Living through uncertainty – also complete liberty – as of lately, I sometimes found my mind longing for more structure. But only until I remembered that I didn’t see much sense in contributing to a system, day in day out, which doesn’t make sense at all. Then, glancing into the fire and just having received the wonderful news of becoming an aunty, my thoughts wonder to birth. The reason why I love giving birth is that it takes me just so deep into the now, into the very moment I am living. There is no space for useless doubt or unnecessary thought. The only way out is to keep flowing from one moment to the next. Something that our journey very much relates to. It makes me laugh that during some tough moments I only kept going because there was simply nowhere else to go. We had already gotten ourselves too deeply into the adventure of living our dream. Luckily!

Everything seems to be falling into place these days. Tomorrow we are off to Germany for a white Christmas at granny’s. In January we will be back for some work in Southampton while waiting for the weather in the Med to get more cruising friendly. Today we are fare-welling our home of the past few weeks. Indescribable hospitality. Friends have become like family. Besides the chimney the oven has been one of my best friends. After months on the road, non-stop electricity and water does not stop to amaze me. We rarely think about it, but what a gift which is not granted to the majority of this world.

In gratefulness and amazement I prepared our snacks for tomorrow’s ferry ride back to continental Europe. If all goes to plan, we’ll run through five countries in one day: UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg (apparently the fuel there is super cheap) and Germany. In the bag are my new favourite iron boosters: Kale chips. So easy, so healthy, so yummy! Mix a spoon of each of the following:

Olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, sesame seeds and rock salt.

Massage kale in this dressing for several minutes. Then spread out on a tray and put in the pre-heated oven at 100 C for about 45 minutes. Stir a bit two thirds through to get any sticky parts of the bottom and make sure they all dry out nicely. Be wary that they don’t burn. Sit back and enjoy. My two year old’s loving them, too! Happy travels, wherever you are voyaging.