We are taking the train to Vannes (Brittany) meeting up with Pierre the skipper and joining Sailing yacht Marie for a 17 day voyage down to Rabat in Morocco! Pierre and his wife live a couple of minutes around the corner from our house in Indre, and purely by chance we got talking about 3 weeks ago. The upshot is we're helping them sail their 14m Formosa Ketch (two sticks) down to its winter home!
All's going ok here - preparations for the cottage sale are moving slowly as France is virtually closed for the whole of August, that's why we reckoned we'd be safe enough to slip away! We're hoping to make our way back via Gibralter - do some radio training, and Barcelona - look at a junk rigged boat.
We'll keep you posted here!
By the way, if you want to track our voyage - email me and I'll add you to our mailing list!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
How could I forget???
Public thank you to Peter, Gerry, Margaret and Bob for braving the snow on the 6th February, to get themselves to Tournon St Martin and Rene's 60th Birthday Celebration. managed to keep it a complete surprise from him, which was a close run thing at times, and certainly worth all the machinations to get it organised!!
Shame Mike and Anna didn't remember his birthday, but hey, what's new?
Shame Mike and Anna didn't remember his birthday, but hey, what's new?
Quick update!
As you can see, not a lot of posts since Singapore!!! So very briefly... We sailed on to Tioman Island, had a meal, sailed across the south china sea anchoring off a couple of Islands in the Indonesian Anambas Archipelago, then across to Borneo. Up the Batang River to Sibu the capital of Sarawak (saw lots of sawmills) and then back the 80miles to sea, up the coast through the oil/gas fields of Malaysia and Brunei to the Capital of Sabah.... where we jumped ship. Stayed about 6 weeks in and around the capital Kota Kinabaloo. Met some wonderful people who took us into their hearts and their homes. Finally flew to Kuala Lumpur mid July and back to the UK for the last week in July.
Did the rounds of the family, all pleased to see us back in one piece, and then we joined our friends Brian and Vicky for a week in Cornwall.... to see the Eden centre. Now that was a bit weird having just returned from the real rainforest!!! Have to admit that although it's a great project and I'm sure enjoyed by many, I found the tropical biome a bit sad in places. The vegetation is not as lush and looks a bit stressed in places. That said, if you're never going to get to the real thing, it's worth a visit!
Then we got back to La Boutinais, to find our garden overgrown - I cried. On hot days in Borneo, I used to close my eyes and imagine walking in the morning dew of our garden. I didn't visualise having to clear a jungle first. So, what was to have been a quick couple of weeks sorting out a few things, turned into a major graft session lasting until Mid November, as we tacked on one project after another. We've now finished the landscaping at the back of the barn and around the well, done a little decorating, emptied the barn and finished roofing the oven of the Boulangerie.
Mid November then we set off to continue the renovation of the house in Tournon St Martin - about 4 hours south of Normandie in the departement of L'Indre. Just on the southern edge of the Touraine wine region. Architecture is very medieval, red rooves and golden yellow stonework. There are many fortified towns and hamlets, -the area was in the middle of the boundaries of the two sides in the 100 years war. Between battles, the unemployed mercenaries would loot the locals so they built up defenses which are still here today. Lots of birdlife too, as we're on the edge of the Brenne, an area known as 'mille etangs' or 1000 lakes.
Not that we've seen much of it... heads down, overalls on, we've worked hard to turn the place around in the coldest part of the year! Happy to report that we now have an INSIDE loo, HOT water from a tap and a SHOWER!!!! Also have a fully functioning 'Salon' (lounge) with woodburner, insulated walls, laminate floor, downlighters.... ah bliss!! Only got that far just before my parents arrived on January 19th for a week!
It has been hard, dirty, grotty work, with the reward of a bath in a plastic tub at the end of the day and the use of an outside loo in the courtyard. So 'relieved' to have put that stage behind us!!
Having got this far, we're now closing up to return to La Boutinais at the end of the week. Both sad to be leaving, but happy to be returning to La B where we'll do a bit of cleaning up of the apple trees and see our friends. I'm spending a few days in the UK with Tony and Rene will hold the fort (and get all the jobs done?!)
End of march we both fly to Dublin, to join a boat at present in Newry, which is sailing to Langkawi via Gibraltar, North Africa, Malta, Alexandria, Suez, possibly the Maldives and Sri Lanka. But more of that next time...
Did the rounds of the family, all pleased to see us back in one piece, and then we joined our friends Brian and Vicky for a week in Cornwall.... to see the Eden centre. Now that was a bit weird having just returned from the real rainforest!!! Have to admit that although it's a great project and I'm sure enjoyed by many, I found the tropical biome a bit sad in places. The vegetation is not as lush and looks a bit stressed in places. That said, if you're never going to get to the real thing, it's worth a visit!
Then we got back to La Boutinais, to find our garden overgrown - I cried. On hot days in Borneo, I used to close my eyes and imagine walking in the morning dew of our garden. I didn't visualise having to clear a jungle first. So, what was to have been a quick couple of weeks sorting out a few things, turned into a major graft session lasting until Mid November, as we tacked on one project after another. We've now finished the landscaping at the back of the barn and around the well, done a little decorating, emptied the barn and finished roofing the oven of the Boulangerie.
Mid November then we set off to continue the renovation of the house in Tournon St Martin - about 4 hours south of Normandie in the departement of L'Indre. Just on the southern edge of the Touraine wine region. Architecture is very medieval, red rooves and golden yellow stonework. There are many fortified towns and hamlets, -the area was in the middle of the boundaries of the two sides in the 100 years war. Between battles, the unemployed mercenaries would loot the locals so they built up defenses which are still here today. Lots of birdlife too, as we're on the edge of the Brenne, an area known as 'mille etangs' or 1000 lakes.
Not that we've seen much of it... heads down, overalls on, we've worked hard to turn the place around in the coldest part of the year! Happy to report that we now have an INSIDE loo, HOT water from a tap and a SHOWER!!!! Also have a fully functioning 'Salon' (lounge) with woodburner, insulated walls, laminate floor, downlighters.... ah bliss!! Only got that far just before my parents arrived on January 19th for a week!
It has been hard, dirty, grotty work, with the reward of a bath in a plastic tub at the end of the day and the use of an outside loo in the courtyard. So 'relieved' to have put that stage behind us!!
Having got this far, we're now closing up to return to La Boutinais at the end of the week. Both sad to be leaving, but happy to be returning to La B where we'll do a bit of cleaning up of the apple trees and see our friends. I'm spending a few days in the UK with Tony and Rene will hold the fort (and get all the jobs done?!)
End of march we both fly to Dublin, to join a boat at present in Newry, which is sailing to Langkawi via Gibraltar, North Africa, Malta, Alexandria, Suez, possibly the Maldives and Sri Lanka. But more of that next time...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Day exploring Singapore.
Amazed how clean the place is, lots of greenery too – Palms and plants everywhere. Wandered around Little India –so colourful with fruit and vegetable stalls – amazing stuff for sale. Lots of bazaars and street sellers. Found a fabric shop and rene bought me a sari…. Will have to wait til we’re home to try that on – there’s barely room to swing a cat in the cabin let alone wrap a sari!! Found China town and a catholic church. The metro is clean and fast here, although we did lots of walking between stops! Even found a car boot sale – same old junk as back home plus fake rolex watches! We were really tired by nightfall but were determined to find Raffles Hotel! Eventually, after walking around it several times without realising it, we found the front entrance! Took the mandatory photos and had a wander around inside. It’s all been renovated. Like most of the Singapore it’s a little too perfect, a little sterile even. Anyway we can tick that destination off our list. We're glad we saw a few of the sights but not sure we'd want to return!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
I bet you all think we're just lazing on a beach, but....
...no chance! Plus my tan is fading!! I'm wearing more clothes here than I would on a hot day in Europe. Dress code is stricter here. You can spot the tourists by their dress - shorts and strppy tops - the locals get a little offended.
ok, quick round up of recent activities:
Tues 8th July
Went with Fe to meet her fiend Mary (they were both at same teacher training college), and Marys sister Margaret..
Stopped off at roadside chinese restaurant where Rene and Fe had large bowls of Fried Tom yam and Prawn Mee Sup. Mmm yummy - if you can manage that for brekkers?! Me, I stuck to a mug of Kopi (Thick black Chinese coffee floating on half an inch of condensed milk!) The two of them took pity on me and called in to a chinese coffee shop so I could grab 'Pau' (steamed bread with black bean gooey stuff inside)
Arriving at Mary's we were offered the dreaded Durian fruit. We've seen (and smelt) this weird fruit many times and managed til now to avoid actaully putting it in our mouths. Rene says it smells like drains and I'd agree, adding 'putrid' to the description. It's a very spiny fruit anything from 8" to 2 feet long and it exudes a very dodgy odour. A Seasonal fruit, people say you either love it or hate it (bit like Marmite I suppose!) Fe's daughter wont allow it in the house, so Fe and her granddaughter eat it at the market! One of the lads at the backpackers lodge told us how he used to jelp his grandfather collect his durian. they had to wear hard hats as it's dangerous if they fall on your head! Much ought after, they would stay in the forest to protect the ripened fruits from local robbers!
This is one strange fruit, and now we're backed into a corner.... we have to try it! Ignoring the smell I picked up a slimy piece of fruit and bit off a piece. OMG it was re volting - handd the rest to Rene who downed it and managed a second one!
Durian experience over amid peals of laughter from Fe and Mary (the latter said she was relieved we didn't like it - there was more left for her) we were then invited to feed the deer....
Mary joined us on our onward journey to Margarets... over the Tamperuli bridge built in colonial times.... upwards to a house on a hill with 360 degree views across to the sea, the mountain of Mt Kinabalu (hidden in the clouds) and the forests of Sabah - beautiful, breathtaking.... I was tld I'd need to be up early next morning to catch the mountain before the clouds hid it again...
ok, quick round up of recent activities:
Tues 8th July
Went with Fe to meet her fiend Mary (they were both at same teacher training college), and Marys sister Margaret..
Stopped off at roadside chinese restaurant where Rene and Fe had large bowls of Fried Tom yam and Prawn Mee Sup. Mmm yummy - if you can manage that for brekkers?! Me, I stuck to a mug of Kopi (Thick black Chinese coffee floating on half an inch of condensed milk!) The two of them took pity on me and called in to a chinese coffee shop so I could grab 'Pau' (steamed bread with black bean gooey stuff inside)
Arriving at Mary's we were offered the dreaded Durian fruit. We've seen (and smelt) this weird fruit many times and managed til now to avoid actaully putting it in our mouths. Rene says it smells like drains and I'd agree, adding 'putrid' to the description. It's a very spiny fruit anything from 8" to 2 feet long and it exudes a very dodgy odour. A Seasonal fruit, people say you either love it or hate it (bit like Marmite I suppose!) Fe's daughter wont allow it in the house, so Fe and her granddaughter eat it at the market! One of the lads at the backpackers lodge told us how he used to jelp his grandfather collect his durian. they had to wear hard hats as it's dangerous if they fall on your head! Much ought after, they would stay in the forest to protect the ripened fruits from local robbers!
This is one strange fruit, and now we're backed into a corner.... we have to try it! Ignoring the smell I picked up a slimy piece of fruit and bit off a piece. OMG it was re volting - handd the rest to Rene who downed it and managed a second one!
Durian experience over amid peals of laughter from Fe and Mary (the latter said she was relieved we didn't like it - there was more left for her) we were then invited to feed the deer....
Mary joined us on our onward journey to Margarets... over the Tamperuli bridge built in colonial times.... upwards to a house on a hill with 360 degree views across to the sea, the mountain of Mt Kinabalu (hidden in the clouds) and the forests of Sabah - beautiful, breathtaking.... I was tld I'd need to be up early next morning to catch the mountain before the clouds hid it again...
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Here, there and everywhere...
Mmm, so much for the plans we had, to quietly pore over the world map and decide on our route.... Our feet have hardly touched the ground in the past week.
Visited Father Deposte. The last of the 'Mill Hill Fathers' who brought catholicism to this area. he said it was the first time that someone (Rene) from Mill Hill, London had visited him. 88 years old and as sharp as they come, his memory was faultless.
Visited the first church built by the Mill Hill Fathers in Sabah - St Micheal's
A trip to an orchid grower... we thought it was just a nursery, not so - the sales of the dendrobium hybrids funds their work in conserving Borneo's orchids and we had a guided tour around the site to see the native species. Judith our guide patiently sat with me and the camera afterwards and told me the names of each of the flowers I had photographed...
Crossed the Tamparuli River, where two soldiers saved the life of a local woman in a flood - and drowned themselves...
Up at 5am for mass at St Micheals, then met up with Anthony Yan whos brother builds boats.... had breakfast - noodles with fried egg (???) Anthony took us out for the day, not only to his brother's boatyard but also to look at tourism development in the local area. We walked through two developments. It was weird - we could have been anywhere in the world.... the architecture doesn't reflect local traditions - in fact we have since heard that everything was shipped in from Bali! we named them 'Touristville A and B' I guess Sabah is just the latest in a long line of Dominican Republic/Maldives/Seychelles Touristvilles Wonder if the guests actually see anything of local life or even want to?! Ironically, the local people tell us that the two 'paradise' beach resorts we saw both have very dangerous rip currents. One of the beaches we saw was a popular public beach, before the developers moved in!
check em out here: http://www.nexusresort.com/new/index.html
http://www.malaysia-hotels.net/hotels/rasariakk/
The boatyard makes catamarans... and dragon boats. On reflection, we think we'll stick with the Amel Sharki
http://www.amel.fr/en/pages-amel/sharki-photos-plans.htm
http://www.amel.fr/en/pages-amel/sharki.htm
Ate Tuaran Mee - in Tuaran, walked across a footbridge - a modern version of a ropebridge. very bouncy and very very iffy - it's the only way to get to the village on foot....
Finished our day with a visit to Kinsom waterfall, truly beautiful... Fe's last visit was 40 years ago when she took a group of schoolkids. She said that in those days, there was no road so it took them about four hours to get there and there was lots of wildlife. It took us 2 minutes to get there from the carpark and we saw one frog, one butterfly, and we collected a bag of rubbish, which we put into the rubbish bin - 6 paces away.
Have taken 1600 photographs so far, but the connections are slow and unreliable, so uploading is a real pain.
What else have we been up to? Traipsing around farmers markets.... wow, Weird Veg Inc. and namethatodour.com. Take a look at the ladies who graciously allowed me to photograph them....
Watching the caterpillers in Fe's garden - in 10 days they have doubled from 2"x 1/2" to 4"long and 1" wide -bright green with white spikes...
Got some great shots of the tree frogs and chamaeleons - just love those little critters... have NOT bothered to record the cockroaches.
Last night, walked up the lane to Edwin and Clementine's house for dinner. Edwin showed us his collection of plants to cure all ailments from high blood pressure to cancer.... and he keeps sheep! The flying ants were out in force on ou return to Fe's. Very dark and lots of barking dogs, croaking frogs, weird insect noises.....
This morning, up at 6am to catch the minibus (the driver rents a house down Fe's drive) into Kota Kinabalu. Walked through the Sunday market which sells everything from Tourist tut to herbal remedies, live fish and animals, weird veg, reflexology, music cd's, dried fish (wto.com) then caught the bus for 9am mass in english at the cathedral (full to bursting) brunch at the golf club with Jane and Peter, chinese 'pau' (scrumptious baked bread filled with coconut stuff) washed down with chinese coffee, thick, black and sweet floating on top of half an inch of condensed milk..... mmmm
This afternoon, we met up with Anthony at the Kinabalu Yacht Club. it's a small club, full of local people. In the 50's it was a hang out for ex-pats - Anthony can remember being chased away as a child! Met a guy from Hull - been here since the 70's!
It's been very interesting hearing our new friends talk of their culture and childhood experiences:
Working in the paddy fields... sent out each morning to catch frogs in the paddy fields ("I had to carefully part the rice and catch the frogs or we didn't have anything to eat", searching the forest for food... sole responsibilty for her baby brother - she was busy and he fell out of the house (on stilts) so after that she carried him everywhere she went. She was 6 years old.
Another friend was sponsored by the Peace Corps to go to America at age 14. Imagine the cultural shock - from Kadazan village life to wealthy American Wisconsin family. She came back to Sabah when she was 18.
Both these women have promised me they'll write about their early lives. They have seen such changes in the past 50-60years.
Anthony is explaining to Rene about the ethnic mix of Borneo, so here goes....
In Sabah, Chinese brought in by British to work on Estates. Before independance, the Chinese began to set up businesses, there were tensions between the chinese and the 'locals' because the chinese were more economically motivated than the locals. Many chinese who started as coolies, worked hard to then open their own businesses. This is evident in the Town, most of the businesses are chinese owned. Happily, now, there is full integration - although some do say there are still those who are resentful.
Indigenous Sabahans: Kadazan - west coast and interior, Suluk - east coast, Bajau - Northern
Sarawakans Iban and Dayaks.
Kalimantan (Indonesia) the indigenous people were pushed out of their territory by another, more 'economically motivated' group so the 'natives' chopped their heads off.
the head hunters? Well we haven't met any (we don't think we have anyway) it was the tradition for a man wishing to marry, to prove his 'manhood' and his ability to support a family by going out into the forest and bringing back a head.
On that note, with a battery low warning, I close....
Visited Father Deposte. The last of the 'Mill Hill Fathers' who brought catholicism to this area. he said it was the first time that someone (Rene) from Mill Hill, London had visited him. 88 years old and as sharp as they come, his memory was faultless.
Visited the first church built by the Mill Hill Fathers in Sabah - St Micheal's
A trip to an orchid grower... we thought it was just a nursery, not so - the sales of the dendrobium hybrids funds their work in conserving Borneo's orchids and we had a guided tour around the site to see the native species. Judith our guide patiently sat with me and the camera afterwards and told me the names of each of the flowers I had photographed...
Crossed the Tamparuli River, where two soldiers saved the life of a local woman in a flood - and drowned themselves...
Up at 5am for mass at St Micheals, then met up with Anthony Yan whos brother builds boats.... had breakfast - noodles with fried egg (???) Anthony took us out for the day, not only to his brother's boatyard but also to look at tourism development in the local area. We walked through two developments. It was weird - we could have been anywhere in the world.... the architecture doesn't reflect local traditions - in fact we have since heard that everything was shipped in from Bali! we named them 'Touristville A and B' I guess Sabah is just the latest in a long line of Dominican Republic/Maldives/Seychelles Touristvilles Wonder if the guests actually see anything of local life or even want to?! Ironically, the local people tell us that the two 'paradise' beach resorts we saw both have very dangerous rip currents. One of the beaches we saw was a popular public beach, before the developers moved in!
check em out here: http://www.nexusresort.com/new/index.html
http://www.malaysia-hotels.net/hotels/rasariakk/
The boatyard makes catamarans... and dragon boats. On reflection, we think we'll stick with the Amel Sharki
http://www.amel.fr/en/pages-amel/sharki-photos-plans.htm
http://www.amel.fr/en/pages-amel/sharki.htm
Ate Tuaran Mee - in Tuaran, walked across a footbridge - a modern version of a ropebridge. very bouncy and very very iffy - it's the only way to get to the village on foot....
Finished our day with a visit to Kinsom waterfall, truly beautiful... Fe's last visit was 40 years ago when she took a group of schoolkids. She said that in those days, there was no road so it took them about four hours to get there and there was lots of wildlife. It took us 2 minutes to get there from the carpark and we saw one frog, one butterfly, and we collected a bag of rubbish, which we put into the rubbish bin - 6 paces away.
Have taken 1600 photographs so far, but the connections are slow and unreliable, so uploading is a real pain.
What else have we been up to? Traipsing around farmers markets.... wow, Weird Veg Inc. and namethatodour.com. Take a look at the ladies who graciously allowed me to photograph them....
Watching the caterpillers in Fe's garden - in 10 days they have doubled from 2"x 1/2" to 4"long and 1" wide -bright green with white spikes...
Got some great shots of the tree frogs and chamaeleons - just love those little critters... have NOT bothered to record the cockroaches.
Last night, walked up the lane to Edwin and Clementine's house for dinner. Edwin showed us his collection of plants to cure all ailments from high blood pressure to cancer.... and he keeps sheep! The flying ants were out in force on ou return to Fe's. Very dark and lots of barking dogs, croaking frogs, weird insect noises.....
This morning, up at 6am to catch the minibus (the driver rents a house down Fe's drive) into Kota Kinabalu. Walked through the Sunday market which sells everything from Tourist tut to herbal remedies, live fish and animals, weird veg, reflexology, music cd's, dried fish (wto.com) then caught the bus for 9am mass in english at the cathedral (full to bursting) brunch at the golf club with Jane and Peter, chinese 'pau' (scrumptious baked bread filled with coconut stuff) washed down with chinese coffee, thick, black and sweet floating on top of half an inch of condensed milk..... mmmm
This afternoon, we met up with Anthony at the Kinabalu Yacht Club. it's a small club, full of local people. In the 50's it was a hang out for ex-pats - Anthony can remember being chased away as a child! Met a guy from Hull - been here since the 70's!
It's been very interesting hearing our new friends talk of their culture and childhood experiences:
Working in the paddy fields... sent out each morning to catch frogs in the paddy fields ("I had to carefully part the rice and catch the frogs or we didn't have anything to eat", searching the forest for food... sole responsibilty for her baby brother - she was busy and he fell out of the house (on stilts) so after that she carried him everywhere she went. She was 6 years old.
Another friend was sponsored by the Peace Corps to go to America at age 14. Imagine the cultural shock - from Kadazan village life to wealthy American Wisconsin family. She came back to Sabah when she was 18.
Both these women have promised me they'll write about their early lives. They have seen such changes in the past 50-60years.
Anthony is explaining to Rene about the ethnic mix of Borneo, so here goes....
In Sabah, Chinese brought in by British to work on Estates. Before independance, the Chinese began to set up businesses, there were tensions between the chinese and the 'locals' because the chinese were more economically motivated than the locals. Many chinese who started as coolies, worked hard to then open their own businesses. This is evident in the Town, most of the businesses are chinese owned. Happily, now, there is full integration - although some do say there are still those who are resentful.
Indigenous Sabahans: Kadazan - west coast and interior, Suluk - east coast, Bajau - Northern
Sarawakans Iban and Dayaks.
Kalimantan (Indonesia) the indigenous people were pushed out of their territory by another, more 'economically motivated' group so the 'natives' chopped their heads off.
the head hunters? Well we haven't met any (we don't think we have anyway) it was the tradition for a man wishing to marry, to prove his 'manhood' and his ability to support a family by going out into the forest and bringing back a head.
On that note, with a battery low warning, I close....
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Enjoying the quiet...
We're now staying in a little village (Kampung Kolopis) near Kota Kinabalu. At night just the sounds of the insects and the frogs.... it's peaceful here and Fe has a wonderful garden - full of european houseplants! Their outdoor plants that grow like weeds are the plants we pay a fortune for back home, to put in our homes!
We're hoping to put together our round the world tour from here as we have the time and the space to spread out our maps.
Today we have been at Jane and Peters where we have made apple pies and a roast dinner. I've left Rene in the kitchen with a bevvy of local ladies as he teaches them all about roast lamb and mint sauce! I should get back now, before I'm missed, just needed to check the emails and add a few words here! The people we've met here in Sabah are generous, kind and warmhearted, they've taken us into their homes and their hearts. We are so fortunate and count our blessings every day!
We're hoping to put together our round the world tour from here as we have the time and the space to spread out our maps.
Today we have been at Jane and Peters where we have made apple pies and a roast dinner. I've left Rene in the kitchen with a bevvy of local ladies as he teaches them all about roast lamb and mint sauce! I should get back now, before I'm missed, just needed to check the emails and add a few words here! The people we've met here in Sabah are generous, kind and warmhearted, they've taken us into their homes and their hearts. We are so fortunate and count our blessings every day!
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