June 2010

Hi All,

Here we go with yet another episode in the life of "Two Up" on tour!! Our travels must sound a little like a soap opera at times and if that is the case, this one will fit right in. A little "family" stuff, some social events, travel to exotic places and of course, some drama. Now, where to start?

How about we start where we left off last time. As I recall, we were heading to Langkawi in Malaysia were Donna was leaving the scene while Pete got stuck in doing a haul out and repairing our crunched keel. The idea of some land travel was bandied about and we had intended to be in and about Langkawi for some months, leaving the boat for long trips to Northern Thailand, Laos and inland Malaysia. Well as you can imagine, the trip home was a lot more fun for Donna then the haul out was for Pete. Donna enjoyed shopping, coffee mornings, long chats with all the "girls", movie dates, air conditioned comfort, more long chats and family gatherings while Pete slogged away in the sweltering equatorial heat, with mozzies, fiberglass, epoxy resins, epoxy rash, sanding, bogging and anti-foul paint. He did have a couple of visits aboard "Two Up" from the resident monkey troupe here on Rebak Island while on the hardstand. They managed to scoff all his lolly supply leaving only the wrappers for him to clean up but did no other damage thankfully. Pete also had the company of several other cruisers also with boats on the hardstand to help (or sometimes hinder?) with getting the work done. The repairs came up a treat and the photos are on our web site for those interested.

Once Donna was back with her sister in tow to enable them to continue their "talk time" and we managed to separate our selves from the marina berth, and spent several fun weeks sailing,(read motoring) around this part of Malaysia. We had a date with many other Oz and NZ cruisers for an ANZAC day gathering in one of the many anchorages around Langkawi, and made a great day of it too. It must have something to do with being so far away from home but it seems that as expats, we are more patriotic than we would be otherwise and vegemite sandwiches, Anzac biscuits and billy tea was savored by all. The B-B-Q got a workout with snags and onion sandwiches for lunch and of course there was plenty of beer and a game of Two Up in honor of the day. An afternoon storm cooled things down and livened things up when some of the boats dragged anchor but thankfully we were all in site of the boats and no damage was done. Well at least on THAT day! Unfortunately for those of us who stayed on, the ANZAC day storm was just a forerunner to the storm that came through the very next day. Now that one was a ripper! Winds over 50knts and horizontal rain were the order of the day and although the storm was short lived, it left us with a parting shot. A lightning strike! We realized that the big bang we had heard was a direct hit on us when we saw the smoke rising from the top of the mast and the bits of charred electrics splashing into the water all about us. It was about then we noticed that distinct smell of fizzled wiring in the saloon and we knew that our immediate plans for the future would include a good deal of new electronics and quite a bit of expense. A month later and we are still counting the cost!

After yet another haul out to repair six small burn hole in the hull we are now sitting in Rebak marina again, awaiting replacement bits. The holes were thanks to the lightning surging down our shrouds and carbon fiber chain plates and exiting through the hulls at three points on each side to ground. Although they were only small "bullet" holes, they had to be repaired a.s.a.p to prevent the timber core of our hulls swelling or rotting. The list of electronic goodies that need replacing is oddly selective. For example our VHF antenna disintegrated after taking a direct hit but the VHF radio works fine with our stand by antenna hooked up. Of course as luck, or Murphy, would have it, the selection includes most of our more expensive bits. Battery charger, regulator, radar, 240v inverter, one alternator(not both), chart plotter, depth, wind and speed log, solar regulator, AM/FM radio, nav lights, some LED lighting, deck lights and a few other bits and pieces like diodes, resistors, gauges and relays and the list goes on and on and on.

All the bits that we know about are now ordered and rather then just sitting waiting, we have been off doing some land travel. You may know that there has been some political unrest in Bangkok and we chose to avoid all that and headed for Sumatra for a while instead. We flew to Penang and then across to Medan before heading to Bukit Lawang in north Sumatra to spend some time in the Gunung Leuser National Park. The national park is a huge chunk of Northern Sumatra and home to Elephants, Sun bears, deer, wild pigs, tigers and numerous types of monkeys. Of course our main aim was to see Orangutans in the wild and we were in the right place. Our guest house looked out on a vast wall of rain forest just a short walk from the park entrance. Each day we watched the coming and goings of several types of monkeys including Orangutans. We also had success in viewing many different animals on a day trek into the forest. In all we are pleased with our first attempt at this land travel business and look forward to doing it again soon.

O.K. We have kept you too long,

Till next time

Love Donna and Peter.

"Two Up" on tour

Hi All,

We thought it was time to touch base again and make sure you all know that we are still hanging in there in the sweltering heat of Malaysia. As was mentioned in our last message, we have been back at the island of Langkawi for the past two months and although it is a little on the hot side, we have managed to get a few jobs done and have even managed to do a little catching up with other cruisers just of late.

I should qualify that statement about getting some jobs done. In fact, Pete got the jobs done while I (Donna) went down to Melbourne to be thoroughly spoiled by my sweet sister& brother-in-law for three weeks. What fun! We managed to catch up with a good many family members, shopped almost every day, caught the new release movies and I was even introduced to the newest member of the clan, Rory O'Dempsey, all of ten weeks old at the time. My sister Debbie braved the heat and came back to Malaysia for a week too. It was so good to extend our talk time together.

Pete, on the other hand, slogged away at the keel repair and by all accounts has done a very good job. We hope to post some "before" and "after" pic's on our web site soon so you might check it out. He was not the only one toiling away on the hard stand area of Rebak Marina and it might be true that "many hands make light work" but Pete was pleased that it also meant he had good company and the perfect excuse for a few cold ones each evening. The monkeys at Rebak also enjoy a little something nice at the end of the day it seems and our lolly supply on board "Two Up" was just the ticket. On two occasions when returning to the boat, Pete caught the deft, long tailed thieves literarily with their hands in the lolly jar and lolly papers scattered all over our saloon. Shame we can't train them to use a paint brush that well!!!

We are now seeing a gathering on cruisers here in Langkawi and have managed to catch up with some of the people we traveled through Indonesia with again. After our final rally dinner here in Langkawi in November last year, cruisers headed in all directions. Some went home (U.S., N.Z, Oz, Europe) for the Holidays, leaving their boats here, while others headed through Thailand and on to the Red Sea and the Med. Still others like us just hung out in Thailand with all intentions of coming back to Langkawi about now. This is a good place to leave our floating home while we do a little land travel here. Pete and I would like to spend a month or so the first time checking out Northern Thailand and Laos. After that there is a Navy reunion in Penang and we are thinking about a trip to the Cameroon Highlands of central Malaysia around that time too. We would also like to venture to Vietnam and Cambodia while we are in the area. Note we have chosen to visit the cooler regions first!

Well that's us for the moment. Hope to catch you next time,

Best Wishes,

Donna and Peter,

"Two Up" on tour

website: www.twoup6.com

Malaysian phone: +60177631990

Hello again All,

Well look at that date. It all looks a bit like binary code this year don't you think? It's really got us reminiscing too. Remember the 1970's? We were busy getting married, raising kids or finishing Uni. We were wearing hipster flares,tight ribbed sweaters and long hair. There was Johnny Farnham and Normie Rowe to listen to on the radio. Oops, I think we just made ourselves look REAL old but 2010 did seem a long,long way off then. What happened? Oh well Happy New Year anyway.

First a big THANK YOU to all who have been in contact with us over the festive season. We are always pleased to read how you are all fairing and what you have been up to. Your good wishes are a joy to receive too, and we return the favour wishing you all the best for the coming year. Our past month or so have been relaxed and fun. Cory and Sharna made Christmas special for us with there presence and we enjoyed seeing some of the sights of Phuket with them. Sharna and Cory threw caution to the wind and climbed aback of a motorbike for a spin around the Island with us and we all enjoyed some time in the "Hong" islands of Phang Nga Bay. Oh course we all purchased silly hats while enjoying a drink or two in the bars of Patong beach (a must "been there" item it seems) and visited a shrine or two along the way. They were here in Phuket for just one week and we hope that they will visit again. They were wonderful guests.

We managed an invitation to a cruisers gathering aboard, you guessed it, another Cat, for New Year and it was yet again a red letter day for us. When it comes to celebrations that require fire works, the Thai people know all the tricks. The panorama of colour and light began just after sunset with no particular order to the displays, and while peaking at midnight, continued well into the early hours of the morning. Between the lively company and the delightful display of fire works, it was a night to remember.

After so much fantastic company and all the jostling crowds of Phuket over Christmas and New Year, our venture to the Surin and Simalan Islands in January came as a complete change and the contrast was not lost on us. These two island groups are just south of the Thai/Myanmar boarder about 30 mile off the west coast of the Thai peninsular and are national parks. The Thai authorities have placed public moorings in many beautiful bays for the benefit of dive boats and cruisers alike and most moorings offer world class diving or snorkelling right off the back of your boat. Beautiful coral abounds,the fish varied and bold look for handouts and the islands are covered with lush jungle. To top it all off you can go ashore in a couple of bays to purchase a cheap meal or a cold beer. After two weeks it was difficult to leave but we are now back in Phuket awaiting some medical and dental stuff and with an eye to clearing Thailand next week to move south again to the island of Langkawi at the top of Malaysia. We have been here in Thailand for two months already and although we could extend our visas, we have chosen to head back to Langkawi to do the long awaited haul out to fix our holed keel. All that hard work of grinding off and renewing fiberglass and living on the hard did not appeal to me (Donna) so I am making my escape and flying back to Oz for a couple of weeks. I will visit with my Mum and sister in Melbourne where we hope Kristy will be able to fly down for a catch up visit.

So, that's us for the moment. Hope all is good with your too.

Love Donna and Peter.

Dec 2009

Seasons Greeting dear friends and family,

"Two Up" is gently swaying at anchor here in Telaga Harbour on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia and we have been here in this beautiful part of the world for the past five days. It is our last stop here in Malaysia and we will move on to Thai waters today with the plan to be in Phuket for Christmas with our son Cory and his girlfriend Sharna.

As we have been in regular contact with most of you over the past months, we will refrain from a blow by blow account of our year and just note that it has been an exceptional one for us. There have been many "firsts", many new friends, many new places and many good times. Of course our thoughts often fly back to you and the many and varied enjoyable times we have had. As we have no doubt stated before, the most difficult part of our chosen lifestyle is having to say good bye so often.

We have had only limited contact with Kristy and Cory over the past months but they both seem to have settled in the past year, geography at least! Kristy and Ben are still in Mackay and although she has had a job change, they are still living in the same place as she was this time last year. Cory and Sharna are is still in Brisbane, and he is still in the same job.

What will next year hold for us? At this point we really have no long term plan. Will we go on the Med. as many of the European cruisers that we have been in company with are? Will we head back to Oz? Will we cruise the east coast on the Thai/Malaysia peninsular to Vietnam, Hong Kong and Japan as other cruisers plan? We have no idea as yet but the options are all there. For the next year or so we will stay in and around Langkawi and Phuket traveling home at some stage and doing some land travel in and about the area.

Yet again we extend an invitation to one and all if you would like to spend some time with us here you are very welcome.

May your Christmas be full of good cheer,good company and good times and may the New Year bring health and happiness.

Love Donna and Peter,

Nov 2009

One look at the skyline as we crossed the Singapore strait and we knew we were not in Indonesia any more. It was a case of "welcome to the first world" again. Have to tell you, we were ready for a change in that direction too. Our welcome came care of a few close calls in the strait though. No closer then everyone else has to deal with, but crossing the super highway of shipping is a "must do" moment for cruisers and one that sticks in the memory. One photo we have posted on the web site is worth a look and says it all.(www.twoup6.com)

Our first port of call in this part of the world was Puteri Harbour Marina in Johor Bahru (Malaysia). Malaysia and the island of Singapore are only separated by a strait that resembles a wide river and while Malaysia is quite cheap and still partially rural, Singapore is a different story. Puteri Harbour is a brand new first class marina no more then ten kilometers from one of the two bridges that link the two countries and part of a huge development planned for this area. Although it will take some years before this area is fully developed, you have to give the Malaysian's credit for a grand job so far and the service at this wonderful new marina was nothing short of fantastic. It was a case of just ask!

With "Two Up" comfortably berthed in the V.I.P berth (as it should be I hear you say)and washed down with fresh water for the first time in months, it was off to Singapore for a few days. What can we say? Singapore is clean, modern, exciting, vibrant, the adjectives go on and on. The shopping, water front, Raffels hotel and Singapore Zoo Night Safari were all standouts but the one memory we will take away from the place is the transport system. Even for us dumb tourists, it was comprehensive, cheap and easy to use. They have got it all worked out and the cities of Oz could benefit from their example.

All too soon we were off North again following the western coast of Malaysia past Melaka and Port Dickson (we will have to do these later) on a fast track here to Lumut (about 70 mile south of Penang) with the full intention of hauling out to repair our damaged keel(collision with reef in Indonesia). From all reports we would be able to haul out, have the work done and be back in the water in time to move on with the rest of the Sail Malaysia rally fleet if we arrived here a little early. Not so I am afraid. There was a little issue of expectations and capabilities getting out of wack and we sat here for 10 days waiting on a trailer to be built at the KL Marine Uni so they could haul us out. Today, 14 days later we now see that our time for haul out has come and gone and plan "B" is to now wait till we are in Thailand to haul out.

The rally fleet will move north to Penang at the end of this week after celebrations here in Lumut are finished. We will attend the opening of the new Ferry terminal here tonight and tour Pangkor Island (the local tourist spot) tomorrow. Of course there are the gala dinners and cultural dance displays to attend too. Since arriving on the Malaysian peninsula, water has not been a problem. After five months without any rain, the weather gods have caught up with us and we get rained on every day or so. The Sun has all but disappeared with cloud cover most of the day. They tell me that this is the cool, wet season. (cool?)Interesting!

Gone are the days of using the breeze for propulsion - we are thinking of trading in the mast and sails for bigger engines - since leaving Bali, some 1,200 nm or 2,000 km ago we have motored approximately 90% of the time - luckily diesel is a little cheaper than back home - about 60c/L

We will be back to you before Christmas,

The offer is still open for visitors while we are in Malaysia or Thailand - just let us know and we can organize time and places

Take care,

Donna and Peter,

"Two Up" on tour

Oct 2009

Was it really just over a month ago that we where in the Komodo National Park? Was it really only a month since our last email? Komodo seems like a dream to us now. We did get to see many dragons there and have the photos to prove it. You can check them out on our web site. We did have a few (too few) days of sitting at anchor resting and we also did do some snorkeling in the area. Spectacular! That is the only word for those remarkable Islands. They did tend to make us a little home sick though. Oddly, in this part of the world where lush tropical growth and palm trees are the norm, the Komodo Islands are quite dry savanna country with few trees and brown wiry grass cover, much like the landscape of the Northern part of Australia. Add a few over sized goannas and there you have it, home! They actually are over sized goannas too, according to the literature.

From one extreme to the next was the order of the week as we headed west along the top on the island of Sumbawa. The landscape changed back to lush green with palm trees and terraced rice paddies while the sea conditions changed seemingly on a whim. Twenty five knots of breeze on a shy reach one minute, calm and motoring the next, wind on the nose next, to reach the island of Lombok. Lombok is right next door to Bali and most locals would very much like to encourage a few more visitors to their shores. With that in mind, most locals are very accommodating and prices are much lower here then in Bali. It was here we tried our hand at motor bike travel and have since developed a taste for it being a cheap and fun way to get to the sights. Bit hard on the bum after a while though. The locals in Lombok have unfortunately picked up one little habit from their Bali cousins, the hard sell! "You buy, you buy" and "special morning price" in a sing song voice comes at you from all directions. They still don't have a patch on their Bali brothers though. They are relentless!

Another overnight sail bought us to good old Bali, the one place in Indonesia that needs no further explanation. The rally fleet were anchored up in the northern beach town of Lavena, not in the south west where Kuta beach and the capital city of Denpasar are. Many people only see the crowded southern part and we took it into our heads to see it too. On the motor bike again for the 100 km journey south, back packs, water bottles and maps at the ready, we boldly left the boat overnight at anchor for the very first time. What a hoot! What a sore bum! What an eye opener! If Kuta is all that most tourists see of Indonesia, they get a very warped view but the splendor of the island was something else. I can see why it is so popular as a holiday destination. Hindu temples abound, monkeys, squirrels in the wild, rice paddies of emerald green, fruit and flowers of all descriptions flourish. The mountain country is particularly beautiful with water falls and cool breezes to greet you.

It was just as well Bali was so diverse and interesting as we were forced to stay long after most of the fleet had moved on. Our nice new saildrive gear boxes are part of a world wide recall and the company we purchased them from last year "forgot" to mention this little matter till one on them burned out as we were anchoring at Lavina beach. We had to wait for over a two weeks for a tech to come from the Philippines with the replacement parts to replace the clutch plates in the gearboxes, both of them. Sight of the day was the look on the tech's face when he realized that he would be working on a boat at anchor, not one in a marina! Poor bloke got sea sick too. Still, all is well that ends well and "Two Up" and crew have just put in about 500 miles north in one hop to be here on the island of Belitung getting ready for the final run to Singapore. Belitungs' main clam to fame for us is that it is well positioned to break the journey between Bali and Singapore but it is also home to many people who have gone to great lengths to make us all feel very welcome. Wonderful people who can't do enough for us. As we prepare to exit Indonesia, we both agree that the highlight of the place and the memory we will always carry is, without doubt, the Indonesian people.

So, as I sit here and tap away at the keyboard, Pete is in town dealing with the authorities and clearing us out of Indonesia. We still have some 300 mile to run to Singapore and will break the journey with some overnight stops but will see little more of Indonesia and hope to be in Singapore by the end of the week (month)

Hi Everyone,

Has it really been only one month since our last contact? It has been a full one for us with many a tale to tell. I guess we should begin where we left off last month and finish the Sail Bunakin adventure.

What a site it was!!!! The U.S.S. George Washington, bristling with armament and aircraft steaming over the horizon, followed by forty warships, all grey monsters, from almost as many different countries, dozens of local smaller government vessels (customs, fisheries,harbor control etc) white sailed majestic tall ships and us, a mixed cruising fleet of thirty five little sailing yatchs bringing up the rear. That was the Independence Day sail Burakin sail past. Add a fly over of aircraft launched from the decks of the George Washington and there you have it. Quite a sight and a memory we will always keep. In hindsight, it was a long slog north and an even longer one back but it was a "one of" event and well worth the journey. And it all happened almost a month ago!

Since then, we have managed only a few short days of rest and relaxation amongst many passage making days and nights. There have been one or two dramas too. The first drama was during the sail past when our port engine gave out with a bang not a whimper. What was it? We thought that something may have hit the saildrive or the prop since there are many "somethings" in the water up this way but on close inspection noted gear box oil pouring out of the bell housing. After limping back to Bitung Pete and three cruising friends managed to separate the engine from the sail drive leg to find the lip seal had blown out. Once reset all was well but without the help of our companions, the work would have been difficult to achieve.

We have been sailing in the company of these three cruiser couples ever since and feel blessed with both their company and their support when thing go amiss. We have Martin and Sue on "Mandolin Wind" a Perry 43 from Melbourne, Phil and Chris from "Southern Mist" a Zeston 40 from the Gold Coast, and a pair of good natured long suffering Kiwis, Eric and Yvonne on "Morning Star" a Marcos 39. (We give them heaps but get a lot in return)

We all chose the longer slower option of traveling down the west coast of the island of Sulawesi in favor of the windward east coast and adventured together. Of course the weather predicted didn't eventuate and we motored many miles but for the most part the seas were flat and manageable and we even had favorable current at rare times. One adventure began at dawn when we tried for an early start after a nights rest in an unnamed anchorage half way across the North coast of Sulawesi. A small dugout flagged down one of the boats and boarded her yelling something in Indonesian we didn't understand of course. Next, a more substantial vessel came around the corner with a uniformed official aboard and four armed men in fatigues. O.K we got the message "show us your papers" but that was only the introduction. After a few tense moments all was revealed, the village just around the corner were waiting to greet us and the official have come to fetch us so we could be honored with a visit there. At least 300 people lined the Jetty as we came in and all stayed with us for the day. We now know what it must be like to be the prize exhibit in the zoo! We took gifts of school equipment and toured the two schools before being "asked" to visit a larger town some 12 miles away. It seems that the more important officials wanted to welcome us too and once there, we were welcomed with a short speech, a hand shake or two and a photo shoot. That was it, we were free to go again, just like that. Expect the unexpected up this way.

Another adventure was had in the city of Makassar toward the bottom end of Sulawesi. Makassar is a major port and city and has the likes of a dunkin donuts outlet and some major shopping and tourist sites but we saw little of these as refueling took the bulk of our time. I(Donna) did manage to fall in one of many holes in what passes as a foot path here and was very fortunate to get away with a small scratch and a graze. Could have been bad, very bad.

The company launched into an overnight sail from Makassar and we made the Flores group of islands here in the south of Indonesia just before dark. As we headed for the pleasant anchorage to rejoin other rally boats "Two UP" clipped a reef, and is now sporting a hole in her starboard keel. Again our friends and sailing companions have come to our aid and with much effort have effected good temporary repairs. Pete is confident that we will reach Bali and be able to haul out for permanent repairs with the measures now in place. Since our keels are water storage tanks and do not affect the integrity of the hulls, we should be right. Thank God for supportive friends.

To finish this too long email, we are about to enter the Komodo National Park in search of dragons, restful days and good snorkeling. We think of you all often and hope this find you well.

HI All,

I see that today is just one month since our last email and we are pleased to say that we are still on track for Darwin in three weeks or so. We come to you today from "delightful" Seisa. It is just around the corner, the corner of the tip of Oz that is. What a thrill we had two days ago as we sailed within meters of the very tip of the mainland. The anchor was quickly planted and it was off ashore for the mandatory photo and drink in this isolated wilderness area. Huh!!! What a joke. For those of you that have been here, you will know what we mean when we say that we are thinking of setting up a K.F.C franchise up on the track. With the amount of people here it would do very well indeed. Guess we are not the only people who want to stand on the tip of Australia! Still it didn't detract from the moment as all who were there had made their own epic journey for the same reason.

The eastern peninsula of the Cape is an incredibly beautiful place and we are surprised that few people have mentioned that. Most who have been here mention the isolation or the crocs but all that included, it is still scenically spectacular too. Lizard Island is a stand out with its marvelous walks, exceptional coral and pristine beaches but there are other stand outs such as Ninian Bay for the fattest oysters ever, The Flinders Islands, Margaret Bay with white silica sand and its "Home" Island group and of course, Cape York which has quite a bit of bauxite red soil. A month is not nearly enough time to saver all there is to see and do and we hope to come back one day.

Here in Seisa the main attractions are the camp ground laundry (for the washing), the IAG shop (for fresh fruit and veg) the Library (for internet connection) and the Kiosk (for Ice creams) and all within easy walking distance. What more could you want in a township? We will wait here for a weather window before making the hop across the Gulf to Gove. N.T will be yet another adventure! Will tell you all about it next time.

Pete hopes to update out web site today too so if you would like to see the latest picks, check us out on: www.twoup6.com

Catch you next time,

"Two Up" on tour

May 2009

Well hello there,

At long last we will be able to sign off our email to you all with "Two Up on tour" again. Yes, we are off!!!! This email comes to you from warm, tropical Cairns. We arrived here 1pm yesterday (Friday 15th) after a fast and furious trip up the Queensland coast. We slipped our lines at Rivergate Marina in the Brisbane River at mid morning Sunday the 3rd. That is a grand total of thirteen days for the 900nm. Considering the fact that we also did a three day side trip to Mackay from Yepoon to touch base with family, we feel that we have done well.

So why the rush? Well as we mentioned in our last "to all" email, we need to be in Darwin by the second week in July at the latest, and we must haul outthe boat for underwater maintenance between now and then. Since we have had the good fortune to travel this beautiful stretch of water at a leisurely pace before, we thought it best to forgo it's pleasures this time and use our remaining time in Oz on the new pastures of the far north and the top end. We have never sailed the coast north of Port Douglas and the Low Isles before.

Being poor cousins to all the up market boats, we are anchored up in Trinity inlet here in Cairns but had a quick visit yesterday into Marlin Marina via dingy. There are at least six other rally bound boats birthed there. All are busy provisioning and preparing for the run around to Darwin. With over 120 boats now registered for the rally we would have been surprised to find any less. We will have to get used to sharing our anchorages as we travel north.

Our haul out is booked for Monday but in the mean time there are good friends and lots of lost sleep to catch up on here. The intention is to be here about a week and to slow down to true cruising pace from here on in. Pete is sprouting the beginnings of a rather grey beard and I have had my hair "cruising" cut. We are beginning to look the part again at least.

Already we have had lots of little email visits from many of you and as we have found in the past, they are much treasured. As joyous as it is to be off again, it is always with some regret that we must leave behind so many great people. Please visit with us via email or on our web site when ever you have a minute. Our web site is: www.twoup6.com

Peter & Donna

Twoup on Tour

April 2009

Hi everyone,

Looking back I see we have not been in touch with many of you since pre Christmas and I hope this email will go towards making amends for that. The last couple of months have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride for us with some wonderful high times, economic woes and lows, and, one particular "speed bump" we would have happily done without.

The highs have centered around family gatherings and good times with friends as they most often are. One of the most memorable was a gathering of the Gilmour clan (Donna's family) in February 09 for my very sprightly mothers 80th Birthday. What a day! What an inspiration Mum is and what joy to have not only both our children there but also all my siblings and my extended family under the one roof.

The economic woes are the ones we are all dealing with and are so often highlighted in the media these days that they even have an abbreviation GFC. If we where making financial choices with our heads, we would have both kept our jobs and stayed another year in the workforce. However, we are not known for making too many smart career choices and still intend to finish off work to go cruising THIS year. In fact I(Donna) finished up in February but Pete will work until the end of April.

The "speed bump" I wrote of earlier is the underpinning reason for our lifestyle choice. In January this year Pete was diagnosed with localised prostate cancer. It was a health scare we did not see coming since he is quite young for this type of cancer and he had no warning symptoms. Two weeks ago he had his prostate removed and has made a remarkable recovery. After three short days in hospital he was home to the boat for some TLC and rest but was up and about doing minor (ha, is there such a thing on a boat?) repairs and odd jobs about the place within days. The biopsy results are all clear and the Doctor tells us that he will be fully recovered and able to be back to pre surgery activities within 6 weeks. With that in mind, he will go back to work next week until the end of the month. In the interim we are both working on the "to do" list to prepare "Two Up" for a quick sail up the Queensland coast and around to Darwin. We have already been accepted as participants in this years Sail Indonesia Rally and need to be in Darwin by the second week in July.

During the 08 Rally, boats where impounded in Kupang Indonesia, so this year the organizers have arranged for the 09 rally to clear in to Saumlaki on the island of Maluku and all participants are required to attend a regatta that has been organized by the Indonesians. It sounds as if we are in for a treat with yacht races, sail pasts of naval vessels, historic vessels for inspection and many cultural events included in the regatta.

For those who are familiar with Indonesia, here are some dates and places where we will be stopping during our 3 month cruise. From SAUMLAKI to BANDA, AMBON and BITUNG(Sulawesi)by mid August. ENDE in early September, BALI in early October, KUMI(Borneo) in late October with a departure from BATAM for SINGAPORE in late October and then up through Malaysia and into Thailand by Christmas 2009.

So that is us for the moment. Hope we find you doing the things that make you happy also.

Love to all , Donna and Pete,

"Two Up" in Town (But not for much longer!)

Christmas 2008

Hello and Seasons Greetings to All,

There are Reindeer in the rigging, colored lights in the cockpit, carols on the radio, storms in Brisbane and Peter just got another year older. It must be time for the Christmas Letter!!

First,let us apologize for our lack of correspondence through 2008. On several occasions I sat at the computer with full intentions of setting down a "to all" message only to find that I had very little in the way of news to pass on. Our year has consisted, for the most part, of going to, being at, coming home from and preparing for WORK. Now honestly, who wants to read about that? Those of you doing the same know the drill only too well and all the rest don't want to be reminded!

Of course, looking back there have been one or two highlights. We have taken advantage of our stay here in Oz and managed to catch up with many friends and all the family (on both sides) with flying visits to both Mackay and Melbourne, road trips to Beerwah, Balina, Buderim, Bribie and Tambourine not to mention the many visits to town to catch up with our cruising friends who have often anchored off the Botanical Gardens while in Brisbane. I (Donna) even managed a flight to the Cook Islands to share some quality time with Kristy while she enjoyed a months holiday there in November.

Both Kristy and Cory are doing well in their respective homes. Cory is still here in Brisbane and is about to complete his Printer's apprenticeship. He was honored with an award through TAFE for his outstanding efforts in the area of web labeling last week and for a change, we were around to see him receive it. There is a rather charming young woman in Corys life now too. Her name is Sharna and we are pleased to have had the chance to get to know her a little throughout the year. What can I tell you, Cory has good taste!

Kristy is now well settled in Mackay. She tells me she loves her job even though it has been a huge cause of stress for her this year. Not for the expected reasons though. Many of you will know that most of Mackay was devastated by flood water in the early part of this year and although Kristys home was spared, her workplace was not. Harvey Norman Mackay had over a meter of water flowing through it at the hight of the flood and the aftermath of that left Kristy (along with many other employees no doubt) with no work station and little income for many months after. It was an eye opener to us all just how long it took for things to get back to "normal" after such a natural disaster. She assures us that all is well now but still listens intently when it rains and becomes concerned if the rain is falling for any great length of time.

As I mentioned this time last year, this year was about sorting a few issues on "Two Up" and saving a few dollars for continued cruising. Nothing glamorous about that agenda but we managed to do it and are glad that we will be able to go back to our "other" life again in the new year. We hope to be heading North in April in order to make Darwin by July where we will join the Sail Indonesia rally and then continue on to Malaysia and Thailand later in the year.

Have a good one everyone,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Love Donna and Peter,

"Two Up" in Town.

Christmas 2007

Hello All,

December has rolled around again. That makes it the time of year were I make a brave attempt to tell all of you, our special friends and extended family, just what we as a family have been up to all year. Where to start?

Best start by wishing you all a very merry and blessed Christmas and peace and joy for the new year!

Pete and I are now comfortably settled back in Brisbane as most of you already know. On the surface at least it would seem that not a lot has changed for us after closing a circle of travel that has taken almost three years. Here we sit aboard "Two Up" in a marina with all the mod cons at our fingertips, 240v power, mobile phones, T.V, internet, town water (what little there is left of it anyway). We step ashore to our car awaiting us in the car park and Pete travels the two klms to work on Gibson Island. All very much same same! So much so that the past three years is in danger of being completely erased. So, before that happens here are a few stats for you to chew on. In that three years we:

TRAVELED: 6,080 nautical miles (12,595 klms).

VISITED: 59 different Islands in 5 different countries. MAJOR REPAIR JOBS: 10 (and innumerable minor ones.)

READ: 180 books between us

ATTEMPTED: 186 cross word puzzles (didn't finish them cause there was always one word we couldn't get)

CONSUMED: 330 fish meals

260 Paw Paws

5440 bananas

1057 coconuts

TOOK: 2685 photographs

MADE: lots of new friends!

Our Christmas is shaping up to be a family affair this year as both Kristy and Cory are spending the day with us. We will all be accepting my brother and sister in laws invitation to spend Christmas day with them and their family at Beerwah, so it should be quite a big "do". So it's off to the shops like everyone else to find a car park, just the right gifts, too much food and of course, a new outfit for the festive season. It's a bit of a change from last year!

Both Kristy and Cory are well and doing pretty much the same sort of stuff as they were doing this time last year from what we see. Kristy is still living and working in Mackay and seems to be well established there now. She would very much like to buy a home there but with the mining boom in that part of the world, house prices are much inflated and out of the reach of most couples let alone singles. Still, she is planing for the future and that is always a good thing. Cory has recovered well after damaging both his heels in a fall earlier this year. He spent three weeks in hospital, two months in a wheel chair and many weeks on crutches while recuperating and has been left with some restriction of movement in his right ankle but we are all hoping that time will continue the healing process and he will not have to undergo corrective surgery. We are beginning to see a little more of him now that we are local again and look forward to more of the same over the next year. We are seeing a fair bit of Kristy too as she tends to pop down to Brisbane quite regularly. It's only an hour by plane now.

For the next year or so, we will be Brisbane based while we sort out the odd ongoing issue with "Two Up" and earn a bit of money. Then it will be off yet again. Next time North through Indonesia and up to Thailand. Roll on 2008.

Love to All,

Peter and Donna

"Two Up" in Town

Christmas 2006

You may have heard the popular song of some years ago that begins, "It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas........" Well it sure does NOT apply to us this year. Here we are on the 8th of December, just two short shopping weeks to the big day and there is not a trace of tinsel, not a sigil of a jingle, not a bauble, box or bow to be seen. The closest thing to a Christmas party we have attended this year was sundowner's with two other couples a week ago were Pete played our one and only Christmas carol CD over and over till we could take no more! Yes we have been spared the "hype" of a commercial Christmas this year and would you believe........ I miss it! Mind you I don't think Pete feels quite the same as he is the sort that, as a rule, grudgingly makes his way to the shops on Christmas Eve in search of the one gift he is compelled to buy, (mine) and grumbles for the next week about not being able to find a car park and too many people to wrestle with. So, no matter how it feels, since it is Christmas, we hope it is a joyous one for you and your family.

So, what have the family been up to this year? It will be difficult to put it in words without sounding like a travel log but here goes. We have enjoyed the company of our children several times in several different locations in the past year and each was not only memorable and fun but precious too as distance now makes our time together all the more difficult to come by. By my count we have met Kristy or Cory or both in three different locations this year in three different countries. New Zealand, Oz and Vanuatu and now look forward to Kristy's visit with us here in the Solomons in the new year. Kristy is still living and working in Mackay, still involved with outrigging, scuba diving and photography and was pleased to land a job earlier this year with Harvey Norman in the photographic's department of which, I am told, she is now a manager. We managed to catch up with her most recently in Vila where she and Cory joined us to celebrate my 50th birthday. Prior to that we had met up in New Zealand when she competed in the "worlds" outrigging there in March and again in Brisbane after the same event. The new love in her life is a recently acquired Falcon station wagon (ice blue) and she is extra busy at the moment increasing the mileage with road trips all over Queensland to visit all her old mates.

Cory is still in Brisbane and remains the more stable member of the family. I sold him short in my Christmas letter last year by suggesting that his then girlfriend was the cause of him settling down. This year he is still steady and stable in his apprenticeship and still in Brisbane but alas no longer with the girl!

Pete and I are at present in beautiful Marovo Lagoon in the Western Province of The Solomon Islands and will be in the area of Gizo for Christmas. It will be a low key affair this year and family and friend will be missed. That is the price of the lifestyle though so no point dwelling on it. Next Christmas may well be very different again so........ best to take it as it comes.

May you all have a blessed and merry Christmas and may the New Year be both prosperous and peaceful,

Love, Peter and Donna.

"Two Up" on tour.