‘ello folks,
Today is my birthday! So I’d like to dedicate this blog to my twin 'Fread' (yes it is spelt this way).
I owe Fread so much for what I have achieved today, and I never tell her. What I do is set out to annoy the crap out of her, whether that's still tying her shoelaces together, turning her coat inside out, resetting all the radio stations to different channels in her car, giving her children stupid shoes that squeak with every foot step (they are actually pretty awesome). Plus I like winding up the kids just before bedtime, eating all the food in their snack cupboard, breaking her washing machine by leaving stuff in my pockets (true story) and occasionally a good friendly punch to the side of the arm followed by a vigorous rub on the top of the head. I also ask for our entire family tree addresses and phone numbers, anything I need to order online. She reminds me of birthdays happening that I really should know by now, a month then a week, then days before, and I still manage to forget. So, despite all these annoyances that I inflict upon her, she still continues to support and encourage me yet still keeps me grounded. She is often a voice of reason I can listen to (I try not to sometimes).
I’m often at sea or abroad for our birthday and it's always a weird occasion knowing your womb buddy is the other side of the world when you have to celebrate your birthday with other people. I had to put it into an analogy for you to understand. I’d say it’s like going for a Christmas party with your work colleagues. You have a nice time, you enjoy the atmosphere but it doesn't feel like Christmas still. Even though my crew has gone to great measures, I’ll still have that little empty feeling of wishing you were here. Even though you get violently sea sick just watching Titanic, it makes me queasy too but for different reasons, I’d hold your hair and empty your bucket, Fread!
Right on to sailing. We’ve had pretty varied conditions, with lightning, backing and veering winds, no wind to fronts with torrential rain. I realise if you’re looking at the Race Viewer you might be going blue in the face! We are racing as hard as the wind will allow us and we are also drinking as much tea as we can due to us having to get rid of it by arrival into Australia. For now, the wind has picked up and we are sitting happily at 12.5 knots, so... any guesses what my birthday wish may be?
Josh, Hugo and the crew of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam
P.s. I’m now older than you Fread!!! (Until I pass the date line)
P.p.s. Ask her how she got the name 'Fread'. She will be in Derry-London-Derry