In search of sleep - on vacation?

The problem of getting to sleep plagues me often.  I can’t predict when it will happen.  It’s way beyond the tension at work situation (although I’ve got a lot of that lately).  Take last night for instance.  It’s our second night on our long awaited Chesapeake Bay sailing vacation.  We finished up a vigorous sail coming back from Forked Creek, ate and fell into bed, properly exhausted by 9:30.  My eyes were stinging like I’d pulled an all-nighter, but they determinedly popped wide open and refused to shut when I lay my head down on my pillow.  The husband was not snoring so it was all about me and not him.  I pulled out my iPad and proceeded to read a lengthy New Yorker – surely that would work, but it did not.  I turned to Words with Friends, then Solitaire and then stuck a bud in my ear, hooked into my “bedtime” playlist and still my shoulder did not go cold (my physical alert that I am about to go to sleep).  I sighed, got up, pulled out the ZZZQuil bottle and took a slug, stabbed the bud back into my ear, and hoped for the best.  It worked.  I oozed off into a restless sleep. This morning, after a long talk with myself, I chalk this episode up to battery worry.

The previous night, after we found the creek and ever so cautiously motored it (we motored all day due to a dearth of wind or any semblance of breeze), we had secured Forte Vento two a couple of old pilings that held up a sun dried, sliver filled pier.  As always, we left it to our batteries to keep the fridge and freezer running for night.  We enjoyed the company of two dear old friends over a casual picnic style dinner of hamburgers, potato salad and grilled corn on the cob on their broad screened porch.  It was an old fashioned late night complete with libations and much talk until the wee hours. 

The next morning we returned to Forte Vento to find our batteries had lost 60% of their power.  We expected 10% at most.  So, while sailing down the Bay (we originally planned to anchor out for a day or two), we returned to our slip where the sleepless night greeted me. 

All is not lost.  These are deep cycle marine batteries.  Normally they are good for five years.  However, we’ve determined that they are weak because of the year they spend drained of all “deep cycles” when Forte Vento was on the hard for repairs.  We’ve ordered new batteries (think summer round trip airplane fare for two to Europe for an estimate of the investment) and they should be installed this week.  We will just cut expenses elsewhere for a while.  A boat is a deep pit into which you sink money unless of course it’s your passion so it all seems reasonable. It’s my passion.  (Stop laughing now, please!)

The morning was bright and cool.  I swabbed the deck until it sparkled in the morning sun, then rewarded myself with a two hour nap this afternoon.  It was a dead deep sleep.  I woke see my husband looking at my refreshed state.  I am ready to enjoy the evening.  Why try to get out of the slip when there is a 15 knot wind blowing across your beam?  It’s just too much work. 

Forte Vento sails again

Our last entry in the ship's log was September 30, 2012, the last sail of the season.  It was June 7, 2014 when we sailed again.  It was everything we remembered it to be -- I am sane once more, ready to endure all that my work is currently demanding of me in this last year.  I will say no more!

In Africa - On safari in South Africa

The best times for safari are at "twilight" and "early morning" so we signed up for both.  John made the twilight safari the day we arrived, but did not make the 5:30 am early morning ride.  So, I went alone and what wonderful sights did I see?  Lion, Cheetah, Zebra, Giraffe, Wilde-beast, Elephant Hippopotamus, Rhino, Warthogs, and Vultures galore.  In some cases we were so close I could have touched them as they swayed walking across the road.

The animals say it all.  People care about these wonderful beasts; except of course, the poachers who sell tusks to the Chinese.  Here a few of the animals I saw that morning.  It was an incredible adventure.

In the past four years, my work allowed me to visit Africa twice and step into five very different countries - Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, Swaziland, and South Africa.  I do not love the continent as so many people do.  However, I appreciate their struggles to have stable governments after so many years of colonial rule; enjoy the countrymen I have had the honor to meet and work with; and continue to be amazed at their cultural heritage.

The flight home on Monday was both on time and uneventful.  I thanked the Gods that made it so.

In Africa - Swaziland

It's a land of  mountains, not the steep high craggy kind, but rather rolling kind, smoothed over from millions of years of wear.  They are dotted with small farms and small towns.  Although the weather is ideal, a smog from burning fields may cloud your vision if the wind blows the wrong way.

Swaziland is a land of extremes - a kingdom run by man for almost 40 years with 14 palaces, one for each wife surrounded by subsistence farmers and struggling town dwellers selling wares and foods from ramshackle stands.  The middle class is small.  It's not growing and thriving like Botswana as the king and his family and certain government officials take "a percentage" of every investment.

People are quiet, not talking about politics. Talking critical can land you in jail as two Swazi journalists discovered when they criticized the king.  You may have read about it recently.  I was not allowed to take pictures at the airport.  Not very welcoming to say the least.  However, it is also a land of kindness, persistence, and hope.

It was Bush Fire Music Festival weekend so there was no room at the inns or hotels.  We bedded down for a couple of days at the country director's home, hosted by his welcoming wife and kids.  After a full day of meetings with staff and Volunteers about the technology situation,  we went with the locals to the festival Friday night.  A parade of brightly costumed men walking on stilts waving flaming torches preceded loud, rhythmic, beating singers on the main stage.  Around the perimeter were an array of outdoor, craft markets, eateries with everything from grilled chicken, steaks, ribs and even some very decent pizza combined with a multitude of libations.  All of this took place  under a clear sky filled with the southern cross swimming the a milky way sea.  A perfect venue for this charity event to raise money for HIV and AIDS prevention.

Of course, the visit didn't start so well.  Although the flight went well and we arrived on time, two of our bags didn't.  The young girl at the Gaborone check-in counter only checked John's bags to Johannesburg, not all the way through to Mazzini. Luckily, my bag had my clean clothes.  John made do for the day on his tour into the countryside for lunch with a  homestead   family.  He even ate lamb stew from the communal bowl (and didn't get sick).  Our bags did get recovered that afternoon by one of the post's drivers.  Patience is the watchword.

On Saturday morning, sharp at 10AM we were in a van traveling to our next and last destination - the Grand Lodge Resort just off Kruger National Park.  In just about three hours we were going on a twilight safari!