Is your 1st passion: Travelling or Sailing?

[maxingout]

I'm one-hundred percent sure that if today was the the year 1800, I would be packing my Conestoga wagon and heading toward the setting sun to explore the western expanses of North America.

In my first sixty years, I have owned two Landcruisers, five Defender Land Rovers, three monohull sailboats, and one catamaran. All of these conveyances were my 21st century Conestoga wagons that made it possible for me to live my dreams.

Our catamaran made it possible to sail around the world on the ocean of our dreams

The Landcruisers made it possible to explore Mexico, all of Central America, and Puerto Rico. The Defenders made it possible to explore Saudi Arabia, Oman, the Emirates, and the outback of Australia. I still have two Defenders ready to drive from Capetown to Cairo and from Buenos Aires to Alaska.

For me, the dream is all about adventure, freedom, and being really alive. Although I like seeing the sights wherever we go, I think it's the sense of adventure coupled with the freedom to do what I want to do with my life seasoned with a pinch of adrenalin that makes it all worthwhile. It doesn't matter whether I drive down a hundred foot sand dune, sail through pirate alley, or voyage across an ocean, I still get a feeling that I am really alive and am accomplishing something that's important to me. I'm living my dreams, and although it's a lot of work, costs lots of money, and spends the currency of my youth, that doesn't matter, because I'm doing what I want to do with my life as I live without regrets.

On the wall in front of me I have a graphic emblazoned in large red letters:
WWSD
Those letters mean, WHAT WOULD STEVE DO?

I've always admired Steve Irwin and his outrageous ability to get the most out of life. Whenever I feel like chickening out and surrendering my dreams, I look up at my WWSD sign, and I remind myself that if Steve was still here, he would be living his dreams, and that there's no reason that I shouldn't be living my dreams.

It's my dreams that get me up in the morning and keep me going all day long. It's my dreams that keep me sailing, and someday will take me around the world in my Land Rover Defenders. When I'm out sailing on the seven seas and travelling in my Defenders, I can feel the freedom bubble up in my heart.

Once you have a taste of freedom and live your dreams, you are hooked for life, and nothing else will do.





If you want to see some freedom in action, check out this link:
this is the link to captain music video

[Talbot]

I love visiting new countries

but

every so often I HAVE to get to where I can only see sea

[Reality Check]

I really can not separate the two... I love to sail and be on a sail boat even at anchor. I do love to get involved with new places... not tour but longer term stays, I guess some call it traveling but generally getting more enmeshed in the local... the place and people but sometime just the place like a nice cove with your boat on the hook and no one else around.

I love single handing on occasions... maybe for several weeks at a time then others to be with friends or new found acquaintances who often become friends.

Like several others, in the prime of my working life I did extensive Air and Land traveling through Europe, middle Ease and the Pacific Rim... so simply traveling today really does not do that much for me unless it is tied to a reason even if that reason is just to see what is around the next island.. it has to be connected by a sailboat

[DR.GG LONDON]

Enjoyed your site, especially your "fog" and pics! I am researching the idea of taking my 5 children and husband on a trip--looking at cats but thinking cruiser, more pricey of course. Your thoughts? Also, dumb question...can we get to Europe from the Virgin Islands, and if so, how and in what suggested boat? Thanks for your fun stuff!
Gigi

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha ChrisX2,
Welcome aboard! I like them both equally and I like backpacking (the kind where hiking is required), bicycling, scuba, dinghy sailing and when I get my big boat back in the water I'll be doing more of that stuff. I used to love running until my knees gave out.
I hope you get a feel for the forum through the answers to your question.
Kind regards,
JohnL