Time to go to sea…

In less than 24h, I will be leaving land for about 3-4 weeks to sail to China.  I still can’t believe this is real life, or that I got myself into this!  This whole thing started almost two years ago, when I was hanging out with a new friend (who I got to catch up with in NZ, btw!) and decided to actually look into what all these ads around the London tube were all about.  And now here I am, sat at Abell Point Marina in Airlie Beach, about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me this far, financially and emotionally, with friendship and advice.  Thanks to all the skippers who have trained me and all the crew who I’ve met in training along the way.  I’m so lucky to have met so many incredible people over the past few years of training and months of travelling and also to have seen so many great friends again in Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.  In a world getting smaller by the day, for those of us privileged enough to travel, there’s rarely a final “goodbye”, but rather many “see you later”s.  I’m so lucky to have finally gotten to visit this gorgeous corner of the world, so far from home yet so close culturally.  I’ve seen incredible landscapes, cool flora and fauna, and met so many great people!  I think I’m ready for this crazy sailing race now… I did say I think…

As much as I’ve loved travelling, I’m also looking forward to going home, and being in my own country again.  I am super excited to say that I have been offered a position as leader on the CISV Canada’s Eastbound Peace Bus, spending five weeks driving across Canada with youth from across the country as we explore our Canada’s diversity, strengths and issues and give back to our communities on our path.  So, as soon as I get back home, there will be lots to do with thesis corrections, Peace Bus and working and I am very much looking forward to it!

But first, to China!  If you’d like to follow along, you can follow the race on the Race Viewer and read our team’s blogs, by both skipper and crew.  See you on the other side!