EYE of the World Crew Journal - Amanda

The End.

2011-04-19T03:21:00.000-07:00

I've been assembling this post in my head for the past few days, and I'm still not quite sure how to sum up the past ten months, and what I've learned in that time, into a single entry.

Since returning home, people have asked me a variety of questions: What was your favorite stop? Did you have any bad storms? Did you see any sharks? What was the grossest food you ate? How often could you shower? Did anyone get seasick? What did you do for fun on crossings? Did you really sail on that boat? Are you glad to be home? What did you learn through all your traveling?

I feel fortunate to have met, traveled with, and gotten to know the people I did. Traveling in such a unique manner and being able to immerse ourselves completely in the locations we visited was incredible. The main thing that I've taken away from this trip is just to get out there and do it. Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try new things; push your limits and they expand. Learn what's important to you, and do something with it.

And now for some of my favorite pictures and moments from this adventure. :)

The WTP approaching Bora Bora.

Searching for the elusive cannons on Bora Bora.

No better place to watch the sun set than from a boat.

Oftentimes, living on a boat required being slightly acrobatic, like when we tied up to these Navy barges in American Samoa.

Moored in Tonga; no whales in sight.

Waving to so many excited Fijian schoolchildren from our scooter!

Exciting and long crossing to Cairns, Australia.

Shaking hands with a baby kangaroo, at the Cairns Zoo.

EYEotW crew atop Cook's Lookout in Cooktown, Australia.

Hiking up Lizard Island, and enjoying the limitless blue water.

John Butler Trio concert, in Darwin, Australia!

Wing-on-wing, heading to Indonesia.

Anchored off Maumere, Indonesia.

Dolphins loved to play at the bow, and we loved to watch them.

Holding (or being held by?) a flying fox at the Bali Zoo! This was so cool!

We jokingly (in a very unamused way) called this part of our voyage 'Lake Indonesia.' There were many long, hot days of motoring.

Hanging out with Siswi the orangutan on Borneo. She liked elbows.

Found a tall building in Johor Bahru, and went to the roof.

Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur... huge!

Lots of steps and a giant golden statue mark the entrance to the Batu Caves.

Our blackberry is an often overlooked device, but it was crucial!

Dragon Boat racing in Singapore. The sound of drums echoed off the buildings and gave these competitive races an ominous sound.

This statue, reminiscent of the Galapagos, is at the Singapore Zoo.

Leaving Johor Bahru and Singapore, but first we have to make it under this bridge! (...We made it.)

Kitten, whom Martin and I shared during our time in Pangkor.

Navigating a decrepit and crumbling walkway on our way to the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden, Malaysia.

Our faithful dinghy, it served us well.

Making friends in Thailand.

More friends in Thailand!

Thai cooking class! (We have successfully prepared this dinner here at home, I might add!)

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand. Beautiful and quiet in the morning.

Lightning- and storm-filled crossing to Sri Lanka.

Most favorite thing we did in Sri Lanka - rescuing 6 puppies from the harbor using a duffel bag!!

One of the most amazing things about Istanbul was standing near the Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet Square, and hearing all the calls to prayer start at nearly the same moment and echo through the city.

We explored so many cave dwellings in Göreme, and even found some hidden rooms and cave paintings! (Also it was really cold!)

Camel wrestling is a sport none of us had even heard of, and it was intense.

The Baltic Sea, frozen. (Side note- swans are mean.)

Krakow, Poland is such a beautiful city. Plus Polish food is delicious!

Prague is a city with quite a few bridges.

Vienna, home to Martin, and Manner wafers.

Beautiful, beautiful country.

We had to get across the Atlantic somehow.

This is the moment I had been waiting for with the most anticipation - being reunited with my dog. I am extremely happy to report that he didn't forget me, and we have been inseparable. He's sleeping next to my feet as I write this. Best dog ever!

Dinos Part 2

2011-04-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

As promised, it's Dinos Part 2! While traveling with EYE of the World, I enjoyed getting emails from friends and family. I even received a few pictures of the other dinos, and here they are.

Kelly's dino getting cozy, waiting for eggs.

Frozen forever?

Mohawk dino sits next to a mohawk.

My mom's dino meets a tree frog.

Hanging out.

Something isn't right about this dino*...

*This is my mom's dog, Griffin, in his dino costume. No animals were harmed in the making of this picture, only embarrassed.

My dino on my last day in my apartment, before joining the EYEotW crew.

Back home again, sharing some of Baron's food.

Dino challenges Isis, my cat.

... Isis defeats dino.

My Dinosaur

2011-04-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

As the end of our adventure comes into sight, I am reminded of the friends I will be seeing soon. I am also reminded of dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs. I gave a small plastic dinosaur to each of my friends and family with instructions for them to take pictures of their dinosaur in various locations (home, work, school, travel, anywhere). I kept one dino for myself, and he has been with me on this whole adventure, either hanging by his tail from a peg in my bunk on the boat, or in a pocket in my backpack. That is, when I wasn't taking pictures of him. Here are some pictures of my dino, on his own EYEotW adventure:

Dino on the plane from L.A. to Tahiti, where I joined the crew.

Dino in a bank on Bora Bora, where Adam, Alan S., and Will got their deposits back right before we left French Polynesia.

Dino, enjoying some peanut butter and toast on the boat.

On our way into American Samoa, Dino dodged explosives! (Not really, but it was marked on the chart plotter!)

After a long night watch, dino gets some sleep.

Dino doing some laundry.

Dino has fun at a Tongan feast.

Dino LOVES blueberry pancakes!

After hiking to the top of Lizard Island, Dino needed some stability help due to the high winds.

Dino says goodbye to Sri Lanka, on our last train ride from Galle to Colombo.

Dino, relaxing on a train in Poland.

To be continued?...

Prague Zoo!

2011-03-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

While in Prague, we made a trip to the Prague Zoo. Even though it was kind of cold and rainy, it was still a fun day. One really cool thing about the Prague Zoo is that visitors are allowed to bring their dogs inside! Human tickets cost 150 koruna, and dog tickets are just 20 koruna! The zoo is full of nice walking paths, and seems like a very nice place to walk your dog and see lots of cool animals. I bet my dog would love all the new smells!! Here are some of my favorite animals from the zoo, and by favorite I mean these are pretty much all the pictures that I took.

Bright pink flamingos, most standing on one foot and sleeping with their head tucked under a wing.

Black Vultures, just hanging out.

This one should be familiar... Bald Eagles!

I had never seen the Steller's Sea Eagle before. They were very vocal, and had really big, bright yellow beaks.

An owl, who must be saving this snack for later so the other owls couldn't get it!

Next came the children's section of the zoo, with a barn and some common farm animals, including these gigantic pigs!

There was also a pen of goats, and visitors could climb in and feed them what looked like corn puff cereal and pet them. This little baby goat had no problem being held, especially because he got first dibs on all the food in my hand.

Cat complex! The tiger on top was just walking around, not even noticing the tiger down below who was in stalk mode and very focused!

I had heard of a Jaguarundi before, but had never seen one. They are small, just slightly bigger than a housecat, and brownish-black in color. This one even had two little kittens!! The mother kept a sharp eye on the Jaguarundi in the next pen; even though they were separated, she hissed when he came too close to the wire in defense of her babies!

Buffalo, one of my favorite animals!

The Prague Zoo made use of natural features, like this rock face, in the mountain goat enclosure.

Zebra, trying to stay out of the rain.

The male gorilla looks very pensive.

This little guy looks just like a giant hamster, and was sprawled out comfortably on a rock.

This ocelot was in the middle of lunch when I walked by.

Nap time for this Bat-Eared Fox.

African Grass Rats looking cute.

African Pygmy Mouse also looking cute.

Finally, polar bears! One taking a quick break from cleaning his feet, the other sleeping with a paw wrapped protectively around a toy.

The Search for Used Bookstores: Krakow Edition

2011-03-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Once again I was on the hunt for a used bookstore, in Krakow this time. I finally finished the massive seventh (and final) book in my series that I obtained way back in Australia, and was ready to lighten my pack further.

I found a really useful website, called the Bookstore Guide, that lists many used bookstores throughout Europe. In Krakow there was listed a place called 'Massolit Books and Cafe.' I headed over there one day, and found an awesome place with many rooms of books, and a cafe to boot! I was able to sell my book for 12 złote, and my pack has much more room.

I'm down to one book now, and I think that one should last me until I get home!

Contemporary Art: I Don't Get It.

2011-03-03T03:30:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed visiting museums while in Warsaw, not least because they provided a place to warm up after walking around in the cold! Many also had a free entry day, and I was able to plan explorations around those days. And of course, the exhibits, paintings, and artifacts were very interesting to learn about.

One museum I visited is called the Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej, or the Center for Contemporary Art. It was nice to walk around, but I must admit that I don't really get contemporary art. It was fun creating my own interpretations, though. Here's some of the things I saw during my visit:

A big room with clips of deer running away projected onto the walls.

This giant wooden fish was suspended from the ceiling, and the blue light reminded me of a light saber.

This green table was my favorite exhibit. It's winter now and most things are covered in snow, so I think I just miss the color green!

Also there's a circle of tiny sheep on it!

This display reminded me of my friend Megan, who likes both bikes and the color yellow.

Stairs going nowhere?

This reminded me of my cats, because it looks like a giant hairball.

This Language I DO Know

2011-02-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

In previous countries it was often obvious that I was a foreigner and therefore probably didn't speak the local language. Here in Poland though, I blend in a little more. So well in fact, that sometimes people will start up a conversation with me in Polish, to which I reply, 'I'm sorry, I only speak English!' However, this morning I went to a place here in Warsaw where I knew the language- a coffee shop.

Filtry Cafe was recommended to me by some locals I met while staying at a hostel. They said that if I wanted good espresso, I should go to Filtry. So I did. I've worked in a couple different coffee shops, and I really enjoy both the environment of cafes and drinking delicious coffee. Walking into a coffee shop is a comfortable experience for me. There's the immediate smell of coffee, the sound of espresso beans being ground, the hiss of a steam wand as the barista makes drinks. It's all very pleasant, and Filtry Cafe was a great place to get some things done this morning! The americano and chocolate-banana muffin didn't hurt, either.

The Search for Used Bookstores: Warsaw Edition

2011-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

My third day in Warsaw turned into a search for a used bookstore. But, surprise! I was looking to sell this time, not buy. When you're carrying everything you have on your back, the goal becomes to make it as light as possible. I picked up a series of seven books in Australia, and was only on book four when we left Galle. In my stubborness, I decided to carry the remaining books with me and sell them as I went.

I finished book four and passed that on to Matt. Pack lighter. Book five was really big and a hardback to boot, but I finished it in part thanks to the many hours spent on buses in Turkey. I was able to sell it (for a measly 5 lira) at the Book Bazaar section of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. (Apologies for not writing a post about that experience; the Grand Bazaar is a really cool place, and I only discovered the book bazaar on my second to last day there! Probably a good thing...) Pack lighter still.

On to book six, which was about half the size of book five (but still heavy in the bottom of my pack.) The series is one of my favorites (yes, I have read them before... I like rereading good books!) but the incentive of a lighter pack is also hard to deny. Any spare moment spent on a bus, I read; I also enjoy reading at least a few pages before going to sleep at night. I finished book six in the Ukraine, but couldn't find a place to sell it. So I packed it for the trip to Poland, hoping to find a good used bookstore but telling myself I would take it no further than the city of Warsaw.

So, once settled in a hostel, I began planning where I wanted to visit in Warsaw. It was easy to work in some used bookstores; there are interesting things scattered all around the city and lots of little side streets to walk down. I ended up finding and going into more bookshops than I intended.

The first one I went to didn't exist. Well, maybe it does, but I couldn't find it and people in the area hadn't heard of it. The second one I happened upon purely by accident. It was very cluttered, as only the best bookstores are, but the owner didn't wish to buy any books. Understandable, considering the piles of books she already had. There was even a small English section.

The owner of the second shop wrote down an address for me, but I barely glanced at it. I was still finding my way around and hadn't gotten the layout of the city just yet; if I deviated from my route I might get lost. I would look up the address that night and go to it the next day. Little did I realize that the address was on my route! Streets change names almost every block it seems, and I was on the street with the third bookstore without even knowing it! Sadly, this was a new bookshop only and they didn't buy used books, either. But I was directed right across the street and behind a bus stop, where I was told there was an actual used bookstore!

This seemed promising, but the owner kindly informed me that they only bought antique books. When I inquired about the existence of a used bookshop in the area, he said there was one right around the corner... but he also owned that one and wasn't really interested in my book.

I soon passed another chain bookstore, this one called 'American Bookstore.' I went inside. I can't help it - I love books. This one was stocked entirely with English language books, and although there was a number I would like to read, I'm in no hurry to add more weight to my pack when I've worked so hard to make it lighter.

It was getting darker and colder by the minute, so I decided to head back to my hostel (with a stop on the way for dinner/a lesson in Polish at Bambino Milk Bar). One last bookstore caught my eye, but it wasn't because of the books. There was a cat, sleeping on a stack of books! I went inside to pet him, and got a sleepy purr in response.

In the end, I donated my book to the hostel I'm staying at. It's a new hostel and they already have a collection going; hopefully someone will pick it up and enjoy it as much as I have. The weight will be in their pack then, not mine!

No Words

2011-02-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

When we decided to stop traveling on the WTP, I had mixed emotions. Part of me was glad. It meant that we wouldn't have to tackle the many long crossings still ahead on our route, including those infested with pirates; there would be no more storms to battle; we would get to see a bunch of cities in Europe; I would see my dog sooner. An equal part of me was incredibly sad. I miss being rocked to sleep at anchor, the dolphins playing at our bow, getting better at manning dock lines, and yes, I even miss the surge of adrenaline that comes with being on deck during a storm.

On the flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Istanbul, Turkey, I was contemplative and prone to short spells of 'sorry, there's just something in my eye...' The sense of things being unfinished was strong and it was tough to think about continuing onwards by land, even though I was also genuinely excited about where the road would take us in Europe. Matt and I had to leave because our visas expired the next day, but even so the temptation was there to get back on the train and return to Galle, and just keep sailing. Once in Istanbul, I found myself still noticing things that matter greatly when you're living on a boat - dark clouds, the wind, the price of pasta - but not so much when you're living out of the pack on your back.

It eventually became easier to think of ourselves as land tourists, but I still miss the days of stepping onto land after days on the boat. You just feel so awesome. There's a certain sense of pride that comes from not showering in days, getting woken up in the middle of the night for your watch, and donning foulies when the weather gets wet. As sailors and cruisers I felt that we were miles apart from the 'regular' tourists who shared some of the same destinations as us. They could go back to their hotel room, take a hot shower, and get into a clean bed. Most times, I rushed through a cold shower, was content to find a cold Coke, and returned at night to a bed that never seemed to get completely dry. It was great.

Another big part of cruising was the community we instantly became part of. We saw the same boats and the same people, and we all got to know each other. From Australia to Thailand we hung with the same pack. We were the youngest crew, and received much good-natured teasing because of it; a fellow sailor told us that we were known among the other boats simply as 'the Americans.'

That sense of community, and really knowing what it's like to live on a boat and have it be your home, makes the news of the s/v Quest hit that much harder. The four aboard - Scott and Jean Adam, Phyllis Macay, and Bob Riggle - were captured when their boat was hijacked on February 19th off the coast of Oman during their crossing from Cochin, India to Salalah. Today, February 22, all four were killed by the pirates. Details are surfacing of what happened, and I expect more will continue to emerge in the days and weeks to come. Knowing details won't make this news any easier, especially for their families and friends. I can only hope that the other boats currently making this crossing, or those planning to make it, will take all the precautions they can and make it safely to wherever their destination lies.

Bambino Bar

2011-02-22T02:11:00.001-08:00

'A bar?! What is the EYEotW crew thinking, going to a bar and posting about it?' Well, dear readers, I have been going to a bar. A milk bar.

A milk bar, or bar mleczny, is a place to get fast, good Polish food for cheap. They're a holdover from the days of communism, and were created by authorities as places for workers to get a cheap meal between shifts. There are still many of them today, and even one on the posh Nowy Swiat, an upscale road that runs through the middle of Warsaw to the Old Town.

The one that I like the best so far is right around the corner from the hostel I'm staying at, and is called Bambino Bar. The ladies who work here are a bit more cheerful than at other milk bars, and the guy at the register even speaks English. But speaking English isn't the point of my frequent trips to these delicious eateries. The opposite, actually. I have a mission: by the end of the week, I will be able to go into a milk bar and order dinner. Entirely in Polish.

Here's the main obstacle to this mission: the menu. It's huge (which is good, because it means more food to try) but it's also in Polish, which is a confusing language with a lot of crazy letters tacked on to words. There's a lot to learn and I better get started right now... with lunch.

To be continued...

Istanbul Revisited

2011-02-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

Our lap of Turkey was complete once we arrived back in Istanbul. It was nice to come back to a city I already knew because I could look forward to seeing some favorite things again, and going back to places I missed the first time around. In Istanbul, I:

Went into the Basilica Cistern, and tried to take a self portrait in the dark.

Found one Medusa head, sideways. (Look closely, she's smiling.)

Found the second Medusa head, purposefully placed upside down.

Stayed with a friend who had a cute cat named Tika.

Appreciated good color schemes.

Watched tiny bunnies eat corn on the cob, and then petted them.

Tried ayram. Didn't like it. Gave it to a cat.

Went on a walking tour of some of the city's mosques; this one was smallest.

Forgot the name of the smallest one.

Looked up at the main dome in Süleymaniye Mosque.

Looked up at one of the little domes in Süleymaniye Mosque.

Followed a well-worn path into Şehzade Mosque.

Decided my camera doesn't do Şehzade justice.

Tried to capture its magnificence again anyways.

Was happy to see people still praying in Fatih Mosque amid the scaffolding.

Was startled to see cars passing under the the Valens Aqueduct.

Observed a cat sleeping in a weird spot.

Found a fenced-in park where cats can run free!

Admired the often overlooked Million Stone.

Read a book in the sun in Gülhane Park.

Was confused by the presence of parrots in Gülhane Park.

Found out where cats are grown!!

Ate some Turkish delight.

Ate a durum döner.

Watched the sunset light up the Hagia Sophia.

Admired the Blue Mosque from far away.

Listened to the Call to Prayer as the sun set.

Finally saw a Kurdish Van Cat!

... And her kittens. :)

Istanbul is a busy, vibrant place with lots of rich history and culture. Turkey is an amazing country, and I would love to come back and spend even more time here someday!

Selçuk

2011-02-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Selçuk was our fourth town. We were actually headed to the city of Izmir, but ended up staying in Selçuk the whole time. It was smaller, quieter, and very nice; I learned the little shortcuts around town fairly quickly. And after Göreme, Selçuk felt downright hot! It was really nice to walk around in just a fleece jacket, and feel the sun warming my face. Plus, we saw lots of amazing things! In Selçuk, I:

Petted a camel.

Witnessed a camel wrestling match.

Held a puppy!

Learned about Turkish carpets.

Reveled in the beautiful weather.

Sat on the one remaining column of the Temple of Artemis.

Saw a bunch of turtles that looked like they were swimming in split pea soup.

Walked to Ephesus.

Enjoyed the tranquility under an ancient stone arch.

Explored Ephesus.

Joined a German tour group for a bit. (I love this picture.)

Stood in the Great Theatre.

Wondered what the Library of Celsus would be like, full of manuscripts.

Really stood in the Romans' shoes... in the public restrooms.

Found some cats.

Found another cat!

Found MORE cats!!

Pretended to be Roman on Curetes Street.

Pretended to be a Roman statue on a pedestal.

Enjoyed the sunset on the walk back from Ephesus.

Selçuk, a beautiful place to spend quality time outdoors. To be continued...

Göreme

2011-02-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

Göreme was our third destination in Turkey, and one that I was very excited about. From the pictures and information I'd seen during my research of Turkey, Göreme looked like a truly amazing place. I was not disappointed!

Göreme is a town built of caves. In the center of the city, hostels, shops, and homes are built right inside these amazing, freestanding, pointed caves, called 'fairy chimneys' by all the guidebooks. Outside the city, there are many valleys and hills filled with these caves, free for the exploring. Matt and I set off one morning to walk around in one such valley. Although we were stopped by a rather long drop at the end of our chosen valley and had to walk all the way back up it, our feet numb from the cold snow, this was really an amazing place. To have the freedom to walk in and climb around such ancient cave homes is just really cool! In Göreme, I:

Was really cold.

Followed lots of random bunny paths.

Saw some horses.

Discovered some cave paintings depicting angels.

Hiked around in the snow.

Investigated a really dark hidden room accessed through a tiny hole.

Stood in an ancient cave church.

Slid down a hill. (The fastest way down.)

Explored a valley.

Next time, Göreme, I will visit in the summer. To be continued...

Ankara

2011-02-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

After Istanbul, we headed to the capital of Turkey- Ankara. We met an absolutely wonderful Turkish family and stayed with them, and felt just like part of the family. I persevered through Aydin's repeated attempts to feed us delicious food until we couldn't move from the table, and managed to get out and explore this awesome city. In Ankara, I:

Got a bird's eye view of the city from the Atakule Tower.

Marveled at the symmetry of the Kocatepe Mosque.

Sat and enjoyed the silence inside Kocatepe Mosque.

Meandered through the Anatolian Civilizations Museum.

Took in the view from the top of a hill, where remnants of a castle stand.

Made a snow mouse for a stone cat.

Visited Anitkabir... twice.

Learned the history of Atatürk. (He's pretty awesome.)

Made friends with a guard?

Saw the Column of Julian.

Was confused by a clown building.

Went shopping in a mall that had a giant fishtank.

Waved to the American Embassy!

Ankara, what a great capital city! To be continued...

Istanbul

2011-02-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

Our first stay in Istanbul lasted one week, and during that time we attempted to plan the rest of our stay here. We also took plenty of time to do some exploring. It's easy to get lost in this huge city (it's split between two continents, even!) but with a little landmark recognition, trial and error wandering, and helpful Turkish people who are good at exaggerated hand motions, I was able to get a pretty good feel for this vibrant city. While in Istanbul Round 1, I:

Wandered the streets, people watching and observing daily life.

Made friends with stray dogs.

Browsed the colorful night markets.

Was silly in an art museum.

Learned that stray cats like to stay warm by becoming part of window displays.

Found the Galata Tower.

Crossed the Golden Horn via the Galata Bridge.

Ate delicious food.

Saw the Hagia Sophia.

Was awed by the interior of the Blue Mosque.

And Istanbul was just our first stop! To be continued...

My Turkish Family

2011-02-08T03:31:00.000-08:00

Our time in Turkey has been wonderful so far, and it's not even over yet. We stayed in Istanbul for a few days and did some sightseeing while planning the rest of our time here. I definitely wanted to go to the Cappadocia region; the rock formations looked amazing. Another city that looked interesting was Selçuk, as it is home to the ruins of Ephesus. We supposed that a stop in the capital city would be worthwhile, but shortly debated skipping it. Good thing we didn't.

Ankara turned out to be a very nice city, with lots of interesting museums and places to wander. But the main reason I loved Ankara so much came from the family we stayed with.

Candost was technically our host, but as he lives with his parents the whole family because our hosts. Candost goes to university but this is their two week break period, so he had lots of time to show us the interesting things around his city. He put together a list, and one by one we checked the destinations off it. We started with Atakule Tower, where we could see all of Ankara.

The Anatolian Civilizations Museum was next, where he patiently waited for me to finish reading everything and taking lots of pictures.

He drove us through the twisting back alleys on our way up to a high hill, where remnants of a castle stood.

We visited Anitkabir twice, and the second time his mom came with!

We sat together in the beautiful Kocatepe Mosque and enjoyed the silence.

We entered the 'jungle' of Tunali Street, where it's a constant traffic jam with pedestrians constantly crossing the road.

His parents are terrific. His mom, Aynur, made us dinner the evening we got there. It was 10:30pm and she still threw together tasty pide for us to eat! That was just the beginning, too. Every morning we all ate Turkish breakfasts together, consisting of bread, cheese, olives, peppers, omelettes, and Turkish tea. Every evening Aynur made delicious meals, with soup (yogurt with rice and mint, yogurt with thyme, lentil, and tomato), bread, salad, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, meatballs, rice pilaf, chicken, potatoes, cheese samosas, and more I can't even remember. One night for dessert Aynur whipped up a homemade tiramisu, and every dinner was followed with Turkish tea and fruit. She would often override (or selectively not hear) our protests that we were too full for thirds or fourths and continue piling food on our plate. It was so good we always finished it, regardless of how stuffed we were!

Kadir, his dad, told us about how both he and his wife are retired microbiologists. He was a boxer in high school, and pictures of him with an arm raised in victory in the ring adorn the wall near the stairs. He was concerned when we told him of our plans to visit Göreme. He assured us that it was all closed and it was far too cold; I think they just wanted us to stay longer. (Although he was right - lots of the town was closed and it was really cold!) But, he knew we were going there next, and so he gave each of us one of his old warm winter coats; mine is bright orange. It has been invaluable!

One thing that makes Turkey so great, beyond the beautiful land and most delicious food, is that the people are extremely welcoming, friendly, and willing to help. Candost, Aynur, and Kadir were the epitome of this Turkish hospitality, and meeting them definitely made my trip to Ankara (and Turkey) better. Before we left, Aynur and I hugged. "I love you!" she said. "I love you too! You're like my Turkish mom." "Yes!" she replied. A great family, and I'm so glad we were fortunate enough to meet! :)

Galle to Istanbul: 4100 Miles

2011-01-27T13:39:00.000-08:00

All packed up and farewells said, I prepared to begin the journey from Galle, Sri Lanka to Istanbul, Turkey.

As we left the harbor for the last time, my faithful retinue of dogs surrounded us, and proceeded to escort me out the gate. These guys were always super happy to see me and would sprint my direction whenever they saw me approaching. Maybe it's because I fed them whatever snacks I had carried for that very purpose..

This little guy was my favorite. He was there every single time I entered or exited the harbor, and was so sweet!

Matt and I boarded the train to Colombo, and were favored with fine weather and beautiful views of the ocean.

We hung out in Colombo for the rest of the day, then made our way by bus to the airport. After a stressful time convincing the airline that our bags really would fit in the overhead, we boarded the plane with relief. Our first flight took us from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After a short layover we boarded our second and last plane to Istanbul, Turkey. This flight took us over a wide variety of landscapes, from deserts to snowy mountains to the green forests of Turkey itself.

Finally, we arrived! After a short shuttle ride, we were deposited in the bustling Taksim Square.

Hello, Turkey, Europe, and cold weather!

Martin!

2011-01-22T01:54:00.000-08:00

This is Martin. He is from Austria, Europe. We first met him in Luganville, Vanuatu at a small cafe; we were each using the wifi there and I was enjoying a particularly good chocolate muffin. We saw each other next in Darwin, Australia at Dinah Beach, and again at Danga Bay in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. We spent the most time together when our WTP and his Anima III were hauled out in Pangkor. He and I both love cats, and we even shared a kitten between boats during our time there.

Everyone on the WTP was very happy every time we spotted his very pretty boat at the same place we were. Our last night on the boat in Galle, Martin made a delicious farewell dinner on his boat and both crews enjoyed a lovely evening of reminiscing. The next morning Matt and I shouldered our packs and balanced our way down the lego-docks one last time. It was very sad to say farewell to Martin, but it wasn't goodbye. Until we meet again, Martin!

Change Is On The Wind

2011-01-21T00:35:00.000-08:00

The s/v William T. Piquette has been the constant for me in this journey. The boat was my home, it was where I returned to every night. It was where my bed was, where we cooked and ate meals, watched movies and played card games, went spinnaker flying and swimming, had friends over to hang out and talk late into the night. Another constant has been the water. Wherever we've gone, we've arrived by traversing oceans, bays, straits, and even rivers. And while I usually greeted the sight of land with joy, it always felt right to push the dinghy away from it and go back out onto the water, heading home to the boat.

My life has revolved around this boat for the last eight months. That sounds strange to me because before joining Eye of the World in Tahiti I had never sailed before. It was an unknown way of life, and an unknown way of travel. I have definitely learned an incredible amount over the past 9500 nautical miles. I can raise, drop, pack, and reef sails; check fluids and start the engine; hold a course at the wheel; refill fuel by siphoning it through a tube; drop and raise the dinghy; pick up a mooring; drop anchor and set the snubber. I finally mastered the windvane, and overcame my nervousness at docking; I even looked forward to it. I can cook a delicious meal while the galley and everything in it is rocking madly. I've learned to see the wind on the water and feel it on my face. I can hold us on course in storms when it's most important. And before the WTP, I had no idea any of that existed, let alone that I could and would do it all.

I believe our decision to continue overland is a good one. The piracy situation in the Gulf of Aden and beyond is growing worse, and although boats may pass through just fine (and I sincerely hope they all do!), the consequences of not making it through are dire. With the time we have left, we will be able to see much more by traveling overland, fully immersed in the cultures of the cities we travel through. And our heading remains the same: due west.

Life on the boat has been amazing. Sometimes it hasn't been easy, but it's always been exciting and challenging. I have pushed myself and gotten out of my comfort zone, only to find that zone expanding and my confidence increasing with the new experiences. I have met great, inspiring people and made new friends, witnessed so many breathtaking sights, and seen a plethora of exotic and wonderful animals. Although I'm sad to leave the boat, I will approach the next part of this adventure with the same attitude I had when I stepped on the WTP in Tahiti, and embrace it fully.

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 6: Encore

2011-01-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

Of course there's an encore! Animal SOS is such a great place, especially because our little harbor puppies are there. The walk to the boat definitely feels emptier without them.

In the days between visits, I had some time in which to gather a few toys. Adam is quite good at breaking flip flops, and the remaining flops had just been taking up space on deck. They were now soon-to-be puppy toys. On one of the last crossings Matt spotted a ball floating in the middle of the ocean. He turned the boat around and we picked it up. That was also to be a puppy toy. Finally, I spent some quality arts and crafts time making monkey's fists out of spare line on board. I imagined the puppies playing tug-of-war with each other and figured this particular knot would be difficult for them to untie or destroy with their sharp little teeth.

I felt like Santa on Christmas morning when I entered the puppy pen with my plastic bag full of goodies! The puppies were excited just to have a visitor, let alone one who brought them fun things!

The ball was first. They seemed a bit confused when it kept moving on its own, but they all pounced on it anyways. It's too big for the puppies to bite but that's probably a good thing. For now they can just awkwardly try to climb on it!

The flip flops were also very popular, because they are small and light enough to be carried around! But, I fear they will soon be in pieces.

Finally, the monkey's fists. These were very popular and excellent for tug-of-war; four puppies can all tug on one at once! Plus, watching a tiny puppy try to carry a big rope toy up steps is very comical.

The puppies were very excited with their new toys and played for awhile. They ran all over their pen, growling and barking at each other and chewing on everything (sometimes even my shoes, which were NOT puppy toys). Eventually, they grew tired and all they wanted was a lap on which to take a nap. I had such a lap, but could only fit three or four puppies at a time.

Here's Coffee Black, who is looking very much like Mama dog! She's still very sweet and smart, and Debbie (the shelter's manager) told me that a Sri Lankan family recently came to find a dog and applied to adopt our own Coffee Black!

These puppies certainly aren't the only dogs at Animal SOS, and while I did spend a lot of time with them, I also hung out with the other dogs. Animal SOS sits on a big chunk of very pretty land, and there are well-worn paths through the grass that mark the dogs' favorite paths.

Even though there is a lot of space to run around, the dogs still prefer to lay around the shelter's buildings, because that's where the people are!

My last trip was a day trip only, but this time there was room for me to spend the night! There are plans for Animal SOS to rent a house, which would allow the full time, long term volunteers to have a quiet place to go to each night, and would also free up space for shorter term volunteers to stay on site. I was warned that it could get loud at night, especially because it was almost a full moon. The dogs did bark a bit, and a couple times put on lovely howling concerts, but I was able to get some good sleep. Plus, when I woke up in the morning I was greeted happily by the pack!

This is George. He's my favorite, other than the puppies, because he is super clever and laid back. He snuck into the kitchen on my first visit and was eating out of the big bowl of food before it was dinner time! He's very good at slipping past you as you open the gate to go inside, and once inside is also very good at seeming innocent. When I let him into my room on purpose, he immediately jumped on the bed and curled up. His tactic for trying to stay inside is a good one: when I tried to pick him up to put him back outside, he rolled on his back and went limp to make it more difficult!

George again!

This is Fraggle. He's a small pup with huge ears, and even though he's a little guy he bosses the big dogs around! Somehow he ended up in the puppy pen (probably snuck in at feeding time for a late night snack) and spent the night trapped with the harbor puppies!

Some dogs get to stay in the apartments with the staff. These two live in Debbie's rooms. The black one (Funny Fing) she brought in as a puppy because he was battling a bad virus and was in rough shape, and he needed the extra attention. The tan one (Blondie), was living there when Debbie arrived and refuses to leave!

When feeding time rolls around, mayhem begins. The dogs must be put in cages according to size and behavior. This is Nanda's specialty. He's the resident dog whisperer and knows which dogs to put where. The dominant dogs get put in individual cages. The younger and smaller dogs get put into one big cage together. Smaller groups of adult dogs that get along go into the sheds to await their dinner. Nanda hoists dogs into the air and deposits them into the correct pen, or instructs others to help by pointing to dogs and motioning which cage they go in (it's too loud with all the dogs barking for talking to do any good).

Here's a pack of younger dogs waiting for dinner. It's a challenge trying to put a dog in, because while you're getting one inside three will escape!

The dogs get dry dog food (biscuits) for breakfast, and a veritable feast in a bowl for dinner. Seriously, their food smelled delicious! Every day a giant pot of rice is made in the morning so it has time to cool before dinner. Along with the rice, a pot of ground chicken, pumpkin, onions, cassava, lettuce, garlic, and more dry dog food is prepared. Every dog gets a bowl of this mixture, still warm from the stove! Nandini and Latta are the chefs, and you can tell the dogs love their meals based on how quickly they eat it!

Here is Doc, eagerly awaiting dinner.

The dogs at Animal SOS are awesome to hang out with. They're all friendly and just want to be loved on, and maybe sit on your lap for a bit. The people who run this dog haven are equally as awesome. It takes a lot of work to just take care of the dogs day-to-day, let alone work every day to accomplish their mission: educate people about animal welfare, provide medical attention including surgeries, spay/neuter and vaccinate street dogs, and rescue even more puppies and kittens and provide a safe place for them to grow up. A big task, but certainly a very inspiring and significant one for Sri Lanka. Check out the Animal SOS website and the Animal SOS facebook page!

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 5: The Happy Ending

2011-01-13T03:43:00.000-08:00

It has been a week and a half since the puppies were smuggled out of the harbor and deposited safely at Animal SOS. Walking through the harbor just hasn't been the same without seeing the six of them sprinting toward us at top speed. I missed them. So I called the shelter and made plans to go hang out and volunteer!

When I arrived, the puppies were still in their cage inside the clinic, above another cage containing five other puppies. I played with them inside for a long time, and also made friends with the resident one-eyed cat, Boris. Boris (a girl cat) climbs up and down the cages and loves playing with all the puppies. The puppies liked to run directly at her and then hop around her in circles, barking. For her part, Boris just looked at them and occasionally tried to rub her face on them; she even lets them chew on her ears!

That very day the puppies were scheduled to be moved to an outdoor pen. The pen is set a little ways back on the Animal SOS land and is gated off from the main pack of dogs that have the run of the property. This would allow them to be outside and have more room to run and play, plus the two cages of puppies were being combined to form their own puppy pack. Eleven puppies!!

Here's what their new home looks like from outside:

And here's the view from the inside:

Ok I'm kidding, but that is how most of my pictures turned out. Here's what it really looks like:

The puppies were very excited to have company in their new space. I sat down on the bench, which prompted the puppies to try and get up to sit next to me. They're still pretty little and needed some help. I obliged Two Spot here.

This pen has many amenities, including a tree in one corner. At the base of this tree is dirt. Very quickly, paws became muddy as they started working on digging a hole. (Very important puppy business.) Air Bud looks so innocent but the evidence is all over her feet!

The stairs were also a very exciting new feature; they enjoyed running up and down them at the only speed puppies know - as fast as they can. They're all clumsy but determined, and even a stumble down a couple stairs couldn't deter them from trying it again! Here's Three Spot, victorious at the top.

Although the puppies knew I was there, every time I stood up it was like they had momentarily forgotten. They swarmed my feet excitedly and it was hard to walk around!

Eventually it was feeding time. That was a sight to see! Three trays of food were brought out, but instead of spreading themselves out evenly, all eleven finished the first tray, moved to the second and inhaled that, and finally demolished the third. Gone at light speed!

After dinner, it was nap time. Two Spot and Skinny Brown curled up right behind me in a pile. Skinny Brown used to be the shyest and hardest to catch, but she was jumping around me for attention more than any of the others! She's become so friendly!

The stairs also make a good napping spot, as Air Bud and Big Spot can attest to. Three Spot is more interested in my camera...

... or maybe he just wanted the top step.

And now for the Coffee Black Collection. All these puppies are adorable and personable, but CB is still my favorite! She's very smart, attentive, and incredibly bouncy. She liked to lay close to me. Really close!

So cute, look at that face!

Paws make good pillows.

Eventually it was time to go. There were 150+ other dogs to play with and feed, and our puppies were tired out after their first day playing in their new, bigger pen. Animal SOS is an awesome place full of dogs who all want to sit in your lap, be held, play, or at least bark at the new person! I think a trip back may be in order. I don't think I can stay away from this...

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 4: Puppy Smuggling

2011-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Our happy days of cavorting with puppies recently took a turn for the scary.

There are many, many stray dogs in the harbor, around Galle, and I can only assume Sri Lanka in general. These dogs wander the streets and are often terribly skinny and covered in fleas and mange. Many are very friendly (especially if you have food) and we see the same dogs around the harbor every day. However, the locals treat these dogs with complete disregard, and sometimes violence. We've heard that the crew of some cargo ships that come into the harbor will actually catch and eat the dogs roaming around; the friendly ones are the easiest to catch. One construction worker told us that there used to be a very friendly female dog that the workers would feed and pet; she was one of the dogs caught by such a crew.

Some of the personnel from the harbor (we're not sure what their job is or who they were) recently took notice of the attention we gave to the puppies. For whatever reason, they decided to catch one of the puppies (we're also not sure if it was one of "our" puppies or a different one, as there are many litters around the harbor) and abuse it right at the end of the dock, in plain view of all the boats tied up there. We weren't on the boat during all this, but our neighbors on the dock were and told us about it. These people obviously did this because they knew we loved the puppies, and they were trying to get back at us for some reason unknown to us or just to feel big.

We were, of course, very angry when we heard this. These puppies had only just learned to trust us, and now there were people hanging around who had no problem hurting them for no reason at all. The only solution (besides enlisting six new, furry crewmembers on the WTP) was to take the puppies to safety. I did some research and learned there was an animal shelter a mere 40 minutes away. The name of this shelter: AnimalSOS. It was founded by Kim Cooling, from London, after she saw the horrible situation of stray animals in Sri Lanka. AnimalSOS operates from a large plot of land in Midigama, where they take in strays, give medical attention and regular meals, and most importantly spay or neuter them. Most of these dogs live the rest of their lives at the shelter, although the organization also operates an adoption program.

With this destination in mind, we set about planning our trip. The harbor is surrounded by a tall concrete wall, with a gate at the entrance; we must show our shore pass upon entering and exiting. The guards (some armed with guns) are required to check this pass and also search our bags, to prevent us from importing any goods we've brought from the boat into the country. They had never checked our bags before but we thought carrying six puppies out might cause a problem.

Our solution: Puppy Smuggling.

I had a duffel bag big enough for all the puppies, and our plan was to load them into it and see if we could get out of the gate. Hopefully they would be still and quiet long enough for us to get past the guards. If that failed and the guards forbid us from taking the puppies out, Adam was going to take them behind the bathrooms near the harbor's encircling wall, while I made my way out of the harbor to the other side of the wall at that same spot. Then, Adam was going to throw the bag over the wall, and I would catch it. We were very determined and vowed that nothing would stop us!

We packed the puppies into the duffel bag, leaving it unzipped until we were close to the gate. We approached the gate. Only three guards, fewer than normal - good. The puppies were quiet. We handed our passes over. The puppies were still quiet. The guards made small talk while they recorded our information. A puppy whined. One guard looked behind me, convinced himself that was where it came from, and looked away. We breathed a sigh of relief. The guards were sure taking their time with our passes. More puppies started whining, and then barking. All the guards looked in my direction, at the bag, and then asked the inevitable question: "What's in the bag??" I calmly responded, "Puppies!" The guards grinned a little and looked puzzled. "We're taking them to the vet for shots!" I said. One guard walked over and motioned for me to open the bag. I opened it the tiniest little bit, one puppy stuck her noise out, and I moved to zip it back up, reasoning, "We have to keep it closed or they'll all fall out." The guards continued to look extremely puzzled... but handed our passes back! We were all free to go, puppies included!

Once outside the gate we called Upa, our tuk-tuk driver. While we waited for him I opened the bag so the puppies could get some fresh air. A local woman in a nearby shop noticed the puppies and came over to where we were sitting. She asked to hold one of them and we obliged. She then asked an odd question: "Any boys?" I was ready for this, though, and told a white lie: "Nope, all girls!" She handed the puppy back and returned to her shop. While perusing the AnimalSOS website, I had read that locals prefer male dogs... because they don't have puppies, and one dog is all many households want. They may not physically have puppies of their own, but an unneutered male dog is just as much a cause of unwanted litters as an unspayed female dog. And, as the majority of stray dogs in Sri Lanka don't seem to be spayed or neutered, there are many unwanted, uncared for litters that grow up to have litters of their own. Eek, what a huge project AnimalSOS has tackled!

Upa arrived and we all clambered into his tuk-tuk. The puppies, who had grown up next to a construction site, responded calmly to the noise of traffic around them. Most of them even fell asleep!

After a few wrong turns and stopping to ask for directions, we found the bumpy back road that led to AnimalSOS, or the 'dog house' as many of the locals called it. An apt nickname, I think! While waiting outside the gate I grew nervous. What if the shelter was full and they turned us back? I had emailed the contact on the website a few days ago, but as things in the harbor had escalated we were bringing the puppies in before we technically had the go-ahead. My fears were unfounded though. Debbie, the shelter manager, opened the gate, took one look at the puppies in the tuk-tuk, and said, "Well, let's each grab two and take them inside." Hooray!

We were greeted by a chorus of dogs barking as we followed Debbie into the intake room. Once there, the puppies were placed on an examination table, where Debbie conducted an intake exam. She checked them for ticks and signs of mange, and declared that they looked pretty healthy. She then gave them each a dewormer pill (Adam and I helped administer these). Three Spot managed to spit his out twice, and then just held it in his mouth until it foamed up and dripped out! Debbie then sprayed them each with a flea and tick spray, and transferred them to a cage in a seperate room for their first few days. The puppies have roommates, though, in the form of another litter of puppies and the shelter's three resident cats!

After a long, exciting journey from their home in the pipes at the harbor, they had arrived in their new home, safe and sound!

And don't worry, this Puppy Saga isn't over yet. AnimalSOS loves volunteers, and I'm going to visit the puppies there! I will keep you all updated! In the meantime, check out the AnimalSOS website for more information about this awesome organization!!

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 3: Official Introductions

2011-01-06T02:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes real life goes faster than the rate at which I can get posts up. This is one of those times. It has certainly been more than a week since I wrote Volume 1 of this saga, but it took less than the promised week for all six puppies to be fully converted. All six started off as scared pups who ran into the nearest metal pipe when they saw people approaching. By day 5 they were running to meet us as soon as they could see us, a herd of tiny furry things, furiously wagging their tails, ears flapping with each step. They often tried to follow us back to the boat, but being puppies tended to get distracted along the way.

Now, I would like to introduce all six of "our puppies," as we affectionately call them:

Three Spot - The only male of the litter, this little guy fearlessly became the first of the puppies to trust us. He is extremely playful and often tackles the other puppies, growling in mock anger. He is very easily distracted and often drops what he's doing to go explore, only to come running back excitedly like he'd forgotten we were there.

Coffee Black - Coffee Black (named after a character in Will Ferrell's 'Semi-Pro) is the smartest puppy of the bunch. She's very curious about everything she encounters. She is often the first puppy to notice us, and leads the pack as they run to meet us. She's my favorite because she's adorable and awesome (and maybe because she looks like Baron).

Two Spot - This girl is friendly and shy. She will rush up to sit next to our feet to be petted, and she likes to lick and chew on our hands. She's always wiggling around and her tail is always wagging!

Air Bud - She earned her name by resembling the golden retriever from the movie 'Air Bud.' She likes to be petted, and sort of likes to be held. When we pick her up to transport her onto the boat, she constantly makes cute grunting noises while stretching out awkwardly. As soon as we set her down, though, the tail starts wagging and she's off exploring!

Big Spot - I know, our names are so creative! When we first saw all 6 puppies, we chose to distinguish them by their markings, and the names stuck. Big Spot has a wiry coat like his mama. You may also notice that black line on her back leg... she got a little too close to some oil on the boat! She took a while to trust us, but once she decided we were alright there was no going back!

Skinny Brown, aka Mario - This cute little girl was the very last one to trust us, and is always the hardest to catch for the puppies' field trips to the boat. When avoiding us, she runs into the nearest pipe, hence her name - Mario (as in Mario and Luigi!). Her first name was Skinny Brown, although for this picture she had just finished a big meal of tuna and was quite rotund! She's very sweet, even if she is still a bit shy of us!

Needless to say, I often find excuses to walk past the puppies' pipes to play with them. They are incredibly cute little guys!

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 2: Making Progress

2010-12-30T01:10:00.000-08:00

Of the six puppies, 3 have been completely converted. Two of the white ones and the black one run to greet us every time we walk by their pipes. The mama dog, featured in this picture, is still a little leery about us. However, she's warming up due to the food bribes that we supply her with, including crackers and the squid chunk leftovers from Matt's fried rice. The other three puppies are still shy, but if we're quick we can grab them. Lately we've enjoyed having these tiny puppies as guests on our boat, and have discovered that they absolutely LOVE tuna, and will make a variety of fun noises when presented with a bowlful.

Galle Puppy Saga - Vol. 1: Discovery

2010-12-27T05:40:00.000-08:00

Many of my recent posts have featured cats. I've decided to change tack and focus on another adorable subject: puppies. Here in Galle Harbor there are many, many stray dogs. Some are friendly and some are skittish. All of them bark at us as we walk back to the boat at night, guarding the random buildings in the harbor. At the far end of the harbor, which is closest to the dock where the WTP is tied up, there's a pile of long metal pipes. Puppies live in these pipes.

We noticed them our first day here, and there are six of them. They were all very scared of us and ran back into the pipes. However, we managed to snag the white and brown spotted one in the picture, and I held him for a while. I would estimate their age to be 8-10 weeks. They are still very young, and I think they can get used to interacting with people. I imagine that with a little patience and positive attention, they will soon be running up to us, excitedly wagging their tails.

I give it one week.

Siamese Cats Everywhere?

2010-12-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

Stray dogs and cats are prolific in every country we visit. And if they're friendly, I will pet them. Most times, animals are unused to people actually wanting to approach them, and they respond accordingly. They usually act a little afraid first, and are hesitant to get too close to me. I usually squat down and hold a hand out for sniff-inspection. It is at this point that a dog or cat will either shyly stick around (prospects of petting good) or run away at full speed (prospects for petting zero). When it becomes clear that I mean them no harm and and might actually be nice, their demeanor changes.

The dog or cat in question will slowly come and smell my hand for a bit. Once I pass the sniff test, a total change takes place. What was a hesitant, jumpy dog or cat turns into an exuberant, wiggling, purring or tail-wagging machine. It always makes me happy to see this change take place, and to give these oft-ignored animals some positive attention.

Here in Thailand, I was especially looking forward to seeing the local cat population. Thailand was once known as Siam, and this is where the Siamese cat breed originates from. There should be Siamese cats everywhere, right? Well, half of that statement turned out to be true. There are cats everywhere, but I only saw one that had the typical Siamese markings (the centerpiece of my Thai cat collage).

The majority of stray animals, cats and dogs, looked to be very well cared for. They were fat, friendly towards people, and dogs and cats alike even had collars. So, even though there weren't the herds of graceful Siamese cats I was hoping for, I still obliged as many of the local cat (and dog) population as I could by petting them, and taking their picture.

The Story of Almost Kitten

2010-12-10T04:37:00.000-08:00

This is Kitten. She was never given another name, because that would have been even more dangerous than letting her live on our boat for the duration of our stay on Pangkor. She was often referred to simply as 'the kitten,' not that there would have been any real confusion among us during that week.

That week at Marina Island was quite productive. The boat was hauled out, the rudder shoe fixed, the bottom scrubbed, two coats of bottom paint and a new layer on the bootstripe applied, a new prop fitted - even the gold pinstripe received a touch-up. One evening after a days work, a few of us decided to go out to dinner. Matt, Martin from Anima III, Adam, and myself walked almost a mile across a field, through an empty group of apartments, crossed a relatively busy traffic circle, over the bridge connecting Marina Island to the mainland, and down a street to get to our favorite char kway teow cart. Sadly, the noodle cart was closed so we decided to eat at Kopitiam instead, which was on the way back to the boats.

While heading back up the street toward the bridge, I spotted a black cat near the road. Of course I stopped to see if it was friendly; half the cats and dogs were, but half would run away if approached. This one was friendly, and I happily stopped to pet her as the other three continued to walk. She was eerily similar to my cat, Isis, with her sleek black coat and raspy meow. As I started walking to catch up to the others, I was slightly surprised to find that the cat was following me. I kept going, sure that she would turn around after a little further. Halfway across the bridge she was still following, often running to catch up to Matt and I only to stop directly in front of us, as if to get our attention. Now, I'll admit that I did walk slower than normal, and Matt and I would pet her when she caught up to us, so maybe we encouraged her a bit... but she was still very determined on her own to keep pace with us.

We got to the traffic circle and I finally capitulated - I carried her across. I figured she would follow us one way or another, so why not help her cross this dangerous roadway? Martin and Adam were already sitting down outside when Matt and I arrived, and Martin's face lit up when he saw that the kitten was with us. I guessed that she was about 7 or 8 months old, still young enough to be called a kitten. She hung around the table and on our laps as we ate, and Martin not-so-secretly snuck her pieces from his plate. When we finished dinner and starting walking back to the boat, she again ran to keep up to us.

Once back at the boats, we decided to see how she would do on Martin's boat. Since the boats were up on jackstands, we had to climb ladders to get onto them. Kitten purred while being carried up, and then confidently explored Martin's boat. After her brief tour, Martin laid out refreshments in the form of cold milk in a dish, and after sampling this she jumped up on a cushion and laid down, purring. It was like she had lived on a boat her whole life. I made a litter box out of a shallow plastic container that Martin donated and sand from a nearby construction site, and she used this litter box without fail the entire time she was on either of our boats!

It had gotten pretty late, and we left Anima III to go to bed. We climbed down Martin's ladder and up ours, watching to see if Kitten would look over the edge after us. She didn't, but she did get curious when she saw us up on our boat. Adam and I were on the WTP, and Martin was still on Anima III with Kitten. Staving off sleep for a little longer, we decided to fashion a bridge, or a catwalk (ha ha..), to see if she would cross to our boat. Martin held one end of a long piece of canvas and we caught the other end, holding it taught over the twelve foot drop to the ground. With only a little hesitation, Kitten walked across it fearlessly! She explored our boat for a bit and then we climbed down with her and back up to return her to Martin's boat for the night.

The next morning, Adam was very confused when he woke up to find Kitten on our boat again. Did Martin carry her across sometime in the night, or very early in the morning? He asked, and Martin said he thought Kitten had left sometime in the night. This would be difficult considering that she would have to climb down his ladder in order to leave... but that's EXACTLY what she did! And not only did she climb down Martin's ladder, she knew where we were and climbed UP our ladder to get to us on our boat! Incredible!

Needless to say, Kitten hung around our boats while we worked on them, and made herself quite at home on both of them. She spent most of her days sleeping on someone's bunk, on top of the sail bags, or sprawled out on the floor. When we left, we would just lock her up down below with food, water, and the improvised litter box. On one trip the the grocery store, I bought a small bag of cat food because the tuna didn't last long once it was out of the can. If we left for a day, she hung out with Martin. When Martin left to pick up crew in Kuala Lumpur, she stayed with us.

When it was time for the WTP to go back in the water and test the new prop, Kitten came with. She didn't seem to mind the engine being on, or even the motion of the boat on the water. She was a bit scared when we turned the blower on (a fan to keep the engine compartment cool) but she soon got over that. She walked around a bit, and then, apparently bored by the whole mess of sailing, went to sleep under the dinghy. We stayed on the dock right across from Martin that night, and Kitten went back and forth between our boats, equally comfortable on each. I think she liked Martin's boat because it had more places in the shade to sleep. And he spoiled her by giving her cold milk!

The day before we were scheduled to leave, we all talked about the pros and cons of having a cat on board. Yes, we almost decided to keep her. It was really close. But, we weren't sure about the rules involved with bringing a cat into the countries remaining on our route, and it was up in the air who would keep her upon our return. I have two cats already (Isis and Dart!) and I'm very happy with the dynamic that they and my dog (Baron!) have; I wasn't planning on bringing another cat into the mix. Another factor that weighed heavily on my mind was the possibility of rough weather and the dangers they posed to a small creature in a big ocean. It would be all too easy for her to wash overboard during a storm, unless she was locked down below. Things sometimes get hectic though, and it would be better for her to stay in Pangkor, where she'd lived her whole life, than to be faced with the chance of washing overboard.

With these thoughts in mind, crews from both Anima III and the WTP carried her back to where we found her - through the field, past the apartments and the traffic circle, and over the bridge. We set her down and walked to a nearby restaurant to eat dinner. When we exited the restaurant and started over the bridge to go back to the boats, we were split into two groups- Martin and everyone else. The big group walked around the corner toward the bridge and spotted a familiar black shape laying on a chair. We kept walking, looking back frequently to see if she followed. She didn't... until Martin rounded the corner behind us and passed her. Then she leapt off her chair and sprinted after him. He crossed the street to lose her, and she crossed it after him. He crossed it back and picked up his pace to lose her, and she followed him and ran even faster. It seemed that she really didn't want to stay behind!

She followed us the whole way back to our boat, this time on a different dock entirely than Martin's. Resigned (and not a little happy) I went off to fetch new sand for her little box, and Adam went to open hatches on the boat. He turned his back on her for 10 seconds and when he turned back she was gone! We thought she might be confused on the new dock so we set off to look for her, hoping she hadn't met the dog that hung around the marina. Then, lo and behold, we see Martin walking toward us holding a small black something. "I think you lost something" was all he said as he handed her over. Kitten had found her way to Martin's boat, probably looking for her litter box (or cold milk!).

Our plans changed, as they do, and we ended up staying in Pangkor for a couple more days. Kitten hung out on our boat during that time, and I really liked having her (I think we all did, Martin included). She was always sleeping somewhere cute, or willing to be held and purr contentedly. We all waffled back and forth on whether or not to keep her (it seemed to be definitely yes or definitely no depending on what hour of what day it was), but the original decision held. In the hour before we left, I got a car ride back to where we found her. I set her down in the grass and then got back in the car, and sadly headed back to the boat so we could shove off. It was terribly hard to leave her like that, but I know she'll be fine - she has been so far in her life on Pangkor.

Plus, there's still a chance she'll find her way back to the marina a third time, and spend the rest of her life sleeping on and getting spoiled by every boat that comes in.

Meet Chili

2010-11-20T02:07:00.000-08:00

Our spot on the dock at the Danga Bay Marina in Johor Bahru, Malaysia was the farthest away from the marina building, but closest to something more awesome- Chili Pepper.

The first time I saw Chili was while walking down the dock toward our boat, which was at the very end. Actually I heard her first, as she barked at anyone coming down the dock. I could often hear her barking in the middle of the night to warn her owners, Chris and Lynn, that someone was approaching.

Chris and Lynn are from South Africa and have been cruising for 12 years. They are pretty handy when it comes to boat maintenance, and work along the way fixing things for other boats. They used to have another dog many years ago, but she got seasick and didn't really like boat life, so they found a good home for her and went a few years without a canine companion. Having a pet on board can make clearing in to some countries a bit of a hassle and Australia has the strictest rules, so Chris and Lynn waited until they were already in Australia to get another dog. They got Chili, and it's very obvious how much they both love her.

Although Chili is only 6 months old, she's very smart and already knows sit, down, and shake. She has a turf grass mat on the bow of the boat for doing her business underway and will go up there even during choppy weather. In really bad storms, Chili stays out of the way down below and cuddles with her favorite toy- a stuffed monkey. She's very friendly with everyone and liked to play chase along the docks. She's also very useful for protecting her boat. Lynn said that many times people will avoid their boat if they hear Chili barking!

I often knew when Chili was on the dock because I could hear Chris saying, "Chili don't chew the dock, they'll ask us to leave!" or 'C'mon Chili, don't make me come get you." when she thought it was too hot to go for a walk. She was a very cute little dog, and I looked forward to going back to the boat because there was a good chance Chili would be there to greet me... and pee on the dock from excitement.

Manu: Street Fighter Turned Softie

2010-11-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

On our recent trip to the Singapore Zoo, I was watching the cheetahs being fed when I noticed one of the cheetahs staring intently into the water at the front of their enclosure. Two of the keepers went to investigate and when they returned I asked what was down there. One of them said it was probably a lizard, and from that initial question we struck up a very interesting conversation.

The keeper's name is Manu. He is short, very muscular, has a shaved head, and tattoos cover both arms and his neck. His job at the zoo: Big Cat Keeper.

Manu told me about his life outside the zoo, and how he used to fight a lot on the streets and be pretty confrontational. When he started at the zoo he used to work with other keepers, but it soon became clear that he didn't work well with others. He was banished (or so he tells it) to work by himself as the Polar Bear Keeper. He was surprised when he forged a strong bond with the only polar bear at the zoo, an older male named Nanook. He says he used to pet him on the nose and Nanook knew when Manu called his name. Unfortunately, Nanook died in late December 1995 from heart and lung disease. Manu visibly choked up when he told us that part of his tale. The zoo, knowing they had an extremely competent (if abrasive) keeper on their hands, transferred him to the big cats, where he became the lead keeper.

Now, Manu runs Big Cat Country, making sure all the cats - jaguars, white tigers, lions, cheetahs, pumas, and leopards - are happy and well-fed. He told me many stories, all of which were very exciting. Let me retell them:

Manu doesn't trust the jaguars, especially the female, Angel. She's very crafty and has actually escaped a couple times during zoo hours! Once, she launched herself through the small door at the top of her enclosure's cage roof after a junior keeper fed the jaguars through it. The junior keeper called Manu up the ladder, not telling him that Angel was loose. So Manu climbs the ladder and comes face to face with a jaguar! He calmly climbed down the ladder, and then told the two junior keepers that were still on the roof with Angel to choose - they could jump down and maybe break their legs, or stay up there and maybe lose their lives! Needless to say, they jumped and were fine (and they eventually re-caught Angel).

On the infrequent occasion that one of his charges does escape, Manu also has to deal with zoo guests. He told me of one time when Angel escaped (she's a troublemaker!) and how people wanted to go towards her enclosure to see her! Manu told them that if they wanted to get killed by a jaguar that was their choice, but would they please leave their children outside the zoo entrance.

He also told me a story about the African hunting dogs. Even though they're not big cats, Manu helps out all over the zoo. He and another keeper went into the hunting dogs enclosure to clean it. The male dogs thought they were infringing on their territory and their females, and moved in to attack. Manu and the other keeper managed to back away and out the door, but it was still an experience. Hunting dogs take their prey down by going for their legs first and ripping the muscles out. Then they move upwards, tearing out their victim's guts. And they hunt in packs!

Manu loves and respects all the big cats, and they respect him. He told me that the male lion, however, has a bit of a dominance issue. The lion thinks that Manu is trying to be the pride leader and steal his females, and doesn't like him too much. Manu said that if the lion were to escape, and he and I were standing next to each other directly in his path, I could feel perfectly safe because the lion would surely go for Manu. He joked (maybe) that he asked the other cat keepers to call him immediately if the lion escapes, even if he's at home, because he's sure the lion will come for him wherever he is.

Manu is so involved with the big cats that while he can name every single cat in the Singapore Zoo, he sometimes forgets family member's birthdays. But working with such deadly creatures has been a good thing for him. He says they keep him grounded and focused, and are excellent counselors. He plans on retiring soon but is worried that the next lead keeper won't measure up to his high standards. And while caring for the big cats does require a lot of attention, diligence, and knowing the big cats' every need, it also takes a good measure of confidence and bravery. So while the cats hold a special place in Manu's heart, he is definitely still one of the toughest guys in the zoo.

This Is For You, Baron

2010-10-26T00:20:00.000-07:00

My dog, Baron, is quite hairy. He sheds this hair wherever he goes - the floor, in the car, my bed, and on the couch (he used to sneak onto it when I wasn't home, but I've since resigned myself to sharing it with all my animals and their hair).

To help control the number of hairbunnies blowing around my apartment, I bought a set of hair clippers and started giving Baron haircuts. It was super fun to watch as all that hair came off in one fell swoop, instead of covering my apartment gradually. I think Baron enjoys having short hair as well, because it means he stays cooler when we play outside under the hot sun.

But I wasn't satisfied with giving my dog a normal haircut. He needed something extra, because he's just that awesome. So I started leaving a strip of longer hair down the middle of his neck and back. That's right - dog mohawk. If he ever got huffy enough about something to make that hair on the back of his neck stand up, he looked extra intimidating.

It's tradition for new sailors, called pollywogs, to shave their heads and swim around the boat (at least on the WTP; other boats have different rituals). After crossing the equator, pollywogs become shellbacks. I was looking forward to this milestone with mostly excitement, and a little bit of trepidation. Would I shave my head? I wasn't sure, but then I thought of Baron and had an idea. I wouldn't quite shave my head, but I would drastically cut my hair. (Sorry mom.)

I copied my dog, Baron, and went with his hairstyle - mohawk!

Siswi and Elbows

2010-10-18T03:52:00.000-07:00

Before our speedboat trip up the river to the Tanjung Puting National Park, we had a long conversation with Jenning. Jenning is the brother of Harry, who is the person in charge of the company we chose to take our tour with. While Harry takes care of the business side of things, Jenning takes care of the orangutan side of things.

He showed us album upon album of photos he had taken in the park of all the orangutans, each of whom he knows by name. He told us stories of how they like to steal canoes and paddle around the river using their hands, how he wrestles and plays with them, how the orangutans know him and enjoy his company. His favorite orangutan in the park is Thomas (brother of the dominant male, Tom) not because Thomas shows him any kind of attention, but because Thomas is wild.

The orangutan with the most stories, though, is Siswi. Siswi has been at Camp Leakey for pretty much her whole life, and has learned how to work the system. Jenning told us that we would definitely see her, because every day she lays sprawled out on the boardwalk that visitors must use to get into the park from the river. She's learned that good things are usually in pockets and bags, and Jenning warned us that she might pat us down and inspect our bags, so it's best to carry nothing.

As we disembarked our speedboat, we carried only our cameras. As we walked on the boardwalk toward the park, we spotted something dark laying in the middle a ways up. Sure enough, there was Siswi. We slowed as we got closer, and eventually stopped right in front of her. We wait. She waits. She slowly holds her hand out toward us. Our guide hands her an apple. She takes a bite. We are allowed to pass.

We make our way into the park, and watch a video in the information center. When we exit the building, there is Siswi again, sitting under a tree. This time we can get around her, but choose to stay and watch. A ranger asks if anyone would like to sit next to her. Of course I would! I make my way over to where she's laying and proceed to sit down next to her. She lays down. I lay down. She reaches over and puts her hand on my arm, just resting it there, not pulling. She finds my elbow and tugs on the excess skin a little. She scratches her own arm. Then she reaches out and puts her hand down halfway between us, and I put my hand in hers.

Siswi and I, now we are friends.

C'est Chaud

2010-10-15T21:43:00.001-07:00

On this last crossing, the WTP was not a sailboat. It was a motorboat.

We check what's called a GRIB before we start our crossings. GRIBs tell us what the wind will do, like direction and speed, and also show any high and low pressure systems we might encounter. As it turned out, there was much less wind than the GRIB we downloaded our last day on Bali predicted.

We timed our departure just right, even waited an extra day to ensure better winds. We needed to make it back up the Lombok Strait, which had proved tough to get down on our way into Bali, and that required good northerly winds. GRIB: downloaded and looked favorable. Boat: packed and ready. Crew: getting itchy to be on the move again. All the proper ingredients to set sail.

The current was against us up the Lombok Strait and sails weren't enough, so we started the engine. The boat made pretty good time and we enjoyed lovely views of the Bali coastline. Once past the island, though, things turned rough. Heavy clouds gathered and we prepared for a storm, which brought rain, lightning, and wind. At one point we turned back toward Bali to avoid the lightning! One rough night later things had calmed down. In fact, they calmed down a bit too much, contrary to what our trusted GRIB showed us.

We had a couple great afternoons of sails up and 6 knots, but other than that we motored. The whole way.* This is unfortunate for a number of reasons. When we motor, we use diesel, and refueling costs money. No wind means no cooling breeze, which means the boat gets pretty toasty, especially during any time the sun is visible. (I originally thought 'afternoon' but it starts heating up at sunrise.) My bunk is also right next to the motor and gets pretty hot, and going to sleep wondering how drenched in sweat you'll be upon waking is, well, gross. Usually if you can just make it to the sleep stage it's alright, but waiting to fall asleep while sticking to your bed is not the most comfortable thing.

Even with the heat and the motoring, some good things came on this crossing. This was our first run on a 5 person watch schedule, and I must say it's pretty awesome. The boat feels no more crowded but we all have so much extra time to sleep, and read, and sleep more. The sunsets were beautiful and most of our nights were clear, cool, and full of stars. And on day 3 we turned the motor off and took a swim break in the middle of the ocean, complete with soap and shampoo. But even with those nice moments, I can safely say we're all ready for the WTP to become a sailboat again.

*Edit: I preemptively wrote this post on day 4 of the crossing. Poseidon must have read it and gotten angry, because two nights later we got wind... and rain and wind and lightning and more wind. The storm hit roughly 10 minutes before my 3am watch, and Adam later said that when he went to drop the headsail he could feel the first front of the storm vibrate the forestay.

We dropped all the sails and put up the storm jib to ride it out, but did get blown a bit off course for a few hours. With sunrise came the calm we're used to, the wind having left us again.

That's the last time I write a post about no wind during the middle of a crossing..

Bali Zoo!

2010-10-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to visit no matter which country we're in is the local zoo. I enjoy seeing all the different animals, how each zoo is maintained, and the level of conservation and awareness each zoo and its keepers have. Yesterday here in Bali, Halley, Adam, and I took a taxi to the Bali Zoo (with a stop at Dunkin Donuts for a quick breakfast on the way!).

The Bali Zoo, like the Cairns Tropical Zoo, is more lenient than zoos in the United States about letting visitors hold and interact with animals. After we paid our entrance fee, we were immediately handed a cockatoo and a lorikeet that were stationed next to a table offering fruits and veggies to feed animals throughout the zoo. We declined the food trays, but did hold the birds!

One of the next animals we saw were these very rotund pigs. A couple were just lounging around, and this one was rolling in the mud. After his mud bath was finished, he ambled up the stairs and joined the other two laying in the sun.

These sun bears had very wrinkly, concerned faces and seemed to think that everyone was going to feed them. They stood up on their hind legs and stretched as far as they could, trying to see what was going on above their wall. They climbed up and balanced on their wooden trees to get even higher.

Next we explored the aviary, where toucans, cockatoos, parrots, peacocks, and a turkey(??) walked and flew around us.

The Bali Zoo had many varieties of deer, each tinier and cuter than the last. I think they must practice looking adorable all day, because they were experts. Halley and I made friends with one little guy who licked our hands through the fence.

Next was the petting zoo. We lasted 3 minutes in here because this deer at the entrance didn't seem to want us to go any farther. Halley had quite the battle just trying to leave!

There were many monkeys and apes, like gibbons, an orangutan, leaf monkeys, and macaques (just like the ones in Monkey Forest in Ubub that tried to steal Adam and Halley's water bottles!). This tiny Maroon Leaf Monkey was only a month old, and he liked watching us just as much as we liked watching him!

Ever since American Samoa when we first saw the giant flying foxes, I've wanted to hold one. They look like flying dogs and their wingspan is enormous, and it would just be super cool to hold such a huge bat. Well, the Bali Zoo made this wish a reality!! As I walked around the corner, a keeper next to a short tree with four flying foxes hanging out on it asked if I wanted to hold one. Of course I said yes! The keeper picked one up by his ankles and instructed me to hold my fingers out so he could grasp onto them (upside down of course). Once I was securely holding the flying fox, the keeper let go... and the flying fox swung up to grasp my forearm with his front legs so he could lick my arm! They really do look like dogs up close, but the others on the tree were grooming themselves like cats. Their claws aren't sharp but they use them to get around very well; their wings are leathery and their fur is soft. One little guy still on the tree was getting jealous of the attention the one we were holding was getting, and launched himself at my arm! Once the keeper put him back, he launched himself at Halley's head! Very cool animals!

I especially liked this tiger because he reminds me of my cat, Dart. :)

Many of the statues in Indonesia are wrapped in cloth. Even this horse statue at the zoo!

As we were all getting ready to leave and head back to the boat, one final keeper offered us a chance to hold another animal - a binturong, also known as a bearcat! Adam managed to catch an animal show earlier in the day and had already held one, but Halley and I had only seen them hidden away in their enclosures. This one was a baby and was very playful. He would wrap his tail around my neck and slide down my back, then crawl back up to my shoulders and roll over onto his back. His fur was very thick and soft and he had giant paws! An excellent way to end a fun day at the zoo!

Spinnaker Flying

2010-09-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

On Adunara, we visited the tiny village of Mokko, explored the islands, snorkeled in the warm clear water, and saw smoke and ashes erupt from a volcano in the distance. And went spinnaker flying!

The Scent of Home

2010-09-14T03:25:00.000-07:00

My parents sent a small package with Adam's parents back when they visited us in Cairns. It contained three things: a card, a flash drive, and a small fabric satchel.

The package was delivered right after my birthday; all its contents reminded me of home, and nothing could have been better. The card was a birthday card with notes from my parents. The flash drive had pictures from home, including some of my parents on their own travels and many of my dog and two cats. There were even videos of Isis following my mom around and Dart doing what he does best- cuddling. The satchel was full of dried lavender, from the plants grown right in front of my house.

Boats can be smelly places, what with the constant heat, close quarters, and potential for mold. I'd like to think that, because of that lavender satchel, my bunk is the best-smelling place on the whole boat. I sewed some string onto it so I could hang it from my shelf right next to my pillow, and now I get the occasional lavender-laden breeze as I'm drifting off to sleep, reminding me of home. <3

Sunrise Watch

2010-09-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

Both my parents and my friend Hannah won't believe this, but my favorite watch is from 5 to 8 am. So early, I know! Here's why: it's still cool, so sitting up top at the wheel is pleasant. Everyone else on board is usually asleep at this time and it's very quiet, so it feels like I have the boat all to myself. If we're near land, this is the time when birds head out for their day of fishing and I enjoy watching them wheel and soar around the boat, sometimes squawking amongst themselves. And most of all, I get to see the sun come up.

My Provisioning Stash

2010-09-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

After several trips to used bookstores and a final run to the grocery store, I think I have enough entertainment and fresh fruit and veggies to last quite a while. Here is my personal list of provisions!

- Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' series
- two China Mieville books
- JRR Tolkien's 'The Hobbit,' picked up for free at the yacht club book swap
- Granny Smith apples
- Sundowner apples (I've never had these before!)
- Pink Lady apples (my favorite kind)
- bag of oranges
- four bananas (three now)
- two cartons tomatoes
- two bottles juice (cran-apple and grape)
- plenty of trail mix
- ...a family pack of lamingtons

The Search for Used Bookstores: Australian Edition, Round 2

2010-09-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

After a long walk, a bus ride, and another long walk, I made it to the second used bookstore I had spotted. And all the walking was worth it, and that includes lugging my new old books all the way back to the boat!

This was a two story bookshop, crammed to the ceilings with books. Better yet, the prices were cheaper than at the other one, with both hardback and paperback books priced around $8 each. Best of all, there was a cute dog that I got to play with while browsing the shelves.

While there were multiple series of books that I wanted to get, budget constraints and limited storage space on the boat forced me to choose. I ended up getting a series that I've read before but enjoyed very much: The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King. Lucky for me, there are seven massive books in the series, and they'll keep me occupied for quite a while!

The Search for Used Bookstores: Australian Edition, Round 1

2010-09-03T04:13:00.000-07:00

We have lots of free time on the boat, and I mean a lot. This is especially the case during crossings when we're confined to the boat. When we're anchored in a new place we all tend to try and spend as much time as possible OFF the boat. What we each do during our free time varies. Sleeping, eating, listening to music, reading, and more sleeping are some popular activities.

I have always enjoyed reading, and read a lot even before I got on the boat. When I was younger I would lay on the floor in my doorway after being told to go to bed, being as quiet as possible, trying to catch enough light from downstairs to illuminate the pages of whatever book I was engrossed in. (My parents may not know that... sorry.) These days I can read whenever I like, and do so frequently. Living on the WTP gives me more reading time than ever.

The only problem with having so much reading time is that I tend to go through my available books pretty quickly. This is compounded by the fact that I can't just walk a couple miles up the road to the nearest library or used bookstore (shout out to Reader's Corner in Raleigh which allows dogs inside, so Baron gets to come along!) to replenish my stock, living on a boat and all. And so begins the never-ending search for used bookstores.

Cairns had a couple but their selection was somewhat limited and prices were high. I did get a couple Stephen King novels, but only because the shop owner gave me one for free because it didn't have a price. Here in Darwin I struck gold in the form of a two-story bookstore, full of shelf after shelf of books. It's much bigger than the shops in Cairns and even has a $2 section!

I've wandered around this shop on three separate occasions and, I'll admit, tucked away a stack of books I would like to buy. Although prices are pretty steep, at least $10 a book, I know I'll get hours of enjoyment from them. I'm only holding off on that final purchase because I recently spotted a second used bookstore that's further off the beaten path, and I'd like to compare selection and price to that of the first one. I'll keep you posted!

iPod Tunes in Real Life: John Butler Trio!

2010-08-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

One of my staple items on the boat is my iPod. It's absolutely invaluable for staying awake on night watches, passing the time during off periods, and providing a soundtrack to some of the amazing views from the boat. After cycling through various groups I don't often listen to in an attempt to change things up a bit, I will inevitably return to favorite groups that just never get old.

One of those groups is the John Butler Trio, who happen to be from Australia. I forget how I first heard of these guys, but their albums have been in constant rotation in my car and on my iPod for many years now. As soon as I knew I was going to Australia via sailboat, I started looking up tour dates, hoping to be able to catch the John Butler Trio live. Their website is seriously outdated, and various internet searches returned nothing.

In Cairns, however, I spotted a poster for ReggaeTown, a two day festival in September... with the John Butler Trio headlining. Sadly, we planned to be gone from Cairns by that time. My search continued. In Darwin, hope was renewed at the Mindil Markets, which was hosting the closing ceremonies of the Darwin Festival. We ran into our friends from the boat Lilly Bolero at the markets, and they casually mentioned that a few of them were going to a John Butler Trio concert... that very night!

It took .05 seconds to decide that the admission price was worth it. How many times will I be able to see one of my favorite bands, the John Butler Trio, live in Australia? Adam and I combined the cash we had on us and were able to buy our tickets, with only change to spare. We entered the amphitheater and found good seats up front on the grass for our little group, made up of WTP and Lilly Bolero sailors. As the grounds filled up around us, we took in the sight of so many people and chatted, anticipating the moment when the lights would dim and the music begin.

The group Blue King Brown opened, and they amped the crowd up exceptionally well. There were a bunch of members in their band: drummer, percussionist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, two backup singers, and a very energetic lead singer, who also played guitar and bongos in between the times she spent dancing around the stage and even through the crowd. I had never even heard of this group but was very impressed with the energy and talent they brought to the stage. And John Butler was still to come!

The lights came back on after Blue King Brown was done and the process of taking down their set and assembling the next one began. We didn't know how many openers there were, but guessed it would be John Butler next from the sheer amount of time it was taking to get all the instruments set up. There was one guy in the back corner whose sole job was to tune the multitude of guitars.

Sure enough, as the lights dimmed a second time we saw three people walk on stage, and then the sweet sounds of the John Butler Trio filled the amphitheater and spilled over into the night. Song after song was better live than any recorded version I had heard, and we joined with the rest of the crowd and danced to the music. John Butler is an incredibly talented guitarist, and even keeps the fingernails on his right hand longer so he can finger pick better. Intricate songs are played amazingly fast, and on top of all that he sings. The drummer was hilarious and clearly the prankster of the group. At the end of the show he repeatedly tried to dramatically break his sticks by throwing them high into the air and at the stage's floor, but was unsuccessful. He ended up just tossing them to the crowd, which was ecstatic about that. The bassist rounded out the trio, and surprised the crowd by playing both a stand up bass and a didgeridoo for one song.

This awesome show was surely a highlight of my time in Australia, and I can't wait to pick up some new music for my iPod... starting with more John Butler Trio!

On the Subject of Swells, and Future Destinations

2010-08-22T23:32:00.000-07:00

I joined up with the WTP and crew in Tahiti, with limited offshore sailing experience. The thought of multiple days at sea was new to me and I didn't quite know what to expect. The most noticeable thing on the boat was (and still is) the degree to which the size of swells affect the motion of the boat and the location of various secured and unsecured objects down below. Things that don't get a second thought when we're calmly at anchor become the most persistently annoying source of thumps, bumps, and squeaks when we're rocking and rolling around underway. Often I search for the culprits of these noises for days before figuring out what's causing them and finally silencing them.

Aside from the noise caused by things bumping around, the general level of comfort while moving about, sleeping (or trying to), and being up on watch is directly affected by the size of the swells. In big swells, it requires both hands and timed ricocheting off walls to move from the galley to your bunk. Once you arrive at your bunk, more careful timing is needed to determine the precise moment at which to aim and launch yourself into said bunk. To become comfortable, I usually strategically place my sleeping bag between myself and whatever side of my bunk I'm more likely to roll into harder. It also helps if I spread myself out as flat as possible, as this reduces rolling.

During the first two months of my time on the boat, we sailed from Tahiti to Cairns, Australia. The swells on some of the crossings were pretty big. Some, like the short hop from American Samoa to Samoa, were downright huge. We held a team meeting to test and secure strobes onto PFDs, just in case.

While it was daunting to have the boat pitching and rolling so drastically right at the start, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I would much rather see how rough it can be right away, because then anything calmer is appreciated more. The same goes for length of crossings. From Bora Bora to American Samoa took 10 days and from then on anything shorter seemed like no big deal, because we had already done something longer.
Our time in Australia has been very pleasant. Since we're inside the Great Barrier Reef the swells have been practically nonexistent, and with trade winds behind us we've had steady and good speed. Even across the Bay of Carpentia we had good weather, and many Australians we spoke to said that could be the worst bit of sailing in Australia. The temperamental squalls of the South Pacific are gone. Often we'll see massive thunder heads and a distinct line of dark clouds that will simply dissipate into nothing, and our days have been full of sunshine. We're not in a great hurry; as long as we make it to Darwin by the last day of the month to meet Halley, we're good.

I will miss Australia's sheer wildness, the 'life is good!' attitude of Australians, and the relatively calm comfort such protected sailing provides, but the allure of new places full of their own sights, sounds, people, animals, and foods is a strong one. We will probably (alright, definitely) encounter rough weather and big swells in the future, but the first sight of land in a new country always banishes thoughts of a rough crossing from my mind, and I am greatly looking forward to all the exciting destinations ahead of us.

The Zoo!

2010-08-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Cairns Tropical Zoo has been the highlight of my time in Australia so far. I love going to zoos and seeing all the animals, and this zoo had animals specific to Australia. Even better? We were allowed, even encouraged, to pet and feed some of them!!

We got to pet koalas and kangaroos. Koalas are terribly cute- they have huge ears and big noses. Romeo, the koala the keeper was carrying around and the one we got to pet, seemed to enjoy being held. (He reminded me a lot of my cat, Dart, who likes to cling to me in a similar fashion while purring.). Kangaroos are even softer. These kangaroos are extremely friendly/lazy from years of people petting and feeding them, and we could walk right up to any of them, even the baby one. I even shook his little paw.

We got to feed kangaroos, pelicans, cassowaries, kookaburras, frog-beaked owls, doves, and a lorikeet. The kangaroos ate pellets and also had alfalfa in their feed trough. We threw fish to the pelicans. Mine ducked. The cassowaries got fresh fruit through the fence; they enjoyed bananas and kiwis the most and dropped the other fruit on the ground. The kookaburras and owls got dead mice which we dangled in front of their beaks by the tail (we wore gloves). I was told the owl might be kind of nippy, so I carefully placed his lunch in a tree fork below him. He ate two mice, and seriously thought about a third. The doves ate fruit and veggies from bowls and even they seemed to have favorites. One ate all the peas, the next ate all the carrots. Will fed a lorikeet that got louder when his sultanas were held too far away.

This next animal we watched from behind a fence- the crocodile! The keeper showed how they wait under water for unsuspecting land animals to lean over for a drink, and then strike with lightning-quick speed. This croc's name was Zach, and he was massive. I was glad for the fence.

Finally, we watched the bird show, where owls, hawks, magpies, cockatoos, and a white-bellied sea eagle soared down over our heads to land on the keeper's glove or various trees around the grass stage. One little hawk got scared when a larger, wild bird happened to fly high over the zoo. He flattened his feathers and his eyes grew huge as he trained them on the larger bird, and the keeper sent him back to the aviary so he wouldn't become stressed.

We spoke to many of the keepers at the zoo and the general feeling was love and appreciation for all the animals, whether big and ferocious like the crocodile or small and cute like the koala. Everyone was eager to tell us about their animal charges, answer any questions, and explain why each animal's conservation is vital to the environment. This zoo and its animals are very awesome!!

Laundry List of Learning

2010-07-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

The crossing from Fiji to Vanuatu held many surprises. We left Lautoka heading for the island of Tanna, which is in the southern part of the Vanuatu island chain. Will was keeping us up-to-date with his almost daily cruising guide readings, piquing our interest in the island more and more with stories of an active volcano we could hike up, island coffee production, and horseback riding. The crossing guide said this stretch was fast and easy. Five days and we'd be there, no sweat. We couldn't wait.

Two days in, we encountered a storm. What started as a light drizzle quickly turned into a howling mess, and it was a good thing that there were only small swells to contend with. I'm learning my way around the boat pretty well and feel competent in many things, but I wasn't ready for this. A big storm isn't the right time to double check, ask questions, or be hesitant about anything.

The boys all donned their foul weather gear, harnesses and tethers, and prepared to tackle it. I put on my gear just in case they needed me but stayed out of the way down below, ready to do anything they asked. The wind howled, the boat made strange loud noises I'd never heard before, and the boys yelled to each other over the noise. I waited, standing between the companionway stairs and the head. The hatch opened a few times with instructions from above:
"Take this sail and pile it up right there." "Ok I got it."
"Can you turn on the steaming light?" "Yep, done."
"Here, take this," as I was handed the GPS. "What??"

It was frustrating and a bit scary to be down below, not being able to see what was happening on deck and knowing I would be little help in this situation. But this just gives me a very tangible goal- take everything I can do in good weather, throw a storm full of wind and waves at it, and be just as sure of myself. It will take more practice and repetition, but I'm up for it.

This restaurant has some great entertainment.

2010-07-08T04:35:00.001-07:00

Kittens! They were shy, only becoming brave when they suspected people might share a bit of food. It was very entertaining to watch the pair of them race around the yard, stalking each other from behind bushes, pouncing when one's back was turned, wrestling ferociously until one managed to flee, and then starting all over again.

"You haven't lived until you've gotten a haircut in Vava'u."

2010-06-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

These were the words that stuck in my head as we left the city of Neiafu, in the Vava'u Group of Tonga, headed to some not-so-distant anchorage to spend the next two nights. They were spoken by an English man outside of a small shop that advertised three things: jet kayaking, cart safaris, and Billysnip's Haircuts. It was the afterthought sort of way that 'haircuts' was added to that repertoire of goods that made me think long and hard about the drastic change I had in mind.

While we explored the beaches, villages, and caves around Vava'u, I was mentally going over the pros and cons of such a haircut. Pros: it would no longer blow around in my face. It would look better (hopefully) when I don't wash it for days. It would be cooler. It would dry faster after swimming in the ocean. I could style it using the easy method of 'bed head' and make that mohawk I'd always secretly dreamed of. Cons: it would be the shortest I'd ever had my hair and that's kind of scary. I couldn't do my usual ponytail. If I wanted it long again it would take a long time to grow it out, which may look silly. More pros clamored over the cons: short hair is better when it's so hot! Ponytails don't look good when you haven't showered in four days! So what, it's not permanent!

On our last day here in Neiafu, I went back to that small shop and spoke to Billy of Billysnip's Haircuts. I said, "I'm back for that haircut." "Well you've only been thinking about it for days now!" he replied. We paged quickly through a couple old magazines and I told him the general idea of what I wanted, but in the end he just picked up his scissors and started cutting. The end result is a haircut that will suit being on a boat much better than the long hair I had when I woke up this morning. And I'm really looking forward to bed head when I wake up tomorrow morning.

Baron, Isis, and Dart

2010-06-19T02:46:00.000-07:00

On a recent sat phone call, Mrs. Palmer's class asked a tough question- are you homesick? I don't think I was quite prepared for it, but the answer is yes. I have friends in Raleigh- people I met in college, from my job at a coffee shop, neighbors from my apartment, and fellow trail runners. I also miss my parents and brother in Charlotte, and being able to call them whenever I want, from wherever I happen to be. The good thing about traveling now is that you can email and call home from almost anywhere in the world, so I still talk with all these people as often as I can.

Another big part of my family are my pets- my dog Baron, and my cats Isis and D'Artagnon. It was very hard to leave them, because I can't just send an email to Baron or call up my cats on the phone. Luckily, my wonderful parents are taking care of both Isis and Dart. I get email updates about their escapades, like how Isis very stealthily rubs against my mom's legs, and how Dart enjoys surveying what's happening below him from a perch high on the cabinets and fridge in the kitchen.

Baron is also living the good life at my friend Kelly's house while I'm away. She has a dog of her own, Vernon, and he and Baron are pretty much best friends. Kelly has a huge yard for them to play in all day, and he even gets to go down to swim in the lake. He's an awesome dog, and the best part of my day back in Raleigh was the moment I opened the door coming home from work. I knew he'd be there to greet me, sometimes carrying a toy to show me, always wagging his tail, and stretching in preparation to play outside and go running. Although I miss him very much, I know Kelly and Vernon are taking great care of him!

Kitten!

2010-06-01T02:50:00.000-07:00

On the hike around Mt. Rotui, the inevitable happened. I found a kitten. My friends and family back home won’t be surprised by this, in fact they may only be surprised that it happened on my third day here.

While walking up a road listening to birds chirp, I remarked that one particular bird sounded a lot like a kitten. That comment quickly turned to, ‘Oh it IS a kitten!’ and I ran up ahead to see if I could find it. It wasn’t very hard, as the kitten ran out to meet me. As soon as I picked him up he started purring, rubbing up against my chin, and meowing very loudly.

We didn’t know what to do with it, so I decided to carry it along and see if anyone along the way wanted to keep it. It’s a mystery as to how the little guy got out there in the first place! We soon came upon the Ranch Opunohu Valley, where people can go horseback riding. There were many dogs, cats, and other animals here, and it seemed like it would be a good home for the loud kitten. We explained to the young girl there that we were on a boat and the kitten wasn’t ours, and asked if she wanted it. A simple ‘ok’ and she ran back to the house with the kitten, undoubtedly purring, in her arms.

Brand New Crewmember

2010-05-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! My name is Amanda, and I’m brand new here on the William T. Piquette. I flew into Papeete, Tahiti, on May 26th to meet up with the guys. After a long day of flying, it was nice to set my bags down and settle onto the boat that will be my home.

I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and lived there until 5th grade. Then my family decided to move to a small town called Blair, where we lived on a farm. We grew some crops, but my favorite part of living on the farm was the barn. Mainly, what lived in the barn. Over the year and a half that we lived there, we had a mare and foal, chickens, three sheep, two goats, four cats, a big dog, a small dog, a rabbit, and gerbils. That’s a lot of animals!

When I was in 7th grade, we moved to North Carolina. It was here that I went through middle and high school. I attended college at North Carolina State University, where I studied Bioarchaeology and minored in Animal Science. People often ask what Bioarchaeology is, and I’m sure you are wondering the same thing. It’s the study of ancient and historic people, their habits, customs, history, and lifestyle. Pretty interesting stuff!

I’m looking forward to traveling on the WTP; there are so many places to see, people to meet, and animals I’ve only read about in books to look for. (I really want to see a Great White Shark!) I’m also excited to learn about sailing, because whereas the other guys already know what they’re doing, I’m also brand new to that. There’s so much to learn and experience… this is going to be awesome!