Celebrating three years of life at sea

Three years celebrated in the Maldives

Three years ago on 30^th March 2013 Adina and her merry crew of two left Hamble, England, setting out to explore this curious big planet we all live on. As we set off that day we wondered what lay ahead for us. And now when we try to look back at all we’ve experienced we realise so much has happened that we quickly give up!

A question we get asked regularly is what has been our favourite place so far and we declare it’s an impossible question to answer. How to choose between swimming with seals in the Galapagos or watching Orangutans in Borneo or playing rugby with Fijians or eating rice and curry using our fingers in Sri Lanka? We’ve been lucky – there have been so many experiences, so many sights, so many good people. Each destination has had its unique appeal and our philosophy is to try to embrace it in each place.

We’ve met some amazing and special people on this trip coming from all walks of life. We’ve drunk mint tea with a robed Algerian and sipped on coconuts with a Papua New Guinean wearing only a sarong and carrying a man bag. We’ve met many wonderful fellow cruisers who look out for each other and will drop everything to help. One downside of this transient life we live is that we always have to leave at some stage and the goodbyes are always hard – we hate them, we’re way too soppy!

As a team of two (three with Adina) we are as strong as ever. We continue to build on our strengths and weaknesses, we continue to learn, we always try to make the best of whatever the situation, we thrive on looking out for each other. Of course we are not perfect; we get tired and grumpy from time to time and voices can be raised, but it never lasts as it just doesn’t work. We work together so much better when there is a smile or all too often a practical joke.

When we left we knew we would probably return with some loved ones gone but more have gone that we expected and the past few months have been particularly tough. We think of those loved ones regularly, they are not forgotten, they are missed. On the positive side, what we hadn’t thought of was the many babies that would be born and we look forward to meeting a small army when we return!

Each year we shout out to you all, family and friends, to say thank you. You have no idea of how valuable your support is to us. We are just two people travelling on a little boat and we’d be genuinely lost without that support that comes in so many guises and forms. We owe more gin and tonics than we ever thought possible – they are all of course collectable on board Adina! Merci beaucoup, gracias, tank yu tumas!

Tom, Susie, Adina March 2016