The first time that I'd ever heard of "dengue" was when a virtual assistant living in the Philippines disappeared for two weeks while working on a project for me.

When he finally checked in, he apologized and said that dengue fever had made him so sick and weak that for over a week he could barely even get out of bed. So, I vaguely familiarized myself with the disease.

The next time that it came into focus was when I visited the Philippines 12 years ago, and the mosquitoes were so plentiful, and AGGRESSIVE, that my wife and I were forced to sleep under mosquito netting! We'd wake up each morning and the netting would be COVERED with dead mosquitoes. The couldn't get on us, but refused to get up, and clung to the netting which was suspended on supports around our bed... until many of them simply DIED!

Reflecting back on my Air ...