Thursday 15 January 2009

The Beginning - January 2007


Less than 12 months ago I packed my rucksack and travelled around Costa Rica for three weeks in a vein attempt to cure a bad case of itchy feet. Unbeknown to me the travel bug was incurable and the trip fed my appetite for more!

Lying on a beach in Tamarindo on the Pacific Coast, engrossed in Ellen MacArthers autobiography, I had my first meeting with "Bobby". Considering Ellen is my inspiration as one best yacht women in the UK, it took more than a typical guy to distract me. Yes I know, prior to this I had never even sailed as far as the Isle of Wight, but hey, any woman who climbs a mast in freak weather conditions deserves attention. Never know, that could be me in a few months….probably waving a rescue beacon!

Bobby, the blonde surfer from San Diego with the chat up line of "That’s my boat over there & I'm sailing round the world", immediately caught my eye.

I spent the rest of my holiday sailing down the Pacific Coast aboard Bobby's boat, Barraveigh a 41 foot Jeanneau. Having returned home and with my tan fading, I promptly rejoined him a few months later in Panama.

I'm packing my bags again, this time it’s a one way ticket, with the final destination and return date unknown! It’s going to be a challenge, & thats just trying to overcome the airlines weight restrictions! I’m sure the rest of the trip will be a breeze - who am I kidding! The trials and tribulations I have faced so far include; how many bikinis do I need and whether Bobby will see mascara as an essential item? Silly question, of course it is!!

I promise to send regular updates throughout my intrepid adventure from life aboard Barraveigh. Fingers crossed my supply of Cadbury’s will see me through the difficult times on the ocean but the challenges will only make the magical moments all the more breathtaking.
I’m ready to navigate my way through the steep learning curves (that’s for you Dad!) and attempt recipes for meals when I have no ingredients.

For now its back to the packing…

To continue reading stories from life onboard Barraveigh click on the relevant date on the righthand side of the screen

Saturday 10 January 2009

The End of a Chapter

It is time to come home & rejoin the real world.


I’ve sailed half way around the world! A major achievement. An achievement that seems so unreal, that has changed my life & will alter my future in so ways they are impossible to quantify.

I have come home a sailor but I am still Suzanne Roberts, the girl who loves heels & handbags as much as her flip flops & foul weather gear; who will love celebrating with friends over cocktails & champagne as much as a walk along a cold, windy Sussex seafront sharing a mug of hot chocolate at Sea Lane Café. I am proud of the person I was, what I have achieved, the person I have become & the person I still am.

This trip has achieved so many things, on levels that are impossible to put into words, but its time to go home, embrace my life on land, my family & my friends. Achieving this dream is a huge high but it hasn't been without its costs both financially & emotionally. I’m not even sure how to mention Bobby or Barraveigh without feeling a huge loss. Words cannot describe the journey we have been on. I will treasure every memory, both good & bad, forever. My respect for Bobby is beyond words & we are by no means parting as enemies. The experiences we have been through ensures we are bound together as friends. To hear stories of the next leg & the rest of the world that awaits them will be hard to do without feeling a little jealously or a twinge of envy, but the choice to come home is the right one. The Suzi Set Sail chapter has come to an end & it is time to begin another chapter in my life.

Dreams are worthless without friends or family. The people who knew the real you, the you you don’t have to explain, who know your faults & your past yet are still there to hold your hand. Never misjudge how important those people are in your life. Achieving this dream without you all just wouldn't be the same.

Friday 2 January 2009

Rules of the road Bali Style!

Rule number one - discard the Highway Code it does not apply here. The traffic is an organised chaos. It looks daunting when you first arrive but amazingly with 100's of moped on the road it run pretty smoothly.

2. There is no speed limit but going slow is not an option.

3. The more people on a moped the safer they seem to think it is. A family of 5 including a new born baby, on one moped is a common sight.

4. Traffic blocked up at a junction, no problem just create your own lane including using the grassy verges

5. When wearing traditional dress ladies must ride side saddle

6. When in traditional dress no helmets are required, the gods protect you.

7. At all other times only the driver must wear a helmet. Helmets are optional for all other passengers.

8. The horn is an essential piece of equipment & must be sounded at 1 minute intervals.

9. Never think someone is flashing their lights to give way, they are telling you to get out of the way pronto

10. The carrying of equipment on a moped is also a must, outboard motors, lawn mowers, huge flat screen tv's with of course the entire family also on board!

11. No need to look prior to pulling out at a junction, just hope the gods are looking after you & the traffic will stop

12. Do not give way to anyone on the road. Slightly concerning when used in conjunction with number 11.

13. No age requirement to ride a scooter.

14. If you are Western do not stop at the scene of an accident you are not involved in. You will find yourself implicated in the accident & hit up for the hospital bills of the injured person.

15. Do not let your front wheels touch or go over the stop line at a junction. The police love to fine you for this or rather hit you up for a bribe.

16. Do not stop for a policeman that is waving you down. Wave back & pretend you thought he was waving at you. They see a Western face & know they are going to be able to line their pockets.

17. Overtaking maybe done in any lane & undertaking is preferable

18. Oneway streets do not apply to mopeds & they should also feel free to use the pavement

19. Lights on mopeds are voluntary

20. There is no suck thing as a driving test!!!

Despite all that I'm enjoying driving about Bali in my little jeep. No major problems other than bartering with the police for my "non official fines" & stopping for a scooter accident. The riders big toe was ripped off. Unfortunately the people around me who didn't see the accident thought I was involved & I had to leave before things got difficult.

All in all very simular to driving in London!! ; )