Tavern of the Seas

On a sunny Monday afternoon, Miss C became "Mrs. Phibius". This is Friday night, and I'm posting from a little hotel between Bantry Bay and the Lion's Head - Cape Town. On the basis that we'ld like to see somewhere...

• Very different to anwhere that either of us has previously been
• Exceptionally beautiful
• Warm and sunny

...we'll be spending the next few weeks touring southern Africa, with a side trip to the Seychelles. Two days in, we'll soon be leaving Cape Town. So far: we've met a crocodile (not quite as dangerous as it sounds, because we ordered it "well done"), seen a beach full of penguins, and been surrounded by baboons (again, safer than it sounds, on account of we jumped back inside the very nice new Mercedes that Avis gave us).

Alpha male gives us a meaningful look

The scenery is, as advertised, of exceptional beauty (Camps Bay, the Cape itself - thank you, Mr. T). We haven't been swimming yet - partly because of the cold (Atlantic Ocean), and partly because of the Great White sharks (Indian Ocean).

Us, parked at the Cape

This is a beautiful country, full of possiblities. However, there runs everywhere a strong undercurrent of tragedy... I'm sitting in the airconditioned comfort of a very new Mercedes Kompressor, but outside, the shacks of the shanty towns blur past.

Obsession

It may be that I’ve been taking my work just a little too seriously – this morning, writing a note to Miss C, I found myself using scientific notation humorously.  Yes, I know…

In my defence, it has been a rather fraught week, professionally speaking: I need to solve a fairly significant accuracy “issue” which is holding up development on an interesting new Device (a secret Device, at least for now).  This is a very mathematical issue – my favourite kind – and I’ve had my teeth in it for a full week now (metaphorically speaking, but only just…).  

It has reached the point where my default mental state is to have my head full of geometric shapes and equations.  Walking, driving, eating – dreaming, now – it doesn’t stop.  I cannot put this problem down – or, possibly, vice versa.  Obsession has two faces: (temporarily) a mono-maniac, yes, but also doing my very best work.  It’s a fascinating condition to be in.    

I weighed in a kilo lighter this morning… down one trouser size over the last few weeks.   Coincidence?