Hey, my friend, it is going to be alright.
I have to listen to the three little birds from Bob Marley every once in a while, especially in the cover version I used in the video. No matter where we are in life, if things are going our way or if we seem to be on a dead-end road, it always marks the beginning of something new.
price to live on a boat
The last week of the month is always a bit busy as I have all of my mastermind groups in that week. And for some reason, the weather gods often want to send me a reminder in that week. Since last weekend, it was pouring rain, which made it basically impossible to leave the boat without becoming soaking wet. In combination, we had strong winds that were hitting the boat from the side and made it a bit miserable on board. Now the wind has dropped, but shifted direction and is sending a constant swell into the marina, leaving me bouncing from one side to the other. The downsides of living on a boat, I can tell you that.
It helps me a lot to know that this is quite simply the price I have to pay for all the beautiful sunsets and the morning swims that are about to wait for me quite soon. At the same time, I am looking back at last year. Twelve months ago, I was living in Tanzania and was about to give my life a major shift. And change did come, although completely different than expected. Had I in mind to organize my life around Tanzania and spend most of my time around Kilimanjaro, am I now closing Django.Tours, my Tanzania travel company, for good.
looking back at Kilimanjaro
A year ago, I was planting coffee under the banana trees in my garden at the Kilimanjaro Guesthouse, prepping the house for the next season. Together with planting the garden, I planted a lot of hopes and expectations, but not all the plants can grow everywhere on earth. If you plant them in the wrong place or trust the wrong person to take care and water them, they won’t grow, maybe not even survive at all. I knew that before but obviously had to be taught that lesson again.
smile and laughter
As I mentioned before, I have been through a lot of soul surfing last year, especially towards the end, and I decided to finally let go of my East Africa hopes, close that chapter, and focus on writing a new one. It made me very sad, and watching that Kilimanjaro video definitely makes my heart skip a bit. But with acceptance came the realization that I want to take that laughter, that childish curiosity I experienced so often in Zanzibar and Tanzania with me. That I want to keep that smile on my face that I had riding my motorbike on the red dust roads through green banana plantations and the white ice snow cap of Kilimanjaro throning over the scenery before a blue sky. I want to carry that enthusiasm and pure joy with me, wherever I go.
It is working more often than not, and I feel, in fact, better than I have in a long time.
Mexico
About the same time I took that decision, I decided to visit a friend of mine in March and go sailing in Mexico. And as it’s March tomorrow… guess what. I am ready to leave by tomorrow evening. I have Friday blocked for handing over Django as he will stay on Elba, and then go to Portoferraio where I’ll stay on a friend’s boat for a night to be able to catch the first ferry at 5 in the morning in order to catch my plane in Rome.
I’ll arrive in Mexico on Sunday and will have until the 19th to have my dose of the tropics for this winter season.
tracking
I got myself a little gadget for this trip, which is a Garmin InReach device that will allow me to track me as well as a security device for my own safety as it allows worldwide Satellite Communication through the Iridium satellites. If you want to see where I am, have a look at tracking.flohjoe.com. I will also send out random check-in messages with a geotag when I am sailing offshore. If you want to receive those as well, contact me and I’ll add your email address.
And… as I announced earlier, I went off Facebook today. I am not 100% sure what I will do with Instagram, but as good as it felt to let go of Facebook and concentrate on this community here… I believe the fate of Insta will be the same.
Talking of this community, thanks to all of you who have joined me on this journey. All the free members are unfortunately only able to comment on the posts. whereas all the other can chat with me directly in the Patreon App. So please feel free to comment. I’ll also answer in the comment or send you an email.
Thank you for being with me. Stay save and remember to have a bit of smile and laughter in your life.
Take care and talk to you again, next week. Floh