It’s been our morning routine for the whole of Term 3 now, to take Nico to the Birkdale Primary School – just 10 minutes’ walk from my mother’s home.
Throughout this time we have been busy saving money, getting fit, eating healthy, going for medical checkups, relocating our stored belongings, helping out mum, entertaining Nico and otherwise attending to an endless To Do list that kept us occupied every day.
In addition, apart from a visit to Nelson on arrival, we also managed nearly a week away in Hawkes Bay, visiting Marea’s dad and friends.
But today, as Nico walked through the school gate for the last time, our return to New Life has suddenly become imminent.
Our boat has been sitting in the Puerto Penasco boatyard, safely north of any potential hurricanes.
Of course, talking of our travels and plans, the friends and family we have been catching up with, see us, as they would, already sailing into a palm lined bay in French Polynesia.
But we know better.
There is plenty of work to do before the New Life can go back in the water. And the list grew longer after the 4-day boat repair and maintenance course we did last week with Ross (aka Pearls of Boat Wisdom).
Then we have to trek down the Mexican west coast to our point of departure, find an extra crew to join us for the passage and be ready for the weather window opening in February/March.
For now, we have two weeks remaining before our flight on 16 October to get our last jobs done, to do a road trip up North, next back to Napier for our goodbyes. And then before we are really ready, it will be, Hola Mexico! We’re back.
PS: We sure did have a lot of fun back home!
