I want my MTV.... No, Internet would suffice

What makes a place "a far corner of the world"? Is it a geographical location, the remoteness of a place? Is it the difficulty one has to endure to reach it? Or maybe the unavailability of tourist maps, pina coladas, and other amenities?

I think today it's none of it. It's the ease of access to the Internet.

There are only 3 places here in Playa Flamingo that offer any form of Intenet Access: 2 computers in the school (which are prebooked for weeks in advance), 1 computer in the "Spreader Bar" (which is always occupied by one of the half-drunken diving instructors; and yes, the sexual innuendo of the name is intended and supported by the pictures and sculptures of several scantly clad women in the bar), and 5 computers in the local "Internet Cafe" (which operates at "Hora Tica", which essentially translates into "We open and close when we feel like it"). On top of that, all of the access points here in town are dial-up - so if the local phone lines are down again or more than one information-hungry traveller tries to check email, the Internet is either painfully slow or simply unavailable.

By and large one could consider this as an advantage - part of the tranquility and charm of a place at the Pacific Ocean - but in reality I haven't felt that disconnected from the rest of the world in Tierra del Fuego, Ayers Rock, or even Southeast Asia. Sometimes it takes a week before I can check any mail at all - if a nuclear war would break out (Hasn't happened yet, has it?) I wouldn't know it for days. On a less dramatic scale: I have the hardest time making any arrangements for the continuation of my trip, staying in contact with fellow travellers, friends, and family. These days the Internet is my only means of communication with the people I know, the places I was at and will go to - the guest houses, the apart hotels, the hostels. Not having any access really constitutes a "far corner of the world".

From the classifieds:

Another week and a half here in Flamingo before my course is over. It won't put me anywhere near fluent, but I think if I add another two weeks of group classes in Buenos Aires, I should at least be able to learn all the different times and modi. Today I learned the imperative - no modus is more useful for insults.

Apparently the wind - which is the only thing that provides somewhat of a relief from the heat here - stops blowing in mid-February. From there on it'll be unbearable hot, so it's a good thing I plan on heading towards Monteverde and Volcano Arenal.

Best of luck to PaulCole in his new endeavors.

CatMorr loves me no more.

Being in debt is the new rich.

Quick shout out to Bean mom, Frank, And Kermit!