In '89 fresh faced out of high school I met Gypsy Boy - in an elevator, going up. He swept me off my feet and two years later we married.
African Sunset
Even though on the poor side we dreamt dreams of far away travels. We started nearby with travels in Sub Sahara Africa. After diligent saving we finally had our tickets for our first major back packing trip. A one year open ticket to Amsterdam. I will never forget gazing for the first time up at buildings older than my country. Looking at the green pastures mid winter with cows as fat as ticks - such a contrast to the yellow Savannah of Africa. We meandered through Europe and over a glass of inexpensive Swiss wine in a youth hostel in the Alps we decided to go where is was warmer and we could find work.
Jerusalem
The back packers grapevine assured us Israel would fit the bill. Getting there involved an amazing journey through East Block countries shortly after the fall of communism. From Greece we got on a ferry to Israel. Every thing we heard about Tel Aviv was true. Your first job may be a dishwasher, but if you do not work within 24 hours it is because you do not want to work.
From there travels to Egypt, Jordan and Turkey ensued.
We came back to our home country South Africa, but often ended up leaving again on extended travels. One epic journey followed Marco Polo from Europe overland to India and Nepal.
The two Gypsies once more made a stab at normal life back in South Africa, but the escalating violence finally helped Gypsy Boy to convince me it was time to buy a boat and sail into the sunset.
In January of '98 when we took our boat for her test sail it was the first time in my life I ever set foot on a sail boat. She stole our heart and we immediately bought her. I was delighted. I had upgraded from a MSR back packers stove and billy can to a galley with a nice stove, oven, pots and pans - lockers to put stuff in. Plenty more storage than a backpack!
Feathered friend joining us
By April we set off on our first ocean passage. Cape Town, St Helena Island, Ascension Island, Brazil, and into the Caribbean. On a whim we decided to head up to the East Coast of the United States for a season. Beaufort North Carolina seemed a good a place as any to enter below Cape Hatteras . The intent naturally being to stay only a few days and make our way up north to the Chesapeake and beyond. A few days turned into a few months, then Hurricane Dennis and Floyd caught up with us. In Floyd our boat was badly damaged. Still being shoestring travelers, we had no insurance. At the time it was a devastating blow, but in time many new adventures evolved from our misfortune.
After years of rebuilding and fussing with the boat I reminded Gypsy Boy that one more coat of varnish is not going to make her sail better. So off we set again. This time around the North Atlantic, starting in the Azores. As the mist lifted European looking green hills with purple hibiscus hedges and Friesland cows where slowly unveiled. Rich in Portuguese history and steeped in Catholic tradition the islands provided a unique experience and unsurpassed beauty. From there on to southern Spain, Gibraltar, Canaries, St Maarten and back to Beaufort.
The Gypsy Boy that swept me off my feet was a wonderful man. But sadly, slowly he became another person all together. Since I always new who he used to be, it was hard to accept that that person was gone forever. But I have talked enough for one blog. Next time I will tell you about what happened to Gypsy Girl when the time came to abandon ship with not much more than the clothes on her back. Stay tuned for further Gypsy Girl stories
