A quick summary of where the last several weeks have gone:
– I got a 160gb Firewire hard drive for my laptop. This pretty much solved the “where do I put my photos” problem with a vengeance. Between this, my old iPod and my laptop, I have more than enough room for anything digital. I’m also sending DVDs with photos burned onto them back to the US.
– I got a 12-24mm lens for my camera. This should be much better for taking landscape and wide-angle photos. I’ve been using only one lens up until now, an 18-200mm lens. I found the limits of what I can do with it on Rennell. It can zoom, but it’s not really a zoom lens. I would have failed on my national geographic assignment. I’m already thinking ahead about what I’ll do in Africa. I’ve read about places that rent out camera equipment. Renting a huge zoom lens is probably my best bet. I’m certainly not going to buy one and lug it around the world.
– I also purchased a second laptop battery. This should make it easier to do stuff away from the grid. It was an issue on Rennell.
– Amy sent me two pairs of ExOfficio boxer briefs (the official underwear of Everything Everywhere). Seriously, these are the best purchases I have made for this trip.
– I got my epic flying mount and got my hunter alt to level 70.
– Read about seven novels and “Punctuated Equilibrium” by Steven Jay Gould.