Slack…I haven’t written a blog since October. Except I’ve not really been slack, in a nutshell since October we’ve sailed from Langkawi to Phuket, we spent a month up there cruising the national parks and the islands north of Phuket.

I successfully completed my STCW course at the Gallileo Maritime Academy at Yacht Haven, Phuket (Standard Training Certificate in Watchkeeping), which is necessary to get a job on a super yacht. Oh, and I resigned from my job at Fisheries NZ. My leave without pay was coming to an end, and realistically, I’ve got unfinished business here. The time was right.

We had to spend some money in Thailand. We ordered a new suit of sails, a new mainsail, and a headsail at the cost of a decent car (we’re going to sail so fast up the Red Sea…to windward). The water-maker also needed serious attention, with a new membrane and guages.

Next, we sailed back down to Langkawi (over 3 days) to enable us to leave the boat safely back at Rebak Marina while I flew back to NZ to be with my mother who has been unwell. It was a very special time with Mum, my brother from Adelaide, my uncle and aunt from Melbourne, and all my Timaru cousins and special friends.

From Christchurch, I flew to Sydney, where I met Angus, and we had four days with our youngest daughter, Rachael, who was graduating from a warfare officer’s course. She’s been studying in Syney for 6 months with the Australian Navy. It was a proud day for us! Sydney was great. Lots of walking, swimming, and a delicious dinner at a Lebanese restaurant with an old work friend and her husband.

A long overnight flight back to Langkawi, and away we go again. We’re back in Thailand, after another beat to windward to get here🙄 but some nice stops along the way.

We’re gearing up for our first Christmas away from NZ in many years and our first Christmas in a Buddhist country. We’ll have one of our children with us. Rachael arrives on the 21st for a week. On Boxing Day, we’ll remember what happened right here when the tsunami struck 20 years ago, killing so many thousands of people and devastating so much of SE Asia.

I’m so relieved to be away from the NZ Christmas hype, which places so much pressure on people, both financially and mentally. It’s so exhausting! I was listening to the radio in Malaysia, where 80% of the population is Muslim. A simple message was being broadcast, which resonated with me. “Be compassionate and be present.” Have a restful and happy holiday season, whatever your beliefs.