Boston -> Turks and Caicos, Providenciales

Renewal.

First off, I must remark on the wonderful climate shift there is, going from the frigid New England Coast to the balmy Caribbean. Is this even real?  Turks and Caicos has a surreal feel to it, but we have been met with warm weather and even warmer smiles here.

On the way to our modest accommodations (I use the term loosely, since our fellow travelers/vacationers have more beautiful and swanky beach-side establishments), BB and DB commented on a recent trip their friends had taken to Iceland.  It was a family who rarely travels, but they opted to go to a frozen tundra in the middle of winter to ice climb and hike on glaciers.

"Why not go someplace warm?" they exclaimed, relishing in the warmth of Turks and Caicos.

Why indeed.  T&C,PLS reminds me much of home, but MUCH flatter, and everyone here drives on the wrong side of the road.

"Iceland has one of the highest literacy rates in the world," I commented, drawing on random college trivia memory banks.

"Well, they do spend a lot of their time indoors.  That makes a lot of sense."

In the tropics, I'm certain the literacy rates are lower when there's so much else to do.  I'm reminded of the constant pull I felt to go outside and enjoy myself when I was studying in college and medical school in Hawaii as well.  The competing interests of learning and relaxing outdoors... UGH!  In many ways, living in Boston is a blessing as a resident where I can feel warm and cozy and guilt-free while studying and writing in my clinic charts.

Well, I'm off to relax in preparation for my learning later!

Signing off,
CP.