To Ron and Apollo Users: I've retired and moved to Fiji, where I expect to remain more or less full time (with occasional visits to the U.S., I expect). Fortunately, Apollo reaches this distant locale just as easily as it did Maryland. (At right: The lovely beaches of Fiji are a ten hour flight from Los Angeles or up to 26 hours from London.)

Unfortunately, the situation for gay men here is far behind that in the U.S. The "gay scene" is essentially either flamboyant fagginess, with swishing hips, outrageous hair-dos and so on, or nothing. I'm sure there are lots of closeted men who appreciate the hugs of other men, but they are pretty much invisible. Alas.

But the good news is that the Government here, while a temporary military dictatorship, has just taken a very welcome stand on gay rights. Or more correctly, on Human Rights, including sexual preference. Naturally, all the religious fanatics are frothing at the mouth with venom and rhetoric. But as always, who suffers from frothing mouths? The frother or the innocent passerby with a smile on his face (perhaps even a mirthful grin)? So there's progress being made.