Glayva Adventures

Ha Ha Ha

2010-09-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

................................without going into detail, I have not been updating simply because I .................forgot my password!! So, Im back on track now with lots to tell. Lots of images to upload, its been a mixed year so far. We went to Aceh again....loving it more and more each time...however, my mother passed away suddenly in March, so I was back in NZ, submerged in family and decisions and disbelief.

I promise, now that Ive remembered my passwords , to update soon.

Marks parents arrive from Scotland tomorrow, and we are all very excited, and madly cleaning Glayva.Will catch up soon.

Yes, we are still alive.............

2010-02-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

With the onslaught of FACE BOOK, and other instant online easy ways to keep in touch, I have to admit I have neglected our BLOG. Along with the fact that now we can be considered EXPATS in Malaysia, it seems like there isnt alot of exciting writting to be done!

But wait, that's not entirely true...

Stories have been published, business created, A VAN and a Motorbike purchased,...school has resumed, and we are terripin sitting, and that dosent mean we are sitting ON the terripin.
Based currently in Rebak,Langkawi, we are all alive and well, nestling into the New Ship Wright services business here. Arran is now in grade 6 and Namara in 7, and home schooling is going just fine.....so far! There is a splattering of kids here to entertain each other, and admitably, the world here is fantastic for them. Swimming pool, tennis court, pool table......like....awesome!

Will update some images after I make a cup of tea, as the BIG DADDY BEAR has just emerged from his cave...........and looks in need of some caffine. Take care all....

Return to Rebak............23-09-2009

2009-09-24T21:47:00.000-07:00

I am becomming terrible at up dating this site, however, I realise how important it is, not just for those who read it, but also for me to keep myself updated on this crazy life we lead. We are now back on Rebak Island, where the kids are happily playing, and back into school routine!!! Starting to freak out about high schooling long distance, as looks like our busines here is going to go well, and we might be Langkawi based for a few years. Arran has made some friends off a Sth African boat, so the gang is now a gang of 4, and they have been spending their time making stunt movies........oh dear, and will post them on UTube. Will let you know the link when they are finished. Namara is enjoying having Angie and Gina here, although, not being intentionally gender bias, their play is alot quieter than the boys. We are all (including Arran) enjoying the Twilight series books at the moment, so they are occuping a bit of time.

Marks business is keeping him NEARLY out of trouble, and we are all FUll of ideas and plans for the Now....mine include continuing on these childrens books I have been writting....and trying to organise my time so I actually have some...time that is!

Have also been entering in as many photography comp as poss to push myself a bit, and have.....dont laugh...joined the local ART Group!!!!!!Ha HA.....prehaps I will learn an extension to my stick figures!!!

We spent the last 3 months cruising in Indonesia...Aceh, and North Sumatra, going this year only as far south as Tellos.....these are invigerating places and we came back exhausted with all the ideas of things we want to do...one being building a surf camp and the other a Palong styled boat design for spacious life on the sea.Now that the kids are getting older, we are noticing the shrinking space, and we have decided to tentitively put GALYVA on the market, ....just to see if she sells for our price, and then move onth the next plans...of which we are still unsure of what that may be. Confused? So am I!!!!

Sorry that I have been so slack with updates, I promise to report more often.

2009-06-12T21:40:00.001-07:00

We have been jetting our way around the world, recently returning to Scotland for a Wedding, of John, Marks Brother, and his blushing bride, Nicole. We had an awesome time with friends and family, hanging out in our thermal shirts, and visiting castles and searching for Nessie in the Lochs.

So good to see everyone again, visitied Craig, my brother and his family in England and did a whirlwind tour of London with my Mum, going to the theatre to see Lion King, scampering on and off double decker buses and the underground, Taking in the sights on th London Eye, and visiting Uncle Norm and Aunty Betty. All in 24 hours!

Now back at home and busy storing up for a trip back to Aceh, and the uninhabited islands and the surf. Having a wee catch up on the computer before we go, and promise to keep you updated with our adventures. Cheers,, Rachel

Off to Indonesia...again.

2009-06-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

A quick wee note to say...YIPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! We are stocked and ready for new adventures.

Heading back to Aceh, fridge full of chese, and cupboards full of beer. Will be great to go back, as now aware of the spots we want to hang in for a while.....our secret uninhabited island, with the clearest blue water, mating turtles and coral reefs...not to mention an OK surf break, but shhhhh, I cant give too much away, or there will be a resort there next year!

How lucky we are never ceases to amaze me.

In the past month we returned to Scotland where Marks brother, John, married my new sister in law, Nicole.

It was an awesome time, with the most special thing not the castles and the ice shkating, but just hanging out with family, and catching up with everyone.

We had to relearn how to put on socks and shoes, and also did a little bit of soul searching as to the realities of returning to Scotland for the kids high school, and whether we really could do it! Seeing how short some of the high school girls skirts are, Im quiet happy to continue to home school!!

Also we caught up with my brother Craig and my Mum, Wendy, and nephews Jake and Leroy. Mum took us on a whirl wind tour of London including The Lion King, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Double Decker Buses, The underground....in 24 hours!

Anyhow, we continue to inform you all of our adventures in Aceh, hoping to get up on the surf board...and my goal is to finish off a childrens book that has been churning in my mind for a while.......Wouldnt that be perfect, if I could write my way around the world!

Take care , until Aceh........

OOOOHHHHHHH my...Ive been very slack!

2009-03-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

When you sit in one spot for so long, you really feel like theres not much to tell. Hence my lazy writting into the blog. Truth be known I have been super busy setting up a business in Langkawi, trying my hand at designing a web page....with super slow internet...setting up my own CAITbusinesshttp://cruisingindonesia.blogspot.com ...writting magazine articles...teaching the kids..................trying to get fit for John and Nicoles wedding..........and Ive also become a bit addicted to FACE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!Its awesome...I have caught up with a very cool long lost buddy who was stolen from us and whisked away at the tender age of 12.also my high school best friend, all ther cuzzies and even my Mum!We are now on anchor in Langkawi, Marks business is called Seaspray Marine Services, and he builds, repairs and fits out all types of Marine craft. Langkawi is a pretty cool place. We are still on anchor in Telaga but the seasons are changing swiftly and we may need to pull ino a marina soon. We are off to Scotland in 6 weeks for Marks little bros wedding and then back here. Planning another trip to Aceh also. have been having articles published all around the world...so pretty happy with that.Anyhow...will try to be more frequent.......and up date some pics.All is fantastic

Dr Who............????

2009-01-25T03:54:00.000-08:00

Luckily we have been able to borrow the second series of DR WHo from our good friends off Blue Sky!!! The music is the same, the exterior of the Tardis still the same, the Darlics still the same....however, I never quiet remembered romance as part of Dr Who? Or prehaps, that is just because I was not of a romantic age when I used to watch it....
Tomorrow we leave Langkawi for a visa run to Ko Lipe, approx 25km from here, and part of Thailand. Our Malay visas last for 90 days from entry. The boat needs no Cruising Permit. We are taking Finn and Sophie and Di from Sunburn, so it will be exciting to have some extra crew on board. Sophie is now 12 and Finn 9 so perfectly compatable with the kids. Origional members of The Bare Foot Boat School.
Mark has been very busy, setting up a shed to work in and looking to buy a business and subscribe for a work visa here. His shed is great, a small double garage size shed on the main road from Telaga to Matsarat. It is right opposite a hardware store, has a Chinese Lady selling beer from her back door, and a local business SAILORS SAUSAGES next door....his favourite sausages. He has a Malay flag hanging.....Ive planted some seedlings and there is a Small Chinese Prayer Stand at the door. It is Chinese New Year this weekend, and he was given gifts of mandarines in red plastic bags and a couple of beers from the Chinese owners old dad. Despite the high percentage of Muslims here in Langkawi, Mark has somehow landed a shed in a Beer tolerant district!!! Funny that!
Kids are back at school, and we are using alot of Sonlight books. They have an awesome range of books, however, with the exchange rate and postage...a luxury at the moment.However, thats not to say Im not looking at Amazon UK and EBay UK for books to pick up when we go to Scotland in May for John and Nicoles wedding....,.I wonder how much they charge for extra baggage!
My Internet is very slow on anchor here in Telaga, and I have been trying to add photos, but to no avail.
My CAIT business is going well, and I am doing private swimming lessons up until we return from Aceh,,,then I wish to set up a swim school here in Langkawi. I have tried my hand at business, with Super Yacht Promotions being an attempt, and this has taught me alot about myself, and I have met some great people.....however...I always tend to turn towards the kids...or is it just my safety blanket!!!Sakinah is still on the back burner.
Langkawi life is great for us...here on anchor in Telga with two manmade islands close by...the kids, after school, go to play in the tree house and hang out in the hamocks...there is a local Indian Restaurant close by, and even though it is expensive for local food around here (at $4 for a drink, rice,, curry chicken and vegetables) we frequent here often. The kids love the ROTI Canai,(pronounced CHANI), which is like a flat bread rolled, twisted, flipped, folded, patted and cooked to flakey pull apart perfection. If you come to Malaysia...and obvioulsy India, you know they are not to be missed.
So ...Off to Ko Lipe for a swim and a relax.....Mark never takes time off and it will be great to see him again!!!!!White sandy beachs, clear waters(at last) and some relaxed tourists...bikinis and bare feet.......Bring on Thailand...

Painting a Picture

2009-01-20T04:31:00.000-08:00

Let me paint a picture....The Jonas Brothers, a glass of red, a party on the local beach, a pesto cream chicken sauce, a sick child in bed......checking my emails, updating my cruisingindonesia.blogspot, then noticing I havnt updated this one, apart for photos, for a month.!
Thats terrible!
We have enjoyed Christmas, New Year, Namaras 11th birthday, my 38th!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Sophies, and Di's birthday, sleepovers, nits, illness, building new companies, assimilating into expat and local life!!!!! School has begun again with a full on exciting curriculum, unfortunately had 3 parcels go missing to us in the mail, and one out go missing, so very discouraging!!!!
Miss our books, although kids have enough for now, I admit to being a book hog!!!
We are off to Scotland for Marks little brothers wedding in May....so excited, and will catch up with my bro too!!!!!!
Basically have been great, although very busy trying to set up a business here and still feeling like we are chasing our tails!! I know it will all work out. Meeting some great local people, and still have good friends, Sunburn here with us, so kids are definately filling in their social calenders.
I promise I will up date on more of a regular basis. Dont forget to check the photos, as I tend to update these often......Love Rach

Pre Xmas madness

2008-12-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

I guess in a predominantly Muslim country, preXmas madness doesnt necessarily mean the same thing as in a "christian" country. Here, I think it would be madness anyway.....with settling back into work....and ROUTINE!!!!, buying things for the boat, and catching up with friends. Pre Xmas or not, I think it would be just as crazy.
Its great to be back in Langkawi, the kids have enjoyed the marina, and cathing up with friends, and making new ones!We are looking into setting up a business here, so could possibly be based here for a couple of years. Currently, that depends on how easy it is to get the work permits, so we will see.
For Xmas we will spend it with friends, either in Langkawi or Thailand. No Xmas hams for us....however, it is possible to buy turkey and duck, so there will be no shortage of Xmas cheer....as the island is also duty free.
I find that when "routine" hits me like a freight train, I dont get very much time to write, I still dearly want to tell you about Aceh. My photography slows down too.
However, I have sold several articles to magazines, Cruising Helmsman, Cruising World, Yachting World and Boating NZ, which is exciting, and will be keeping that up too. I will post the articles on the web site once they are printed.
Namara and Arran and Mark are all well, just nesting and settling into the cloud of dust disturbed after 4 months cruising.
We hope you are all BAGUS (good), and our thoughts are with you.

2008-11-11T00:29:00.000-08:00

Our Indonesian adventures were vast and many, and over the next week I will endeavor to catch u

P all of our most current tales and advise.Currently we are enjoying a 5 star Resort in Langkawi, where we have joined with 8 other children to do school, which has been great fun..Will let you know as I can how we are going. HoPe you are all well, and HaPPy!!!!

2008-11-06T00:41:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that so much can happen in 12 months.
Up to date we have traveled over 8 thousand miles as a family .
Despite the clutter and occasional chaos that reigns on board GLAYVA, I believe our sanity levels are still reasonably balanced!!!!!!
Our 42ft Sayer designed sloop has guided us through 50knot winds, Malacca Straits, Aceh and Northern Sumatra, 6 mtr waves, and various sundowner parties.
The cruising life swings steeply from crazily social to periods of total alienation and ambience.
Namara, now 10, and Arran, now 9, continue to homeschool using the best curriculum, self named, "The Bare Foot Boat School." They both eat books and baked beans in nearly equal quantities, and are currently lapping up the social life in a marina in Rebak Island,Langkawi.