New dawn, new journey

As I pull into the drive the sky is just beginning to lighten up over the Berkeley hills on the eastern side of the bay. It’s early, not even six yet. There’s some flower round here that smells amazing at night, and it’s still going strong. I’ve just got back from dropping Rose off at Oakland airport – she’ll have just taken off. Hopefully with a window seat, so she can see the beginning of a new day over the Sierra Nevada as I watch the same sun rise over the back of Angel Island. Makes me think that it’s been quite a while since I last saw a dawn. We’ve been living indoors for nearly two months, though it feels a lot longer that we left Mexico. A lot has happened. And yet, compared to the next few months, it feels like things haven’t even got going yet. Crazy times ahead.

This time last week we moved to an empty apartment under Ali and Kate’s neighbour’s place, right on the water, and already it feels like home, even though there’s no furniture. We’re getting used to living out of bags, in a different place every few weeks! Now I’m doing the final cleanup, and then off to the airport again. All change. I feel so lucky to have been blessed by the generosity of new, but now very good, friends – staying at their place on the north side of the bay and enjoying time hanging out with Rose. I’m fizzing with a potent cocktail of emotions; a combination of excitement about the adventure ahead and sadness at not seeing my amazing, beautiful wife for a long time. Intrigue – what’s Rose going to discover in Paonia, what am I going to discover in the South Pacific? Both physically and psychologically, we’re starting out on some interesting journeys. Bring it on!

For the next four or five months I’ll be aboard Rafiki, squeezing the most light out of every day; catching almost every dawn and every dusk. And probably being awake half the nights, too, while we’re at sea. Getting up at 3.30 this morning reminded me of the feeling of forcing myself on deck when body and mind are saying “not now, sleep some more!” Night sailing can be the most beautiful time at sea, but I love my sleep…

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I got through check-in without having to pay any extra for my rather overweight bags, and through security without any questions, even with a remarkably bomb-like EPIRB in my hand baggage. Let’s hope getting into Mexico is this easy. I scuffed up my new radio to make it look used, and most other stuff is pre-owned from eBay so hopefully there shouldn’t be any crazy customs fees. Fingers crossed.