Getting started (for real!)

Tuesday 16th October

Well, it's been a busy and emotional few months, since we last posted news here. In July we sailed BlueFlyer from Dublin to the south of England and then on down to Povoa in northern Portugal. We then returned to Dublin for about 3 months, during which time we were busy packing up our lives - literally and emotionally!

We finally sold the house, though until the money actually came through it was a tense few weeks! Then we packed up the house - 23 years of accumulating stuff took it's toll - we were exhausted after that (and you should have heard what the hoover had to say about it all!). Then it was final goodbyes to the house in Killiney and off to the family home in Dalkley for about 10 days. We stayed with Val's brother, Tony and his wife, Eveline up in White House for that time, which was great - we are very grateful to them for their generosity and patience! Then it was on a Ryanair flight to Portugal where we were reunited with BlueFlyer in Povoa, where we left her in July.

BlueFlyer was in perfect condition, which was a relief, but the pallett of supplies which we sent to her had not arrived, so we were without the food we had arranged. Fortunately it turned up a few days later. Since then we have had a few days in Povoa sorting out the stuff on the boat (she was looking a little low in the water once put everything on board!) and now we are on our way down the coast of Portugal. So far the weather has been nice and we are finally beginning to relax and recharge the batteries at the end of a long and tiring year.

We are grateful to everyone who helped us get this far on our journey. Getting started is probably the hardest thing with a trip like this, but now that we are finally on our way we can put all the hard work of organising the trip behind us and look forward to all the wonderful things in store. There have been so many wonderful people helping us this year, too many to mention, but if you read this blog, you know who you are - a big thank you! Make sure you stay in touch as we settle in the land of the convicts.

Till the next blog....Val & Hugh