solid brays.  I managed to fall back to sleep for another hour or so before the same neighbor's dog began to bark – really loud.  Then the neighbors tried to quiet the dog down by bellowing at her “SHUT UP!!”  They also had to add some commentary: “Don’t know what’s wrong with that stupid dog?”  This went on for a while but I finally went back to sleep. 

We planned to swim the course this morning at six.

We were both up at five.  Pete had also been woken by Sneezy but hadn’t heard the dog. 

We were down at the pier by six.  It was already pretty crowded.  Pete talked with Paula and Paul for a while (they were very proud of their $69 Wal-Mart bikes) and then it was into the water.

By the time we got out of the surf the real gong show had begun.  I’m with Pete on this one – if you’re not in the Olympics – leave the Speedos at home – especially if you’re sporting a few extra pounds and black socks.  I may need counseling.

Pete has asked me if I’m going to do the underwear run.  I hadn’t considered this.  A trip to Wal-Mart for some fashionable briefs may be in order.