Going Troppo

I've decided to update this weekly now that we are settled in the one spot for a few months. I realise that it may not be as exciting to read about our life while we're not busy exploring untouched islands - but I still want to keep a record as I'm addicted to blogging now :D I have no idea how many people actually read this anyway... ? ...

Rene has continued to be a busy bee working between 35-40 hours a week, programming. He stays happy by walking and swimming with me most afternoons, listening to / creating music and eating his weight in chocolate, nuts, lollies and other terrible snacks! I've been able to resist the chocolate temptation - mostly due to the amazing pawpaw's that I keep buying at the markets here. I love tropical fruit!!!

They say you are what you eat!

I'm (trying to) strike a balance between boaty jobs and learning how to create websites in Flash. I didn't receive any calls to do supply work so far - which I'm quite happy about really! Sure, the money would be helpful... but I'm loving my freedom from the stress of controlling teenagers. I've been enjoying reading Jessica Watson's book True Spirit and have found out a lot more about the whole process she went through. She is so amazing and is still an inspiration for me.

The boat this week has:

- had the plastic cupboard of doom sorted/culled

- installed a longer pole for our hanging clothes 

- obtained a 4x4metre square of carpet, washed it and have started cutting it to size to glue into the hull as insulation. This will hopefully prevent more mould from growing during the wet season. 

- a wind-chute / sun-shield was finally completed for our aft cabin - I used far more canvas than I thought though and now need to source more for all of the other covers!

- mould has been cleaned off more of our winter jackets, wet weather gear and shoes
- Rene installed the replacement tricolour lights on top of the main mast - while up there, he discovered that a weld that holds the spinnaker halyard is tearing off (probably as a result of us using the halyard to haul the dinghy off and onto the boat). This problem will require some pretty substantial fixing - ah boats!

A new-found problem on top of the main mast! :(

Last night we went out to the Lifesavers Club for some live music. It turned out to be a great venue with some quality local music. The headlining act, Pachooka, was especially good and we started the dance floor jumping. We danced to their entire set!
I'm glad that we heard about this venue and went along to check it out as I was starting to feel a little annoyed at this town. I'm used to living in a capital city where if you want something, you can get it - fast; where if you ask advice from a business, you get a knowledgeable answer; where if you leave a message, you get a reply.
One local put it succinctly with 'Townsville makes you talk, think and act slower but drink faster'. I guess I was pretty naive about what it would really be like to live in northern qld... I'm learning fast that it's a pretty slow life up here. Just getting something delivered in the post takes over 2 weeks to get here from Brisbane!!!
I'm feeling OK about it though - if all goes to plan, we'll be living in one of the busiest cities in the world (Hong Kong) by the end of next year, and I will probably be thinking longingly about how calm and peaceful it was here in Townsville!!! As always, I have to remember not to think about how the 'grass is always greener' and simply live and be happy in this moment.

Pachooka on stage at the Lifesavers Club