Slipping the Docklines
original PLANNING construct
Someone once told me that leprechauns guard a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, and looking back on my journey, I don’t remember if I was chasing the pot of gold, or the leprechaun. When I stop rushing through life for a moment to give to myself, I close my eyes and remember those journeys, I can feel the path beneath my feet, the smell of adventure, the friends made, the clothes torn, the scars earned and the laugh of the leprechaun I haven’t found.
We are grown up now and lead busy lives, with little time for chasing fairytales. But what if elves exist and we never get to see one? What would it be like to talk with a mermaid? Are dwarfs really that funny? What do fairies think about and what would we find over the horizon? As we sit chatting about the world, we start to wonder if giants really do exist and realize there are enough grownups keeping the world spinning to allow us to step down from our grownup for a moment and go looking for giants beyond the wall.
So the plan is to slip our dock lines, head west, avoid bad weather, meet new friends and find where the sun goes when it sets over the horizon.
From the dreamer, Craig
Okay, now for some practical talk (from the one who keeps him partially grounded and who my nieces and nephews call "serious"!). We are always planning the next phase in our journey and at this stage, we are in no rush to leave the Mediterranean or Adriatic. But given our home is mobile, we are non-EU citizens, the Schengen Shuffle etc etc, we are always researching for the next 6 to 12 months. So what do we look for:
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Good Marinas with good services, safe enough to leave the boat when needed.
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Cute and interesting village/s within walking distance so we can be feel part of a community.
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Interesting sailing areas that we could explore on land as well as by sea.
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Somewhere that we'll be likely to be able to obtain the required visas or residency permits.
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Somewhere that we are able to get to an airport to fly to the Land of Oz from time to time.
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And last but not least......not a crazy $$