Note: Asking cruisers-in-preparation "You are still here? I thought you were leaving?" is much like asking a graduate student "Are you still working on your dissertation?" because the answers to both questions involve internal swearing.
It is interesting to me to see how flustered I have been answering that question over the last few months. After all, we picked a date (June 2010) in 2008 and...we left in June 2010. And our plan was to cruise locally until 2011 and then head South, and that is what we are doing.
So why would I be a wee bit touchy about the question?
I don't expect anyone else to keep track of our plans and the poor people asking are usually responding to the fact that they haven't seen us in a while and suddenly we are back and they remember "something about us going offshore". And even if our plan was to leave in 2010 and we were leaving in 2011, presumably we would be doing so for our own reasons and why would I be touchy about that?
Perceived failure? Overachiever much? My baggage follows me.
It is interesting to me to see how flustered I have been answering that question over the last few months. After all, we picked a date (June 2010) in 2008 and...we left in June 2010. And our plan was to cruise locally until 2011 and then head South, and that is what we are doing.
So why would I be a wee bit touchy about the question?
I don't expect anyone else to keep track of our plans and the poor people asking are usually responding to the fact that they haven't seen us in a while and suddenly we are back and they remember "something about us going offshore". And even if our plan was to leave in 2010 and we were leaving in 2011, presumably we would be doing so for our own reasons and why would I be touchy about that?
Perceived failure? Overachiever much? My baggage follows me.
Oh how I can relate to this! The continual "You are still here?". Le sigh. Yes, we were planning on leaving in the fall of 2010 but then we had quite a few surprises that slowed things down. Missed punky chainplate bulkheads, surprise deck recoring and oh yeah, lets have a surprise baby while we are at it.
ReplyDeleteNow when people ask when we are leaving I say "when we leave." (secretly we know its likely to be early next Spring but don't tell anyone ;-) )
We've chosen to stay in India for a while. We've been here a year already and due to complex administration with authorities the boat has not left the marina for a day sail, let alone leave for our next destination.
ReplyDeleteSome (many?) of our fellow sailors simply cannot get their heads around this. There seems to be a notion that because we live on a boat, our whole lives are about sailing. They're not. Living on a boat just allows us to move around as and when we wish. It also allows to stay somewhere as long as we want. Sailing just happens to be our (wonderful) means of transport as we travel, and if we want to settle down for a year and soak up the local atmosphere doing not much except shop in the local market and take photographs, then that's what we'll do.
I'm fed up of justifying this to people so now I don't bother. We're happy where we are, doing what we're doing, and that's all that matters.
I answer to no one except myself, damn it ;)
Goals are meant to be broken. Oh heck, thats rules. I always get those two mixed up. When people ask, "are you still here" I always laugh and make some joke. Of course we are still here, we are waiting on an invitation to dinner. Then they scurry off.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think you are just anxious for those Baja waters, who could blame you.
With my magic wand I deam you "free of expectations" and to enjoy the journey. XOXOXO
ReplyDelete@Jamie - I agree except I have to answer to Carol too ;)
ReplyDelete- Livia