After spending an emotionally amazing weekend doing our 13. Sea trials on the Oyster 56 were a success – we love her! and 14. Getting a yacht lifted out for a Marine Survey my husband and I was ready to fly home and sleep for a week! The sea trials and the survey have really taken it out of us!
We both sat around for a while before the flight. First at the hotel bar and then at the airport. Everything was smooth but we were both bushed. We just wanted to get home and sneak off to la-la land.
After a bit of commotion, our gate was announced and we all ran like cattle to get in line. Hubby booked us on a discount air carrier – one that doesn’t give assigned seats. Everyone runs to get to the front of the line to secure a decent seat.
What do you mean I can’t get on the plane?
As we were lining up I looked at my ticket and it said the flight is not permitted to non-EU citizens without a special stamp on the boarding pass. I’m American – I’m a ‘non-EU citizen!’ “What!?!?!?!” I started to freak out and first ran to the passport control desk. They were very kind but told me I had to go out of the terminal, back into the airport and find the carrier’s customer service desk. The security officer said ‘run as fast as you can!’ I felt as if he said, ‘Run, Forest, Run!’
I ran for 20 minutes. I ran and ran and ran.
In my head, however, I thought that there are worse places to get stuck. And my father-in-law was looking after Sienna so there’s no worry there. I really wanted to get home but I wasn’t going to get too upset about things.
Luckily the plane was late and I made it back into the queue before boarding commenced. It took me quite a while to catch my breath. The entire line of passengers clapped as I made it back. Hubby obviously announced my predicament. At the time I didn’t think it was funny.
The plane smelled and hubby had a sniffling problem
Once on the flight, I played a card game on my IPad and chilled as best as I could. I was tired and found everything annoying. I didn’t like the smell, nor the loud people around me and I could hear hubby sniffle which was driving me nuts. I kept reminding myself that I was tired and I’d feel much better in the morning. I just felt anger and hatred for all of life at that point – I hope I’m not the only person that loses the plot they get tired?!?
This morning I was greeted by a thump, thump, thump (Sienna slowing making it to our bedroom) and then the door pushed open with a loud, ‘Mummmmmmmmmy!’ She jumped into bed and said ‘I’ve missed you so much’ My heart melted – and I was happy to be home.
We’re home! Errrrr, actually, this home won’t be home for long.
‘Home.’ Yikes…I was happy to be home. This won’t be my home for much longer. My car won’t be my car very soon nor will my things be my things. If I’m unwell or feeling blue I can’t go ‘home.’ I won’t have that nice feeling of getting off a plane and knowing my nice cozy bed awaits me.
Will the boat become a home? Will I always feel like being on it? After a long day of adventure will I want to return to my boat or will I yearn for a brick and mortar building? Will I yearn for the home I have now?
Even now when I get the flu, I yearn to go home to my mom’s house. That’s because I want her to rub my forehead and comfort me. Thankfully the actual house has nothing to do with being ‘home’. But is home where my mom is? No – that’s just when I’m sick.
I wonder what ‘home’ really means?
Is it a place where you are surrounded by loved ones and feel comfortable or is it a structure? Or perhaps both? I feel a bit worried today but I also know that I’m going to push on and keep making our plans happen. It’s too late to turn back now.
The concept of home is an interesting one to ponder, however. What is home? Or what does it mean to be home? Or where is home?
Next Chapter: 16. What does homeschooling, the paleo diet, writing, and photography have to do with sailing?
Previous Chapter: 14. Getting a yacht lifted out for a Marine Survey
Or…if you’d like to carry on reading all about our journey from selling up and sailing away, you can purchase my book, ‘Changing Lifestyles – Trading the Rat Race in For A Sail Around The World,’
 | READER REVIEW On Amazon. 5 Star Review! "Interested in The Sailing Lifestyle? Are your needing just one more reason to change your life for the better, Just buy this book. I actually bought this for my wife(Workaholic) last year. It was the deciding factor for us to change things 😉 , After she read Kim's Book & we watched a few episodes of Sailing Britican (& a few others) we realized there is more to life than the rat race.....! Thanks." Jon D. |
