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Recap Last 15 months........

Here is a slightly depressing, very neglected looking blog page, time to rectify!

So after my 2 week job hunt in France last year I found work on a 52mt Motor Yacht with a world wide cruising itinerary, perfection! But after 15 months onboard I have handed in my notice to begin another adventure. I leave with some memories of the best time of my life so far (been too busy having fun to update this blog lol).

I started off my time onboard with the mandatory, tedious med season with a slight twist- instead on the South of France we cruised and abused Turkey. The Turkey season was two months of back to back "guest's on" made sweet at the end by a very generous tip (usually unheard of on a Private Yacht).

My first holiday away from the boat was in October last year and I planned a road trip around Scotland (my favourite country). I commandeered my Brothers Vito, Mothers bike, Grandads TomTom and whoever elses stuff that I could grab and headed North with the intention of making the boot my bed for the next week. I spent the first two nights in Berwick- Upon- Tweed, Yes I know that's not Scotland but I visited a mate and surprised another friends parents. Then I cruised up the East coast to Betty Hill, my goal was Betty Hill as my dad had seen a farm house up there that need doing up and would have been perfect for my future plans of running an extreme sports B&B (I still think that the place is perfect- the fact that it's a 3 hour drive to the nearest Tesco doesn't matter too much as my plan is to be as self sufficient as possible). Also I believe there's great surf up there as well...

I did the return trip to Bolton down the West coast Via Fort William and Isle of Skye. After my run up the Nevis Range I decided it was time for a shower so I booked into a campsite for the night and cycled into town for some pub grub and a few cheeky Ciders. Anyway this Road Trip kind of started a new obsession with roadys and many more where to come in the next year.

Back onboard and bound for Galapagos with refueling stops in Sint Maarten and Panama. After going threw the Panama Canal we arrived in Panama on Christmas Eve just in time to get the glad rags on and jump into a taxi. The taxi driver informed us that there was nowhere open apart from a strip joint- I didn't believe him but strip joint it was. Our 12 crew rocked up there, after 4 weeks at sea, to find out that it was all you can drink for 30 dollars, long story short, by 1am they changed their minds and asked us to leave (don't think the crew trying to have dance offs with the strippers helped our cause very much). Christmas day is just a blur of Champagne and laughing......

On boxing day we headed to Galapagos to pick up charter. I'd love to say that Galapagos is beautiful but I can't. Unless you dive, if you go to Galapagos all you will see is rocks and birds and lots of them but if you're a diver- unique!

Before Galapagos all of diving experience was in Tropical seas with multi coloured reefs and a n abundance on small marine life, diving Galapagos is completely different- it's all about spotting the big stuff! Sharks, Whales, Dolphins and yet some more Sharks can almost be guaranteed on any given dive. On one dive site you can actually see scholes of about 300 Hammer Heads! Do I sound like I experienced it? Well I didn't- gutted! We don't dive on charter, it's all about making sure the guest see it all- obviously- But we were planning to stay behind 4 days after they left to experience it ourselves. On my first dive there i descended to 20meters and then passed out....... I came round, clung to a rock feeling very dizzy and finally plucked up the courage to surface. I did surface threw a schole of White Tip Sharks though. Needless to say the Captain banned me from all future dives until I'd seen a Dive Physician. I still saw some stuff from the surface though including Hammer Heads, Galapagos Sharks, Whale Sharks, more spinning dolphins than you can imagine, blue footed Boobies and enough Sea Lions to make you hate the smelly things.

Then we did Costa Rica and America for a few months- obviously a lot of stories from the months there but I'll remains on them some other time.

Anyway, the revival of my blog is all in anticipation for the up and coming months ahead. I am leaving the boat in a few days and, after a stop in Samui to see the folks, I'll be heading to New Zealand to start a bike ride that, Pennies Permitting, will see me to Scotland, I'll keep you posted each step of the way, very EXCITED!!!!!!