Sent:
Friday, October 17, 2003 5:06 AM Subject: A Last Hurra
Well,
Dear friends,
I think I would have left he story telling at that last letter but I now
have all these great photos that are burning a hole in my laptop. I think
they will be good to send so you can see parts of what I was talking about
in my last few stories.
I didn't capture the intense times obviously because I was either screaming
at the time or getting pummeled by waves.
Another One is obviously one of
the better shots. The shot definitely captures the warmth of the late
afternoon sun and the condition of the weather most days. But the more
I think about it the more I wonder. I think it actually might have been
a sunrise after one the night sails I did. I think after a while they
started to get mixed up; the sunrises and sunsets. Particularly when you
are alone. There is little to mark the passage of the days. I often think
of my time on the boat in terms of who was with me. That convinces me
that it is as much the people you share the experience with as the experience
itself.
But that does not take away from this gorgeous photo in the least. In
fact I wish I could attach a sound file and a smell file and a program
that would allow me to feel the warmth and water in the air. It was as
beautiful as the photo, but fleeting in reality.
At Home
is a photo of me at my father's place in Bangkok on one of his extremely
comfortable chairs. It is nice to shower everyday again. It is nice
to be able to ride a bike down to the front of the community and buy
food and ice cream and shop any day I want. It is particularly nice
to have ice in my drinks again. There is nothing like a bone-chilled
coke with lots of ice. Can't say I have had any beer lately but that
is ok.
I am here looking for work using the computer and other resources. I
will leave it at that for now.
I spend my spare time learning new classical pieces, reading and hanging
out with the maids. It's pleasant and restful. I think I might plump
up if I spend too long here though.
I still have vivid dreams about the boat in all kinds of conditions.
Waking up to vicious squalls, to the boat drifting off its anchor line,
slamming against the rocks, to the boat rolling and rocking like an
amusement ride. Also I have dreams of times months back with crew; Tony
jumping off the spreaders, Caroline piloting with an air of complete
ease and confidence, Jeff sunbathing on the top of the cabin where he
spent most of his time on the boat, Amanda the queen of mind puzzles,
Mook and Pai cooking fabulous meals, guitar with John, cooking tuna
cheese and noodles with Alex. Those are the good dreams and I find they
beat out the bad ones a million to one.
Guitar
Studies is the last one. It fills my time with something
I love very much. I will send this letter and then attach three more files to the next one and talk about those. I have so many shots I would like to send that I decided I would send them slowly with short explanations over a few days or more. It is easy and the pictures are pretty cool.
Ciao,
Captain Andy