Danum - Di Hickman

...and I tell you of the sights I've known and you tell me how the garden has grown...

For all my sayings and beliefs about life, I believe it's an adventure; not an office job or a scramble to pay the mortgage. Some shake their heads and say it's easy for me to say but they'd be wrong; there's nothing easy about standing up for what you believe and rejecting the lifestyle we're convinced we should lead. I don't like it rough. It's never reassuring to be on your own in something but I'll continue to like it just as it will be.

Feeding these pages with my thoughts, imagining you'll share them with me, keeps me connected to home. No matter how much solitude I follow, how far I go, it's home I long for.

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Joined on: May 8th 2007
Last Login: November 11th 2008

Blog Entries: 17
Photos: 0

TB Code: [blogger=37987]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Danum, order by Date newest first.

By Danum
July 25th 2007

Home again, home again, jiggetty-jig Europe » United Kingdom » England » Lancashire » Lancaster

Well sometimes you just loose perspective; the sheer heat can make you feel as though life is just a little out of reach; you begin to hear your own voice, down the line; the clarity seems muffled and thoughts are hard to project; only the immediate, here-and-now is feasible. I’m returned home for a fortnight. Ten weeks of back-to-back courses. I began to feel as if I were in the centre of a centrifuge attempting to focus on the spinning faces. What could I do to help myself “feel” alive? How strangely my mind coped with consistent professional restriction. An identity [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 20th 2007

Alone - in theory Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Kefalonia

I'm in bed with a cup me tea in my tin mug. It was the most useful thing I bought but I'm so looking forward to drinking out of a proper mug and not having to lug it around with me everywhere, because I have decided to come home for a top-up. Here’s one of my sayings: "when you feel as if everything's out of control, take control of your plan". It's been hard to keep hold of my plan whilst I've been away. I've been "up" one day, down the next. I know I've managed to keep a professional face [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 15th 2007

Eight times as lonely Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Kefalonia

I'm all safely tucked-up in my bunk but I don't want to dream about that heeuge octopus I just pulled-up on a lazy-line. No kidding - it was 3 foot wide with a head the size of a football and it made me feel same as a dark night, a sudden draught and a ghost were in front of me. We used to sing a song when we were little children, roger and sue and me: to market to market to buy a fat pig, home again, home again, jiggetty jig. I was humming it all the way up the Meganisi [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 11th 2007

Listening Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Kefalonia

Well I grasped the thistle and went for the secluded bay. I tried to get in at lunchtime but there was a Neilson flotilla here. All 30-footers and the weather coming in, I began to feel a little insistent and muscled past the anchors - a god third longer than any other yacht there, they just stared. I had an encounter with French yacht (and a skipper who really shouldnt wear Speedos - should anyone???!!). My guy just let all the chain go and I couldnt leave the helm. He looked around when the warp rose its ugly head but more [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 10th 2007

One Day, Your Face Will Stick Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Kefalonia

July 10th I was sitting in Yannis Taverna tonight, alone, eating my calamari, bread and tzaziki, when a stranger walked up to me and asked if I were the "captain" with the American people. I confirmed that "yes, my clients are American." She said she had just met my clients who had been going on and on about their captain "that's you isn't it - because we saw you talking to them and they said you sailed the whole boat alone for them whilst they slept-off their jetlag on deck" she turned and pointed at to my yacht (loosely) and said [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 8th 2007

It's all Greek to me Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Kefalonia

Apologies for being so short of photos. If I had thought about it better, though the circumstances are limited and the time is not my own, I have more chance of getting things done during my time with clients than back here at base during my day off. Highs and lows: This week I had a French family. The husband, I would say, mistakedly thought it would be no different learning to sail in English but sailing is a new language before we add the complications of translating. Work is simple but it is psycologically tiring, so, again I'd love to [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 5th 2007

Spot My Yacht Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Zakynthos

Yes, yes, I have sailed right past my birthday and didn't even make a fuss but, guess what? - Greece is really quite nice. ....and my yacht really is very big. ....so I didn't really notice that my birthday wasn't being populated with surprises. ....after all, I had a French student (though I can't call them students now I'm a Bareboat Skipper) busy propping my yacht and generally running me aground in time for the Greek authorities to turn up and blame me . Well it is my buck. So, I have left Turkey - PHEEEEEEYOOOO!!! How hot was that. Why [View Full Entry]

By Danum
July 4th 2007

French Students: limited French Instructor Europe » Greece » Ionian Islands » Kefalonia

Well, I am in the first week here so, not sure of my limits yet but feel sure I should have 6 days holiday by. Greece is much more like what I would hope to be sailing in - it's a real holiday paradise: swimming in blue-water caves that only boats can find; anchoring in lagoons, etc. Nearly threw a wobbly today as I took Dion stern-to against her bow-anchor, only to discover my anchor had been hauled. In the confusion, the Greek line-man also let go me my windward line and Dion drifted into a 60ft cat'. No damage or [View Full Entry]

By Danum
June 23rd 2007

Saturday 23rd June â€“ A Reluctant Fail Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Foça

Not me - I am still hanging in there but it took me an hour and a half to get from Ronin to the breakfast room this morning. I was up at 5am this morning, sourcing my sugar from various stores around the site. I now have a kettle, a mug, a working fridge, tea from England (don’t I Mel) and bottled water. Sugar was a real victory - a whole half a box. So, I spent an hour or so celebrating with one tea after another. Reluctantly shutting my cabin door, I left Ronin as the guests gathered. A [View Full Entry]

By Danum
June 17th 2007

wınd-down down-wınd Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Foça

Hey you lot, thanks for all your messages. Suppot and contact ıs really helpful when you're away from everythıng alone. But, thıs week I had wonderful students. People say the most wonderful thıngs but last nıght, I was sat at the table wıth students from my fırst part of the week's three day course. I can't begın to wrıte the thıngs they saıd about how they felt towards me, etc,etc. It would sound lıke my romantıc notıon of myself. I just can't belıeve how lucky I am to be able to gıve what I apparently seem to [View Full Entry]

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