New Caledonia, New Zealand, Australia

I arrived to New Caledonia in the afternoon and the temperature was over 100 F. It was already an evening and it was still very hot and humid. The hotel with the courts were right by the beach. It was very convenient to walk and there was really no need for transportation. Everything was available withing a walking or jogging distance.

I would go for a jog almost every morning while I was there. I ran along the beach a few miles, rest a few minutes and run back. There were a lot of topless women tanning on the beach, so it was not a bad run at all.

The first match of qualies I played the next day and I didnt feel good at all. I wasnt adjusted to the heat and I lost in straight sets without real fight. From the side, it might have looked like a tank, but I was in real pain from the sun stroke and couldnt make more than two steps after I hit the serve or return.

After the match, I decided that I would stay and get some sun and practice for a few days before going to play ATP qualies in Auckland, New Zealand.

Christmas in Portland

After coming back from Japan, I stayed in Portland for a whole month doing a lot of training. The most amazing thing that happened during the Month of December was the snow. The arctic storm came from Alaska and it started snowing a week before Christmas and wouldn't stop. It became so annoying becuase it was hard t0 drive and the dirt was everywhere.
At night the temperature would drop and everything would freeze, during the day everything would melt and turn into a massive flood.
I couldnt make it to the practice a few times because of intense snow fall. I started hating it after a few days and felt like going somewhere warm.

I planned on going to Canada to see my brother and his family but the last minute I decided to go play a tournament in the southern hemisphere. I flew to New Caledonia on the New Year's Eve to arrive there on the 2nd of January. I lost 19 hours in the process. The snow and cold weather were left behing.