TT to Beez Neez
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From Team Tinson to Beez
Neez
   Monday morning I grab the chance to
get a new picture for the Family Frame on Beez Neez lounge wall. The sun played
havoc with my test shots.
 Kate non too thrilled with the
outcome of Team Tinson but considering she has a
rotten cold, I’m happy with the result. Off to school and work left us alone to
finish sorting the Billabong soft case. The new baby air cooler and my hair
irons with a few clothes and loads of Fybogel packets added until it weighed
fourteen kilograms. Most of the clothes we have been using since we left Eva
have been washed and bagged to go up into TT’s loft along with all our smellies.
Last case was to sort was Bear’s carry-on newbie. A few shirts, the new sat
phone, a barometer and up to weight with four boxes double filled (60 rather
than 30 packets in each) of Fybogel and the usual charging electrickery
business. So pleased we did the other three cases before we left Eva.
These had been prepared with a
printed label each side that began with large, bold words that read:
SUPPLIES TO CONTINUE THE
CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF SAILING VESSEL BEEZ NEEZ followed by
Parts unavailable in
Malaysia as Beez Neez is a UK registered Warrior 40 with a Perkins Engine then the contents, comical are as
follows:
Zipped Side of BLACK Case:- Port and Starboard Navigation Lights, 1 x Extension Cable, 1 x Boat Cable, 4 x Rigging Screw Covers, 4 x Stanchion Head Covers, 2 x Lifeline Covers, Pair of Jack Stays, 10 x Hose Clips, 2 x Small Clam Vents, 1 x Cable Gland, 3 x Plug Sockets, 2 x Plug Socket Back Plates, 1 x Drill Bit Sharpener, 1 x Arbor, 1 x Hole Saw, 1 x Pad Hat, 10 x Disc Cutters, Set of Stanley Punch Chisels, 2 x Packets Sandpaper for English Sander, 1 x Heavy Duty Adhesive, 2 x Pairs of DJI Propellers, 1 x Clock Motor (replacement for ship’s clock), 3 x Sets of Dremmel Disks, 1 x Elbow Tube, 1 x Packet of Wire Tie Mounts, 2 x LED Head Torches, 1 x Step Drill Bit, 1 x Pack of Small Screws and Bolts, 1 x Kure Rust, 1 x Sea Mate, 138 x Packets of Fybogel and 1 x Silver Cushion.
Non-Zipped Side of BLACK Case:- Sheet of Sound Proofing cut into three pieces and 1 x Packet of Rubber Washers that protect………1 x 12 Volt Television, 1 x Big Black Vent Tube containing……1 x Bilge Tube that together hold the following:- 1 x Packet of Cable Ties, 2 x Dorado Vent Pipes, 3 x Engine Belts, 1 x Packet Washers and Motor Mounts, 1 x Box 50 Stanley Blades, 1 x Packet Button Clips, 1 x Box Hacksaw Blades, 2 x Flush-fitting Lights, 1 x PLB (MOB1), 300 x Meteospasmyl, 280 x Progynova - 2 mg, 235 x Ganaton – 50 mgs, 140 x Thyroxine – 100 micrograms, 98 x Mebeverine – 135 mgs, 49 x Lansoprazole – 15 mgs.
Zipped Side of YELLOW Case:- 4 x Silver Placemats, 4 x Silver Coasters and 2 x Silver Cushions.
Non-Zipped Side of YELLOW Case:- Titan Grinder, 2 x Dorado Vent Bases, 2 x Dorado Cowls, 2 x Dorado Clips, 1 x Electronic Weather Station, 1 x Aerosol, 1 x Sun Tanning Oil, 1 x Mini Handbag, 1 x Stainless Steel Vent, 1 x Locker Lock, 2 x Solar Lights, 2 x Tubes Anthisan, 5 x Budesonide, 6 x Gaviscon, 6 x Imodium, 12 x Ciprofloxacin, 16 x Meteospasmyl, 22 x Ibuprofen, 29 x 7 Lansoprazole, 38 x Nurofen Melts, 48 x Paracetamol, 71 x Packets of Fybogel, 149 x Arcoxia, 168 x Progynova, 220 x Mebeverine, Courtesy Flags for:- Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Comoros, Guyana, India, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Suriname and Tanzania.
So, considering we have pieces of pipe, the innards of a clock and loads of packets of powders we could easily be seen as very, very dodgy passengers. Having had to deal with this sort of malarkey before going into Trinidad, America and New Zealand, I like to be prepared in case we get stopped. I give Bear a set and a set for me. ‘The set’ being a map showing our line of progress and intended passages, a list of all the ports and anchorages we have been with all mileages, a copy of our boat ownership, onward paperwork or Visas, Beez permission slip (for her present country) and most important – a letter from our current marina saying who we are. That done, time for a cup of tea.  
Kate and the boys came home from school, minutes later it seemed and we settled to playing dominos, all too soon Mark was home and that meant our lift to Heathrow. As before, with each family we have left, we practised yesterday saying “see you soon”. Knowing we will be gone for twenty-one months is very hard and each time we get lumps in our throat. So at four forty-five we hugged Kate and the boys “see you soon” all round and waves until we disappeared from view. Tough, really tough. Mark got us to the airport in relatively light traffic. I was fine with his hug but as soon as he went out of sight I had to have a good cry. Even typing this five days later I can barely see through the wet stuff. The Ground Staff Lady was from Brazil, our cases were all just within weight but she wanted our return tickets. This is our return. Out came my ‘set’ and I flicked through and showed her our agency paperwork for Sri Lanka. A quick call to her supervisor and all was well. Bear has developed a seating arrangement for Beds whereby my neck pillow becomes a seat belt on top of my desk (wheelie computer case). A meal deal picnic and a Duty-free bimble until our gate was called. On board and Beds and I settle.
The screen flashed up in front with 10615 kilometres to do and then flicked to our route map.
We took off on time at 21:35 and we left the lights of London. Please God when we see them again we will be full circumnavigators returning from the Caribbean. Our stewardess was a bossy trollop who nary smiled and barked orders. After supper was served we saw no one until the breakfast cart and a terse “shades up”. I thought the said lady would be best suited to being a taxidermist, all around me agreed with earnest. I could picture her clearly adding small shiny black beady eye to a newly finished weasel after much stuffing and wadding........ We had spent the thirteen hours dozing and watching films. We had flown for most of the trip at forty-one thousand feet and the outside temperature was a steady minus fifty-two Centigrade and not too much in the way of bumpiness.
We came in to Kuala Lumpur to park next to one of those massive two-storey jobbies.
The cheerful chap at Immigration was very happy to put the first stamp in my brand new Passport asking me exactly where I would like it and indeed showed it to his supervisor who happened by, he too was delighted especially when we said our thank yous in Malaysian. All our cases bobbed down the ramp onto the conveyor belt and we headed to xray at the exit. The lady gave one look at the huge black case and only asked for the two smaller ones to go through the machine.......... Next job, as always, Bear bought a SIM card for the mobile and one for data for the dongle, then we headed for the bus stop. Bear went off for milk for tea when we get home and snacks for the six hour ride. On his return I went off in search of bread and bits. Bear was dwarfed by our trolley but as always, a smiling pleasure to travel with.
Half way comfort break lights and the very funky stopped lighting as we arrived at our destination.
Three hour later we settled in our always pre-booked seats right at the back of the thirty-seater coach, a pair of only six passengers in total. Sitting in the middle we feel the full force of snorers and the ‘brothel of disease’ atmosphere. I thought I had dodged Kate’s cold with just an itchy throat that lasted an hour or two but a chap who sat three rows in front of us gave me the full whammy. He would sneeze five or six times and his nose blowing can best be described as the sound you hear when someone squeezes the end of a hose and directs the water jet at the bottom edge of a huge plastic water butt, six or seven good blows every few minutes, poor man. (I would indeed get to this stage in a couple of days time). Talk about Nellie unpacking her trunk........By the time we pulled in at Sitiawan I could feel the gribblies attacking both my nose and throat.
So, we left Team Tinson at a quarter to five on Monday afternoon and now, including the time difference we stand in front of Beez Neez at three thirty in the early hours of Wednesday. The half an hour taxi ride from the bus stop was a real giggle. Our driver spoke precious little English and from a standing start the car barely rolled before said cabbie squeezed his eyes shut, forced second gear and hoped. We would lurch and gain fourth somehow. At full speed we would all see a red light and the process was reversed – once there was no way we were going to stop and he brought us to the left of the queue of cars at the lights. SO pleased there was an off ramp he could use. Later, over a cup of tea we joked about the taxi. You were lucky, you were in the back seat, it was highly unnerving from my vantage point in the front. It was nonetheless exciting in the back I can tell you. Beez looked very shiny and she has a new neighbour complete with tool shed pagoda. The boat is called Wind Witch, Bob the owner (the next morning) reminded us that we had been one of the dinghies who had gone out to pull him into Papeete in Tahiti when he had suffered engine failure. Sadly, his newly refurbished engine had been tested with no oil and he is back to square one. The two night shift chaps at the marina came racing to Beez on their motorbikes and within minutes they had put up our ladder and helped haul the cases aboard. It’s amazing what you get used to, the pile doesn’t look so daunting anymore. The first job is for Bear to unlock as I get ready with the torch. Sliding the door open I flash and hope with fingers crossed to see no creatures or critters. Phew. Once inside I take a much closer look like a true CSI. I find an incredible family of fifteen or so teeny weeny beetles have set up home in one of the rat poison dishes I put out when we leave the girl. They have incredibly hard bodies, so very difficult to ‘squish’, out comes the hoover and they are gone. Who would have thought it possible. Beyond belief. Our bodies are completely unaware of time so we unpack the few personal bits and put all Beez stuff in the big case. All the tablets and powders are put in a big shopping bag for a complete audit, we need enough of everything to get across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.....Mmmm there’s a thought to straighten the back. By five we begin to flag and decide to lay down for a bit, we both sleep deeply until eleven. The ladies in the office welcome us “Home” and we go off shopping at two.
I go to my favourite haberdashery shop en route to the shopping centre and spend eight pounds on zips, glue, beads, pretty patches and binding for my window shades, probably cost four times as much in the UK, absolutely. Treating ourselves to a Kenny Rogers Roasters, Bear has the half chicken (in the picture) and I have the quarter meal, all for the princely sum of ten pounds and forty pence, apparently unsuccessful in the USA the restaurants are hugely popular in Asia. A quick once round the supermarket and we go home to Beez. Body clocks are so out of whack. Wide awake at three in the morning.............. Mmmm. Plenty on our individual Blue and Pink Job List to keep us very busy until we launch on November the 7th.
ALL IN ALL ENERGISED AND READY TO HIT THE PINK LIST AND NOW TO SORT ALL THE PARTS FOR THE BLUE JOBS...... |
