(11/06-09) Since leaving Granada, we have been motoring along the coast towards our final destination, Gibraltar. Here, I will leave Richard and the Med, fly to England, then home. Rich is greeting the crew who will be assisting him in his voyage across the Atlantic, ending in the island of Antigua. Rich is not sure of an exact “home” date since the weather will dictate sailing conditions and speeds. And from what we have witnessed, the charts and forecasts never match what the day will truly bring.

Did I mention that we were able to see Africa when coming to Granada?

We really enjoyed our last travels here in Spain. Here are some fun facts I noticed while here: there are barber shops on every corner; there are quaint cafes that just serve coffee and pastries; in the churches, a crucifix does not hang over the alter, instead it is the Virgin Mary; someone is always dragging a suitcase and folks love to play cards at dinner.

My feelings about this Mediterranean adventure are bitter sweet. I have a love hate relationship with sailing. There have been wonderful days and long days when I am ready to jump into the sea. We have woken up to goats bleating with their bells tingling, to waves lapping on shore or to the whistle of unexpected winds or blaring ferry horns. Overall, we’ve had more positive experiences than not and have had exceptional times seeing so much of the world.

We are excited, truthfully, to get the boat home and enjoy new sailing adventures with our family and friends.

With that said, Katie helped us book our hotels when visiting Seville and Granada. We have never used a booking agent and this was nice service. We gave her our parameters and needs, like a hotel that provides parking, and she did a great job locating a perfect fit. Whether it was a bijou-y like hotel or a historical one, we were very pleased with the choices. Too, the upgrades provided to us via Katie were amazing. Some examples were champagne and warm nuts in our room upon check-in, late check out times, time in the spa’s hot tubs without the need to book a service, and access to a private area of the hotel (like the Delta Sky Club) offering tea, coffee, wines, snacks, you get the idea. So, give Katie a shout to organize your next outing!

In closing, this will be the last entry until Rich gets home. Hopefully he will take some photos crossing the great blue expanse. The first stop from Granada will be the Canary Islands.

Until then…