Martin Morse Wooster, Silver Spring, MD, USA

I read The Antipodal Route and thought you did a good job. Three comments:

* I know what you mean about preserving the noises of Australia. I spent a spare day in Adelaide going to a nearby national park, where I walked around listening to birds and relaxing. I stopped in the local branch of the Australian Wilderness Society and said that I wanted to buy a CD with birds on it but I did not want New Age music or guitars. Well, what happened when I got home but I got a CD with...guitars! I don't think I've heard this CD twice.

* As for flying, I'm not scared of it like you are but dislike it and try to take the train when I can. However, when I flew to Australia crammed into my economy class seat, I couldn't sleep because the woman next to me decided to spend the whole 16 hours reading. I didn't mind her reading a Bujold novel. But having to stay awake while she read slash fiction was a little too much...

Especially if she read it aloud …

* All right, why don't Australians root for their sports teams? Does this mean Something Dirty?

To quote Family Guy, “that means it’s good.”