The past few days I have been out of writing action – immersed in bicarb soda and vinegar water scrubbing and polishing our home of five years. What a relief handing in the keys to the landlord! Now I can dedicate the remaining time in Sydney to emotionally farewell my country of the past decade.

So many ‘last’ ones these days. Last walk down to iconic Bondi beach where a friend of our’s, Bish, got whacked by a whale last Sunday; last time seeing friends; last bath in our good old bath tub; last glance at our home of five years… In order to make space for new adventures, one has to let go of old stuff. With the decreasing moon, this has been much easier.

Free of routines and daily to-do lists, there is time to be still and just treasure the sparkling flow of life. So often we get asked why we leave behind a stable job and settled life to throw all of our savings into a boat and, hopefully, a few years of nautical living. Reflecting on the ‘Why’s of our journey, I repeat the question over and over again to allow it to sink deeper. I am stunned at how many people waste the best years of their lives trying to build an imaginative safety net for which they sacrifice their dreams. Paralyzed by too many fears, they live in the future and past, instead of grasping the here and now. The people who feel provoked by this statement, are generally the ones referred to. The ones who are happy with the way they have chosen to live their lives just smile.

The future is an illusion, the past a memory. The present, a precious gift.

A dear friend of our’s throws up the question, have I become selfish? I always used to be concerned about the injustices in this world and wanted to make it a better place. I pursued a career through working with NGOs in South America and Asia, to a stint with the UN’s Environment Program, several years in the corporate sustainability space and a visit to local council’s sustainability programs. Disillusioned with most of these levels in terms of their willingness and ability to create change, I have turned more inwards since the birth of my first child and been focusing on the yogic 8-fold path.  In the end, change needs to come from within each of us.

There is no sense in the marine-biologist who spends all his life submitting proposals with no time left to enjoy nature; or the midwife wrapped in paper work and hospital reporting obligations with barely any time left to support birthing women. Bless the few people who find the balance between devoting themselves to the little changes they can make, and developing their own peace of mind.

Linking these thoughts to the nomadic days ahead of us, I can’t wait to share the beauty of our amazing planet with my kids while it is still possible. I want to show them respect for all sentient beings and gratitude for nature’s gifts. I want to connect, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually with peoples of this world, inspire, get inspired and share inner peace. I am in awe of the different ways people explore to find this inner peace and want to keep on learning every minute of my life. I also hope to share birthing knowledge and mysterious wisdom, acknowledging the rare opportunities we are given to truly connect with the divine.

Sitting on our 104 kg of luggage allowance I marvel at the smile in my children’s eyes,treasuring moment by moment, with the occasional mental stroll into the future: Two kids. No boat. A dream afloat…

Ships are the nearest thing to dreams that hands have ever made. Robert n Rose