Saying goodbye to it all...

I suppose every virgin blogger faces this moment, confronting the blank box and summoning the courage to make a mark and expose themselves to the world. Well, now I've got that over with, I can start what I hope will be a long and fascinating story about how Terry and Carol managed to extricate themselves from their ordinary lives, abandon all the possessions they'd spent half a lifetime acquiring, find a yacht to call their home and sail away to parts unknown.

We are now just two weeks away from flying to Los Angeles, where we plan to hire an RV, drive across the country and set up in Florida where we'll have a close look at some of the beautiful boats we've been watching on the net. The house is rented out, all our furniture has been sold or given away, visas have been applied for and granted, finances are in order. In the hours I have spent carefully packing away special things - the few books retained from the nearly 2000 I once had in my library; my children's precious baby toys and early drawings; family photographs - I have felt that sensation they say happens when you're drowning and your whole life seems to pass in front of you. Now comes the really hard part where, over the days ahead, we have to say goodbye to all the people we love and care about - perhaps for a very long time.

For all those friends who are following our story, we are sincere in hoping that you will keep in touch, and especially that, should you find your travels converging with ours, you will let us know so that we can welcome you aboard.