Pffff, what a few weeks it has been! Besides the usual challenges of mentally transitioning from life at sea to land-lubbering (yep, many things even after more than three months still take me by wonder, the good and the bad) I ended up on my first ambulance ride of my life as I came off my scooter in the silliest way possible on my way to a Yoga class on an early Sunday morning. Despite the rather deep hole in and almost through my big toe and the few road-burns along the legs I was incredibly lucky as I could have easily lost something in or around my foot permanently. As it stands, it was just followed by a rather unpleasant day on a hospital-enforced semi-fast (How can you tell a pregnant woman not to eat for nine hours???), although with lovely staff, amazing friends who cheekily sneaked in a sandwich and a juice, immense gratitude for having such great medical services at arm’s reach when needed – and of course the following weeks of forced resting. I can’t hear one more ‘What a great opportunity to rest!’. I’m over resting! I’m dying to a go for a simple, humble walk! But then they say;

Life doesn’t always give you what you want, but generally what you need.

So here I am, learning to walk again as my hip and pelvis rock completely out of sinc in which pregnancy’s softer ligaments aren’t helping. Then I get the phone-call that finally, after months of fine-tuning, our beloved Happy Dancer has been sold. The first person who came to view her in Malta few hours after posting the ad on this blog several months ago when pregnancy forced us into an unplanned cruising break. Given this is our first round in and out of boat-ownership, I definitely can’t agree with the old saying that the happiest days of owning a boat are the one you buy and the one you sell it. There was no champagne, there was no high-fives or cheers. There was just an almost numbing sadness and vast void – more so as the boys keep asking every day for their home – our boat – and I’m running out of explanations on what to say. A chapter is over. Of course we wish the the new owner, his family and friends as much happiness and unforgettable adventures as she’s brought us. And just as I hang up with them, I get an email that a share in our old boat here on Sydney Harbour has become available. We’ll explore this option, as well as getting our very own little 30′-er on Pittwater for more frequent weekend sailing and to help fill that emptiness which not having a boat at hand has left in our family’s psyche.

Such is life, continuous flow, incessant change. Nothing ever stays the same, everything changes constantly. No use in lamenting what is no more, when there is so many things to embrace and look forward to.Besides future adventures in Asia, the Pacific, South America and who knows where else, there’s the here-and-now. Sydney’s natural beauty – to me without a doubt the world’s city with the highest living standard. The opportunity for the boys to experience ‘normal’ school for a while. Believe it or not: Routine. There is a certain freedom and tranquillity in having a routine which I would have never understood before living three years on a sailing boat with husband and toddlers and uncertainty part of every breath we took. Here now, so much time to read, potter in the garden, be with the kids (without an imminent boat maintenance issue in the background), and study again (Vedic Astrology – here I come!). Breaks from our relationship – you wouldn’t believe how nice it is to see your loved one after a day of separate adventures, as opposed to the challenge of sharing a rather small space together 24/7. Regular yoga with fabulous teachers and other fun and insightful activities (think contact impro in Newtown; markets on Saturdays; bush-hiking and whale-watching on Sundays; medicinal walks; BBQs; birthday parties; book clubs… Sydney’s got it anything you could ask for and more!). And last but not least, our amazing community, including some new friends we’ve made who bought exactly the same boat which we used to call home for years, are preparing for their next sailing season in the Med and, needless to say share the same vibes and having enjoyed several summary BBQs with them since we got back, it feels like we’ve been friends forever. If you fancy reading more about family sailing fun, check out their excellent blog: A yacht more to life.

The other fellow blogger/dear friend who I’ve been enjoying numerous after-noons over cup-cakes and tea, beach time and family picnics with is beautiful Bianca from OurYearInSpain. Another blog worth while detouring to, even more so if spending a year in Spain (or possibly other parts of the world) is part of your and your family’s bucket list.

In Yoga we always talk about detaching from the ego. In a way, I wonder, how much dreams and longings are part of that ego as I’m trying to detach and feel content without an imminent glamorous dream to turn into a project and then reality – well that is if pregnancy, birth and transitioning to a family of five didn’t count!