Tuesday 10th November (Lini’s Journal)

Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Sat 14 Nov 2009 08:32


�� Simon wasn�t very lively this morning and first mate was up first (a rare event) and ready for Tai Chi and exercises. Alas, it was high tide and our faulty pick up line was now so tight the back of the boat was two metres off the pontoon and the lines were so tight with the wind blowing us away there was no way I was going ashore. It wasn�t until Si emerged and came to my assistance that I was able to prance along the pontoon but now with the embarrassment of others passing me to go ashore.

�� This morning while nursing his head Si serviced the engine while I jumped on my bicycle and headed into town. Before loading the bike with provisions I went south out of the marina and found a better supermarket where I�ll probably buy the bulky stuff as I can park the bike right outside the checkouts. From there I hit the central market, returning to my vegetable stall where luckily I was remembered and Spanish lessons continued while I bought a few items more to get my face known than through necessity. On to El Corte Ingl�where at the entrance to the food hall I bumped into Ota and Jana from �Irma� the Rassy 40 next door but one. I eaves dropped on a chat they were having with a lovely young lady given the task of interpreter, personal shopper and dealer of all problems arising with 225 boats preparing for three weeks at sea. She was a godsend and appeared as if by magic every time a word was missing from my dictionary or an item couldn�t be found. The amount in my trolley at the checkout was nothing compared to amount of notes in my book which was probably just as well as with a mix up at the checkout everything had to be unloaded and passed through again. Staggering back to the bike I was relieved to let my Brommy take the weight and returned to Brindabella mentally exhausted but with a pretty good idea of what meat I will order to be vacuum packed and what other bits I�ll pick up over the next week or so. To make the most of our discount vouchers I shall plan provisioning carefully taking with me any top tips from the provisioning seminar on Thursday.

�� My neighbours have put me to shame with daily lines full of laundry floating from the rigging, so it was time to catch up with ours. Unfortunately by the time I had finished washing it the sky had turned grey and down came the rain. I tended to more sewing jobs until it past then cluttered the pontoon scrubbing the sprayhood finishing with perfect timing for scrubbing myself ready for the welcome party sponsored by the chandlery.

�� Hopping on our bikes we cycled round to Club Vela Latina where free drinks, an abundance of tapas and live music entertained us while we met up with friends and were introduced to more. Paul from �Blonde Moment� the other Rassy 40 came over for a chat and another fab evening passed. My bike was a little wonky cycling back: Must be a steering problem!!!!!!!!!!