G'day and Aloha, Family and Friends,
We wish everyone a Blessed Easter while we continue to pray for Peace on Earth especially in the Middle East!
We have been enjoying life here in Australia since we arrived November 4, 2002. We love the people, bird and wild life, opals, sunshine and warmth, and the beautiful beaches! We definitely do not know where the time has gone! We are presently "on the hard" painting the bottom and completing other projects, which are never ending aboard a sailing yacht. We are hoping to go back into the water on Thursday (7 days is already too long climbing up/down 15-20 foot ladder to use the ladies room!)to our comfortable slip at Mooloolaba Yacht Club on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. We are preparing to leave (bottom work, boat projects, medical and dental check-ups, updating our medical kit and immunizations, sewing and flag making, complete re-stocking of all provisions, washing, cleaning, filing and administration/paying bills, etc. etc. etc) but we are in limbo about where to go. Many of our fellow cruisers are beginning to head north to Darwin now. Many have already decided to head back to the States around South Africa. We do not like that option, because (1) we would really miss about half of the world, including Indonesia, Thailand and all of the Mediterranean (2) we would be home in about a year and we are not quite ready to stop our "journey" yet, and (3) it is mainly long ocean passages. However, many of these areas are not safe for travel at this time, especially on a US flagged vessel. We could stay in this area to see if next year is safer, we could sail to Hawaii and back to the West Coast, or we could ship the boat home to Florida. We have many options....none are really to our liking!
So, in the meantime, David and I will be traveling back to Boulder for our daughter, Julie's graduation from the University of Colorado on May 8. We will leave Brisbane on April 27 and return on May 14 (leaving Denver on May 12!). We will travel to Florida to see David's parents on April 29-May 3. We are hoping to see many of you there or to at least talk with you on the phone. We can be reached at Julie and Chris's at 1-303-527-0423, <Julie.Ernisse@colorado.edu> or 6175 Habitat Dr. #1068 Boulder, CO 80301 or at David's parents: 1-239-947-0194 in Bonita Springs, Florida. Please call or email! We would love to see you! We are hoping for a relaxing visit without the pressures of THE wedding! However, they are looking at purchasing a home, so, we shall see!
Please forgive me if I need to answer your email. I have gotten very behind (so what else is new?) Also, I am up-to-date with pictures and Ports of Call on our website www.peaceandaloha.com, but I need to spend lots of time on Hot News! Please keep checking for updatising, let us know your plans! Be Safe! God Bless!
With Love, Peace and Aloha,
Ellen, D
es! Someday, I will surprise you!
We wish you a Blessed Easter with all the joys of spring and
rebirth with Peace on Earth.
Keep well! Keep in touch! If you are cruavid, Jason and Eric
S/V PEACE AND ALOHA
April 8, 2003
Mooloolaba Yacht Club, Queensland, AUSTRALIA
IMPORTANT*****PLEASE do NOT return this email to us with your reply! We have limited usage time on HAM radio. THANK YOU!