Singapore to Jakarta and back again.

I arrived back on board Motor Yacht in Singapore to a boat without air conditioning and in the tropics that is a nightmare. I spent my first night on board sleeping outside on deck and received multiple mosquito bites. I shouldn't really complain about this too much as it got fixed the next day and all the other crew had to put up with this for a week.
After only one night in Singapore we headed off to Jakarta to pick up our tender (pictured). This tender had been there for 7 months, we left it behind to have some engine repairs and never received it back- welcome to the Asian way. The sea on the crossing back was just perfect; think these pictures say it all.

Christmas 2006- Easter 2007.

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What I see as the most travelled and amazing year of my life to date comes to an end.

For Christmas 2006 I plan to go back home to Bolton. I miss my family and friends, it as been 16 months since I was last there, most of all I miss my brother and nephew.
The boat is now in Thailand having some work and paint done for the next few months and although my holidays are not due for another month, they feel long over due, so I’m off.

I head south to Koh Samui. I haven’t seen my parents for a year, I miss them and I am looking forward to 3 days with them in their gorgeous newly built house (pictured) that was just an hole in the dirt last I saw of it.

I spend my Christmas in the UK then after the Christmas pudding rituals, I decide it’s about time I learn how to ski. My Auntie Susan has the crazy idea to just book a flight to Switzerland and see if we can find a hotel on arrival. Now, I don’t know if anyone has showed up at one of Europe’s top get away resorts, at 9pm, on new years eve and just randomly tried to find a place to stay, so for those who haven’t, the laughs off other people and the crazy looks you receive are quite normal. A hotel owner took pity on us after he laid witness to us dragging our suitcases through the snow and skidding on the ice. He put us up in the fire escape of his hotel; equipped with 2 mattress’s and a cold-water tap, with our shower an elevator ride away. None of this damped the mood of our holiday, due to the sadistic attitude of my family, it actually lightened it. We took full advantage of the snow. Despite the ten tumbles down the slopes per day, we thoroughly enjoyed it! All of this was great practice for the 6 weeks I was about to spend in the snowy town of Vail, Colorado in the USA.

Beginning of January I find myself heading to America for the first time (except for the obvious childhood trip to Disney Land).

Arrival in Denver International Airport
Driving to an altitude of aprox 3000mts wipes it out of you. One glass of wine, so to say, “puts you on your ass”, not that I was even old enough to party in the US- a fact that I did not consider when accepting my boss’ offer to house sit for him. But, what’s age got to do with it? I lived it up and became quite the little skier by the end of the 6 weeks.

So now you’re all pretty much up to date on dawnstravels. I made my way back to Koh Samui and spent a few days with my dad, mum and brother. I’m now sat in Samui airport waiting for a flight that will take me back to the boat.

I’m ready for a new adventure that will start with us crossing the Indian Ocean and making our way to the Med. I’ll keep you entertained and up to date along the way.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to my blog page, dawnstravels.blogspot.com. I wish I started this two and a half years ago after leaving school. I’ll give you a quick over view of my post high school lifestyle and on what got me where I am today.

After leaving St James’ C of E Secondary School, Farnworth, Bolton I spent my life roaming between the sunny island of Ibiza, Spain- where I worked as a waitress, and the other half of the year on the also sunny island of Koh Samui, Thailand- spending my days here training and studying to be a pro diver. At the age of 18 I took a year out of the sun, and the clouds, to spend a year on the Isle of Wight, UK. Here at UKSA I studied sailing and worked towards my “Ocean Yacht Master Certification”.

All of this diving and sailing paid off when I landed my job as deckhand/diving instructor onboard a 175ft/53mt motor boat planning on spending the next year cruising around Asia.

So cruising around Asia is what I’ve done on this yacht for the last year. Starting my journey in Langkawi, Malaysia, under the watchful eye and supportive attitude of our Captain, we slowly made our way South East down the idyllic island groups of Indonesia- visiting some of this planets most breath taking coast and dive sites. After a 3 month break in Singapore, during the summer of 2006, and after celebrating my 20th birthday, yacht and crew set sail again, this time bound to explore Borneo, Sulawesi, Philippines and all in-between.

Some of my highlights of the last 12 months have included:

• Walking with and hiding from the infamous Komodo Dragon on the island of Komodo, Indonesia. And yes, they are as scary as they sound.
• Climbing the active volcano- Krakatoa along with some of my crewmates. Staring into the crater at the steaming lava I knew this was a once in a lifetime experience.
• Laying witness to Kalamantan's “Men Of The Forest”- the Oran-gutans. I walked with these human like apes in South Borneo.
• After a short trek through jungle like conditions on the island of Kakaban, Borneo, myself and crew arrived at the famous “jelly fish lake”. Donning our snorkeling gear we went swimming with the thousands of jellyfish, which inhabit this lake. We were, mind you, fully aware of the fact that these particular jellyfish don’t sting due to lack of predators.

These are just a hand-full of great experiences I have had on my first year onboard. I have met some great people and exceptional new friends along the way, all the time never forgetting my old ones.
I love the life I lead now and I have my friends- old and new, my family back home in Bolton and especially my parents, Ian and Deb, to thank for that.