Dear friends,

The departure approaches rapidly… Exciting!

During the last couple of weeks I’ve started my theoretical dive training. Never stop breathing under water – sounds pretty hard with all the excited new things to discover. Received a short navigation training, refreshed the Archimedean law, studied some dive tables and many more tips and tricks for a safe underwater chapter. I’ve also prepared a small diving equipment – the goggles, snorkel and a diving computer – before I really enter the water. It feels exciting about what kind of adventures are ahead there under the surface of our seas! I really hope to see some manta rays and get company of some joyfully whales and dolphins… And above the surface the Komodo dragons will keep us company. We’re already dreaming about the boats, freedom and adventures that lie ahead.

Almost there – 18 days till start – and still counting…

All the electronics and photographers equipment got the last adaptations. Battery chargers checked, cables and sockets ready for all the different places in the world…

EHBO-kit prepared and our vaccination carts controlled. The malaria and its treatments caused lots of headache to each of us… Do we take the chemical poisons? Or do we allow these sneaky mosquitos doing their thing? Our backpackers equipment got the last check-up or we bought the missing links (because its my first backpackers experience there are only missing links). Sleeping bags and mattress, a lightweight tent for windy circumstances, some adequate clothing for hot, cold, wet, dry, sunny, freezy, snowy, … But first of all – sunny and warm. After these cold days during the last couple of months, we’re in desperate need for some nicer climate conditions… Happily enough we live with the sunny idea that we’ve got summer conditions for the next 13 months. Hmm already dreaming.

Friends frequently tell us how lucky we are… that it is the chance of our lives and that we really have to do it before the kids are coming. They are partly right. A dream is made to make it happen! A life is designed to realize dreams and we’re hard working to do so. Otherwise when kids are coming, traveling don’t fade away, it only changes… And houses and other stuff we really ‘need’ to be happy are in for some interpretations. How big, luxurious or high tech you chose them, is totally up to you. But I always remember one thing… experiences never get lost, money you lose all day long.

One of the favorite sayings of Ilse is ‘a moored ship is safe, but therefore ships aren’t designed’.And so we got the wind in the sails, the sun on our faces and an experience ahead… First stop – Singapore.

We leave docks quite soon… and with this blog we keep you informed about our many adventures.

Kisses,

Bart en Ilse