“Bali Button” poster and was looking for models. Some girls agreed, getting  into the spirit of the game. Gary snapped away, always taking the lady’s name and phone number and promising to send her a free copy of the finished poster. Now, I wonder, who could he get to print it for him......

Since being in Southeast Asia, ML has been pondering the concept of  “tropical paradise.” She suspects this term springs from  the same marketing group that came up with the concept of “sunrise!” Tropical implies not only palm trees and white sand beaches but also heat, humidity, jungle rot, and biting insects of all descriptions. Where, exactly, she demands, is it written that paradise must be made up of palm trees, sand, bamboo and coconuts? Paradise, as far as she is concerned, contains none of the above ingrediants. Instead, it is made up of pine trees, hills or mountains, crisp air, and streams or lakes. Seashores qualify but only if they are incredibly windy, wild and expansive. Coming indoors from such an environment to find a cozy fire (and maybe a Guinness) is, in her view, the ultimate paradise.

Besides taking advantage of all the conveniences of Australia, we’ve been enjoying its physical beauty as well. We did a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef where we snorkled in crystal