Back in Britain

Caramor - sailing around the world
Franco Ferrero / Kath Mcnulty
Wed 9 Oct 2019 11:52

53:08:4N 4:11.2W


Franco’s blood results came back and the doctor diagnosed a nasty form of dengue fever. Although we were relieved to have a diagnosis, his fevers got worse before they got better.


Time was pressing on and the GP couldn’t guarantee that Franco would be well enough to sail Caramor to Australia before the start of the cyclone season in November so we made the radical decision to fly to Britain.


After five and a half years away, a visit to friends and family was due (our original intention had been to sail around the world in five years) and we were talking about a visit to Britain in early 2020, especially as Anna and Yannick will be giving birth to Franco’s second grandchild.


Much to our surprise nothing seems to have changed in Wales. Thelma and Gareth, our good neighbours who are kindly putting us up, are going strong; our friends haven’t aged; the Welsh landscape is still beautiful; our bikes, stored in a shed the whole time we’ve been away, are rust-free and the batteries in the cycle lights still work! It’s as if we left yesterday and our journey is just a very pleasant dream. Luckily we met Caitlin, she was a delightful 9-year old when we sailed away and now is an articulate beautiful young woman - that change didn’t happen overnight!


Franco will need a few months to make a full recovery, he is now back at work part-time. On Saturday Franco will head to Edinburgh where he will spend time with Lisa, his eldest daughter and I will return to Fiji via a visit to my mum in Geneva.


Our friend David, a professional skipper, will meet me in Fiji and we will sail Caramor back to Whangarei in New Zealand.


A year or so ago, I saw a mural; it read:


‘Live everyday as if it is the last, live everyday as if you will live forever’.


The thought stayed with me, you just don’t know what’s around the next corner!


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Franco with Gareth and Thelma


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Near home