Summer Rain

So we live in the tropics and Summer also mean Rain!
Today it sure felt like the tropical rains had finally arrived after a slow start of the season...The grass sure needs it and mostly the Fire on near by Stradbroke Island sure needs it as well...It has been a few days now that we have been lost in a thick cloud of smoke with the distinct smell of fire in the air...making the sky's heavy and quite mysterious at time...

I must admit I do really love the Tropical Rain...I grew up mostly in the tropics and rain was very important for us...It meant we could fill up our tank when we would be on some lost Indian Ocean Island...It meant we could wash with fresh water as despite our tanks being 1000Litres we still had to be careful and most of our showers were done with sea water...I guess not having an actual shower made that part easier!
At some stage my father did install a 200L drum on top of the wheel house cabin and installed a shower, that was pretty cool!!! But it still was an out-side shower and one could not wash naked, unless it was done at night, so that's what we did!!!

But when it rained, we would all be outside, expect for my father, somehow it feel like he did not like the water, loved being on it, but not in it!
Us kids we would play in the rain, jump in the warm ocean, collect the water that would drip from the sails into buckets and use it to fill the tanks,wash laundry or ourselves!
Many a time I would start to wash my hair and be left with shampoo still in my hair as the storm had passed by!! So collecting the water was crucial to assure a rinse!
We would also maybe just wash in the Ocean, and let the Rain just rinse us as we carried out the job of filling the buckets, drums and tank!

I remember that when one would be done, there would always be someone inside with a towel...The feeling of going back inside would be one of feeling a bit cold, and somehow I remember also feeling humid?
I wonder why!!!

When we would be out at sea, on an Ocean Crossing, the coming of the rain was the most awaited on, as if we had not gotten rain in a while it also meant we would not of had a shower...Unless one was so keen and would of had a salt water wash, in buckets. Only when I was an adult did I actually really do that in the despair need to feel clean...As a child, I did not care...And when the rain came, we were mostly told to go outside and wash!!
And trust me, even as a child that weekly shower, felt great!!

We did not have a washing machine, all was done by hand, my mother had a lot of laundry to wash so I started to wash my own laundry at a young age,12 or 13 and I also had the job of washing my older brothers closes, and under the rain it was done!

I also remember tropical  rain in the Comores Islands...I was about 3 or 4..My brother and and I would walk down the hill from the house we used to rent to go to what must of been kindy...I used to have a transparent rain coat and I would collect snails along the way and keep them in my pockets!
One morning one our way down it started to rain, and I guess we must not of had any jackets on that day...Some local boys were coming along, they were a bit older than us. I remember the darkness of their skin and they were joyfully on their way to school, using Banana leaves as umbrellas!
They stopped to help us, and grabbed a couple more banana leaves and off we were with them under our very own Banana leave umbrella! I somewhat remember a feeling of being so happy, and just loving the umbrella I had, the coolest one ever!

I have gotten to see many tropical storms, some very impressive ones and some very beautiful ones.
One of the wildest storms I remember were in the San Blas Islands, I was 12 and reality is we had lived many wild storms, but this one was for me my first experience as an individual person...
It was raining, and the winds were strong...We had all sails out and the shift in wind direction also meant we had to tack...And take 2 reefs in the main sail and lower our two head sails...My brother was yelling at me to help him get things done...I was frozen and crying...The bowsprit broke off, the jeep tore and I awoke...From my terrified state to realise that I was needed and had to snap out of it...I helped my brother take the reefs in the main sail and that day I learnt that in times of need there is no space to be scared,to stop, to cry...One just has to do what has to be done!!!

I sat in the rain for a while, alone after that, and let the rain kiss my skin...I let the rain take a little part of my innocence away and install a respect for the nature I lived in that day!
I love the rain, and even in Paris have danced in the rain to celebrate what it brings into our lives!

So let it rain...Let summer be the raining season!

Germany!

Getting Ready!

Its amazing to think that this trip is only days away!
It seems like it has been such a long wait, yet a year has gone by and Tullula and I are about to embark on a long holiday to France.
It will be her first time in France, and doe me it has been 4 years since I was last there...On my last visit, Tullula was only a growing little thing in my belly!
Being in Australia make this trip out to be such a "big" thing, being so far away.
Yet I stop myself and think that its actually only a normal trip, going home for a visit!
For sure this visit is not one that I will be able to afford to do every year, as it maybe should be, but its something I hope to do many other times as my life in Australia continues!
Anyway, it has all become very exiting, and our bags are packed!

I have made myself a weekender bag to be used as our carry on luggage. Long gone are the days of travelling with way too many things that make any sort of transfer/bus/metro trip a hard sweating hassle!
So I am now travelling with mine and Tullula's things  in the same one back pack, and I have become so sane that I have actually down sized my back pack from a 77l to a 65l....This back pack I got came with a smaller back pack that attaches to its back, it has been filled with the gifts, thus will eventually end up empty and will be able to be used as a day pack!
I also found a small umbrella pram found at an Op shop for $25, thus Tullula will not have to walk all the time and I wont have to carry her, during our trip around and transfers!

What I am the most anxious about is the long 28hrs of travel time and how Tullula will go for such a long time, or maybe how I will go with her, alone...
We have travelled together a few times now, 3hrs to be exact...well there was that time we flew from Tahiti to here, but she was only 2 month old then...

Its funny because reality is that Tullula is a good little girl most of the time, so why should I worry?
The Unknown...
But like all parents who take long trips I am going prepared!!

I have a selection of things to keep her busy, like books to read, things to draw with, cards to play, playmobile little people and stickers and activity books! A lot of it actually comes from France...
I have also been telling her over and over again that we will sleep in the air plane, and am going to get her into her pyjama's at our transfer in china (hopefully after a shower) to get her into the mode!!
Hope it works.

As for our first two days in Paris, well we have nothing planned, just to relax and get into the local time of things!

The most exiting thing about this trip is how Tullula's going to go with the French Language?
Since this trip has been getting closer, we have been repeating to her that in France everyone speaks French
and that she too will have to speak French with her cousins and grandma and auntie...(they are all fluent in English, but have warned them not to talk in English with her). Yet she has sort of started to make a little bit of a switch, saying more things to me in French and moistly pointing out that she too can speak French; repeating "c'est bien" to whom ever showed any interest in her language skills!!

So this trip will be very interesting to see how she goes, what will happen, how fast and how well!!
I am very exited about it and if the transition works well i will finally be reaping some reward for my hard work talking to her exclusively in French!

To go or Not!

If anyone would of asked me last year if I wanted to go back to France for a visit, I would of just gotten on the next flight and said "YES, YES YES"...But after a lot of tears and reasoning we decided it would be best if I went this year!
So naturally as 2013 crept in and moved along at its usual fast pace, the question was asked again.
But this time the answer was harder to find, to feel...Uncertainty had crept in, and the "need" had somehow left...

I have made many irrational decisions in my life, and mostly regretted them once I was left with no more money...So this time I did not want to do it again! Its great to live in Australia, but the distance means that its expensive to go anywhere in the world, ok maybe not so much to go to Asia!
But Europe...Its at least a 25hrs flight and even if Tullula only pays 75% of the Ticket, realty is that its only about $200 cheaper than my ticket, really not much not enough for it to be really noticed in the end!
So I needed to be sure I wanted to go, now this year...Cause I really wont be able to go there every year, not even every 2 years I am afraid!!

Then I started realising that I did want to go, but that I wanted to go somewhere new, exotic...I wanted to travel...Not go back to a place I already knew...And naturally I looked at tickets to Thailand, Cambodia, Mexico...Then I truly felt a hint of excitement and want!
But I just cant drop it all and do that...I have to go and visit my mother, my sister and I also have two girl friends that are having baby's!!
One has to make scarifies to keep friendships alive!

I only knew that I really wanted to go, when I kinds realised that I actually did not have enough savings to do so! And sort of came to the conclusion that I would not be going at all!!
I knew I wanted to go when I got really upset of the thought that i was not going...

So I made up my mind, and bought a ticket for myself and Tullula!
At this stage we can't afford for Stephen to come as well.
As for savings, well I have started a second job, so for the next few months I will just have to work hard and save, save, save...

And the thought of being in Paris once more, warms my heart, as after all; it is the City I Love most!

Best Of Tullula's Fiji Holiday!

You know you are somewhere else when...

• Oil is sold in bags.
• The dairy aisle consist of a not so full fridge!
• There is heaps and heaps of soup packs-meaning broken chicken bones..
• good luck finding what you want in the very messy freezer.
• Chips are sold in glad wrap packets and not frozen??
• There is more flour to sell than yoghurt! Sorry, I am French!!! (ever been to the dairy aisle in a French super market?)

Well this has been Fiji, a nice place to visit and one I hope to sail around a bit more!!!

Happy Goodbyes!

I really did not think there was such a thing!

I mean when is saying goodbye ever a good thing? Sure, if its someone you did not want to see, but then it’s not a “Happy” one its just a one of relive. Right?

There are indeed many sorts of good buys, and many words to say them as well!

-See you later.-Goodbye-Adieu-hasta la vista-Chao (we use that one a lot in France, despite it not being French)-SeeYa (very Australian)-Cheers (hmmm)-

Well I sure I can made a huge list of all sorts of word that are used in a time of departure!

Yet until yesterday I had not realised that there are as well very Happy Goodbye's!

We have left the Marina, not gone very far just 15 nautical mile South West to an Island called Malololailai (good luck getting that one said right first time round, my first attempt telling Stephen on Skype where I was, was more something like: we are on “Ma lo la lai lo lai lo laisomethingIdontknowwhat” He laughed and agreed that I did not know what!)

The little French group that had become some sort of family at the marina was breaking apart, as 2 boats had left the day before and 3 of us were leaving the same day…

Some going South, some North and some just cruising around in Fiji still!

We had spend 2 weeks all in a tight circle, doctor treating the others cold, nurse doing his bandage, I massage someone sore neck, the Matriarch being our yoga instructor, miss popular cutting hair of the little girls, kids playing together every afternoon (after school work on board) men helping each other out, woman sewing…It had all come to an end, all that needed to be done was finished and the calling on the Ocean was out!

Yet as we sailed out of the Harbour, and we had boats on our Port (right) and starboard (left) waving huge goodbye, we were all HAPPY!

HAPPY to have shared special times together, to have created a bond! HAPPY to be off on our way to discover new horizons, and they happy that we are about to see new worlds!

On boats we all know that the world is small and the earth round, thus our friendship will be there when we cross paths again!

That’s we way it is!

We have all chosen to live a life of Vagabonds and we know that with that comes friendships that we make and loose! But that’s just it, we don’t actually loose them…We just made new friends to see again, somewhere else and we will all have wonderful stories to tell one another around that glass of Rum in our hand as out boats sway at anchor!!

So our Goodbye are as happy as can be!!!

Suva!

Suva.

We were not sure if we were going to stay the night or just go for one day.

So we got the first bus, and the cab driver told us that was 6am!!!

Up early is what we did, 4h45…I left Tullula to sleep for as long as possible, got some fruit cup up and ready, some Vegemite and cheese sandwich and her milk bottle…All packed in the bag ready for a potential over night stay!!

Taxi drive to the bus station, at the bus station we hop on the bus, to be told that this bus goes around the island before arriving in Suva! Hmmm not too sure we want to do that…

But we are also told that the express bus is the one right next and that it leaves at 6h30…

Lucky we were early as the bus left at 6h15…Fiji time!!!

From Lautoka to Suva there is 219km, and the bus ride takes 4hrs and costs $10 Australian dollars! (a bit of tour guide info)

The bus did show two movie's, but here I had to battle as the movie's were war/fighting movie's, and we sat in the front row, to get a good scene view, but that also meant we were in front movie row!! One good thing was that there was no sound! Ouf…So I got Tullula to gaze at the passing cows, goat and god! She liked the rosters!!! She slept some more…

We arrived in Suva at 11H30…My dad had some things to do in town, so he left me at the Craft Market…

Its terrible how camera shy I get in these so photogenic places!!! It makes me feel like such a tourist (that I am), it makes me feel like I am being a bit of a peeper!

We walked around…Tullula had a play at the local play ground! And we had lunch at a little asian place, tucked away, fans blowing and locals coming and going!

Our funniest experience was when my father wanted to take me to the presidential palace, to have a look at it! We hailed a passing Taxi, and set off! The driver was not quite able to clearly understand my fathers broken English and where we wanted to go! As this was going on, and we are driving to the wrong places, Tullula asks me for her Doudou (cloth comforter). I don’t have it, she cries, I tell her we must have dropped it and we will go find it! So she is sitting next to me (in the taxi, without seat belt or car seat I may add) sobbing slightly, my dad is confused as to where the Palace is, and the cab driver clearly does not know where we want to go and takes us to some government building!!!

My dad then goes: “OK, turn around and take us back to where you pick us up!”

The cab driver goes “where I get you?”

My dad “yes the baby loose something”

So he turns around and take us back, clearly he is confused now, but with a big smile!!!

Doudou, was exactly where we got into the cab! Tullula is happy, the taxi driver asked my dad, so this is good? We get out, “yes yes”

We sit and have a good laugh. This guy must of thought we were strange!!!

We decide to relax at the yacht club for a cold bear and take the 4h30 bus back to Lautoka!

Another 4hrs bus, 15min taxi and a late dinner for all and to bed!

What a day!

But I now have had a glimpse of the Capital of the Fiji, and I must say its busy, music in the air, full of little restaurants, cheap and there is everything!

What a day and I am proud of my little Tullula, she was so good in the 8hrs 

of bus we did!!

 Grand-pa and grand daughter time at the playground!

Landed!

Landed.

Today Tullula and I flew off on our Holiday!

Destination Fiji…To spend 3 weeks with my father on his sailing boat!

All week we have been telling her we are going on a plane, that Papa was staying home and we were going to stay on a boat!

Well we have arrived!

The flight is only 3hrs, despite my restlessness and eager to just be there already it went by quit fast I must say!

I have a “goodie bag” of entertainment ready for Tullula’s in flight entertainment, that came to great use as there was none provided by the air line!!!

She was exited to see the plane go “fast” as we took off and laughed her way though it!!!

Plus very much enjoyed the Apple juice I had for her to drink as an ear regulator!!!

Even asked for me, as if it was the way to go…She never has juice!!!!

 

 

Our arrival went well, Music playing in the airport arrival, people continuously saying “BULA” (hello in Fijian)…And a very happy Papi (grand-pa) waiting at the arrival gate!!!

(who had been sitting there since 1h15, as he had planned to take the local bus to the airport as its $1;50 compared to $45 for the taxi…Ok, the bus take 3hrs as it stops every 200metre and the Taxi 20min, but as he set out to catch the bus he got a lift to the main road, and at the main road did not get to sit 10min waiting for the bus when a taxi pulled up saying he was going that way anyway and would drive him to the air port for a minimal $4…so he took it and got at the airport at 1H15…He says he is happy, he got to nap in the seat at the airport…that’s my father)…

The smell coming out the plane, had a slight hint of spices, or was it just me looking for it, knowing there was a lot of India here??? (and that I love India)!

On the boat, Tullula is shy, but opens up real fast, and is happy to be with Papi, keeps on saying “its Papi” and trying to get his attention!

Tonight we went out for dinner, at the yacht club…well my dad had told me that if someone here says they will be back in an hour, expect then in the morning, and if they say they will be back tomorrow, its most likely they will be back in a few days…But he did not say that a grilled fish and chips would take 1hrs!!!

I think no one expected that actually at the dinner table!!

Yes, cause in this cruising world there is a massive sense of belonging!!!

I just love it…

See when we arrived at the yacht club restaurant, my dad saw an old friend, went to say hello, he then came to say hello to me, the last time I had seem him I was about 15years old!!!

Well he went back to his friends, but within  few minuets, they got up and joined us!!!

Just like that!!!

How cool is that???

Then and hour went by, un-noticed for the most part, as we were all deep into sailing adventure stories, or talking about this or that place…The world around a table!

We ate, and then on the way back to the boat, there was a group of Frenchies, all sitting on the floor, at the bottom of a boat on dry dock, drinking Rum and chatting away!

We got invited and there we were, drinks in hand, cushions under our bum and once more part of a social group!!

Belonging!!!

I have missed it so much!!

Its late, Tullula needs to sleep, I have pushed it a bit for my own pleasure!

But we now have friends for tomorrow and plans to go to the local faire!!!

 

Bus of Ours

While we were overseas Stephen's sister sold us her Bus!

We thought we should get it, as previously we had been travelling in his Van, and the Bus seemed like a step up...And reality was that we thought at least we will have a Home to go back to in Australia! And, lets face it, buying a second hand bus is a lot cheaper than buying a house!!!!

But, once we got back we lived with his mother for a few months, then we started renting this little Unit we are living in now, and the bus has juts been sitting in the driveway.Not too sure what its doing there!

We tried many times to get it ready to go travelling with friends and family, but we never actually got things finished! Money and time too short!

But we have been at it once more, and it looks like we may have it ready for our next camping trips!

Its really very exiting, a whole new adventure! I have never lived in a bus!!!!

I have painted the inside yellow, to go with the stares that are on the ceiling inside. I sanded the kitchen table bench and polished all the wood trimmings inside...As well as cleaned the window tracks!!

When Paradise becomes Hell

I have been thinking about this all week. In disgust, in horror, in surprise and in a state of chock I guess too!

The Marquises to me have always been a very special place for me!
The first time i went there was when I was 15...
 I can to this day remember arriving there with my family, after many days spend at sea, drifting, fishing, taking our time to cross the Pacific from the Galapagos Islands! The wind had died down as we were about 100mile off the coast, so many days were spend dreaming of that place that was all still a mystery!
I Remember that early morning when finally someone spotted land.
The excitement, it was dawn and it was beautiful! As we sailed along the coast, toward the bay of Taiohae on the Island of Nuku Hiva, with the sun rising lifting the slight night dew and with at came the smell of rich soil and the most exquisite flowers!

We live there for a year!
I had a horse, we explored the islands, we did odd jobs, I tried to go to school and learnt to dance the Tamouré! Those Islands, really did in fact make a little part of who I am!

So, I was delighted at the thought of been able to go back there in 2010, and it was still just as beautiful...Ok, time have changed and there evolution can be practical but charm unfortunately gets lots with all of that!!! So there are some things that I was disappointed with!
But that life... Yet, I was delighted at the fact that my very first child was born there, in the tiny little hospital.
I love the fact that during labour I went for a swim in the Ocean, and walked around the gardens...Hens everywhere!!!
And I will for ever remember after Tullula was born, and after we had been in Observation for the two hours and finally we were allowed to our room to sleep for the night, as those hospital doors opened, again that smell of the Tiare flower, flowing into my nostril! As a welcome to a little girl!!!

Those islands are such a beautiful place on earth! Everyone is so very friendly, its clean, the music goes straight to your soul, the dancing, the great food, the easy peaceful uncomplicated life!!!
I have often thought of them as Paradise... But its amazing how that paradise can actually he Hell for some!
So, in the email I got was the news of this German sailor that was taken on a hunting trip, and was never to return! His wife almost got raped by the guy who took her husband hunting. A fire was found, with remains!!! Now those islands did practise cannibalism, but has been done again buy this one hunter??
Here is a news article about it: Greman missing  
tahiti news
I feel such sadness for that lady! She came to paradise and will forever remember it as Hell! How horrible is that!! I cant even imagine what she must be going though, but it sure that the Marquises will not be a place she will have fond memories of like I do!!!

I know this pots is not very pleasant, but I had to share as its part of my world!

The Sounds of Our childhood

 This Morning after I dropped off Tullula at day care, I went for a run!

I have been feeling that my body needs to move, needs to be used!

After my run, I did some yoga stretches and as I did the final relaxation pose I heard an out-board engine!

(I was by a very calm beach, where many boats play around on the water, fishing)...

And I was delighted...

Yes delighted by the sound of an engine!

Strange??

yes, but it took me back to my childhood, to my upbringing!

So as I layed there, I focused on that sound and got lost in the memories that were all rushing back to me!

I used to keep a whole lot of perfume bottles that had that same effect on me, took me back to certain places, people and time.

But the sound of the engine was all my childhood in one package! 

hearing the engine was someone coming home, a visit, going ashore, going for a ride, exploring! It was soo much fun!

It was great!

                                                                                                                                                                            That's me, riding on the dinghy when I worked in the
                                                                                                                                                   Caribbean!

 What are the sounds of your childhood?

Video; Camping at Charlie Morland!

I am still so so happy we went went camping!

I can still feel the benefits of it.

And am really looking forward to escaping again...

But in the meantime, here is the 1st Video of the trip!

Hope you enjoy it and stay tuned as there is more to come!

The Places I have been!!!

I often get asked how many places, country I have been too! And really I don't keep count!
But for the fun of it, I did this and here it is;

My world!!

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

It a bit of a shame, on this map you cant see all the little islands !!! There actually are quite a few of them!!!

Camping At Imbil

We are back home, back into reality of our everyday routine and being hooked to a phone, the computer, busy busy busy...Back to sleep late but still having to wake up early! 

Back to smelling better, but missing the smell of the camp fire...
I think we are going to have to plan more camping trips away.


We had a great time.

Morning swim, Tullula napping and us enjoying having nothing to do, but sit and read, chat, laze about, and the afternnon walk/hike before going back to camp to start the evening ritual of a nice camp fire and an early dinner for an even earlier bed time!
To be up at sunrise to hear the birds sing...
It was really nice!


I have a few video's about to come of the trip!

Hit The Road!

Well really its not quite that...But I like the sound of it!!!  
We are going camping for 5 days and I cant wait to be on the road!
We are not going far, just a couple of hours North, to Imbil State Park...I just want to discover where we live before we go further...
I really plan to do a few hikes in the national park thats next to it! Its gonna be great....

So I wish you all a wonderfull weekend and here is a little quote that i think is really nice:

Believe Nothing

No matter where you read it

or who said it to you

not even if I said it to you

unless it agrees with

your reason and

your own common sense.

                   Buddha.