My birthday was this weekend as I turned the ripe old age of 34. I celebrated by trying to play a game of football, but spraining my ankle in the warm up, not even getting to play in the game. Great reminder of the inevitable decay of my physical form though, thanks FOR THE GIFT BODY. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE.

Anyway it kicked off the usual rounds of existential angst that constantly linger at the back reaches of my brain (what am i doing. everyone else has babies/marriages/pets etc etc blah blah) and to quell it I started really trying to concentrate on what I need to do to kick off the round the world trip.

Current plan is to leave in a year, i.e 12 months. 52 weeks. Etc etc. September is an ok time to head down to Mexico, hopefully avoiding the early winter storms and getting there after hurricane season. Once there, I’ll hang there for a bit before heading into the pacific. What is really stopping me going RIGHT NOW is money – I want around $30k savings before I leave. If I don’t hit that target I can push back 6 months and leave in April. I need to leave before I turn 36 though, for sure.

I’ve finished most of the expensive things so really it’s just saving money like scrooge mcduck. To this end I’ve got rid of my car (traded for a 9 month bus pass) and am trying to eat out a lot less. I also have 3 jobs right now which is kind of exhausting but there we go.

Here is the list of stuff to do still (off top of head)

  • Finish Windvane (there is a new version that for 300 bucks more comes with all the metal pieces pre-cut and all the wood. ARGHHHH)
  • Get new sails  (most expensive part left)
  • recore soft bit of deck
  • get liferaft recerted
  • add more solar
  • add lithium battery pack
  • maybe switch out remaining running rigging
  • replace end of spinny pole
  • new lifelines
  • figure jacklines out
  • install SSB (I just bought an icom 802 second hand with a pactor modem. super pumped)
  • kick personal ennui in the arse
  • get jordon series drone

Other things in a grab bag of stuff

  • Natures Head support is great. I told them the fan on my toilet had failed and two days later they sent me two complete fan units, a new cord and new gaskets, all for free. Thanks dudes!

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  • Went out fishing again, caught this massive spring which went back

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Got the parts for a vacuum gauge – gonna stick this on the fuel line after the racor filter to see when its blocked

 

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All high-octane stuff, I tells ya. EXTREEEEEMMMMMMMEEEEEE

Meanwhile the winds changed direction at the dock – a sure sign summer is over.

A YEAR TO GO!

 

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