Damn! What´s going on?! Is it possible that I am slowly becoming "mellow" with the years?

Actually, we wanted to be in the Visayas long ago.

On the way there we passed our shipyard in Kudat/Borneo where Odin was overhauled in May this year.

A gust of wind had slammed the hatch of the foreship cabin onto the deck so hard that the 10mm Plexiglas pane cracked.

It didn't rain in, but in a storm something like that can have disastrous consequences if the crack gets bigger and the pane breaks. So what better way than to have it replaced at the shipyard in Kudat.

Of course, this is not so easy. The material has to be flown in first.

"While we're at it, let's replace the cockpit windows too, they don't look that new anymore either," said Frel.

OK, a lot of work. So one project followed another, hatch, cockpit, cockpit chair, precautionary overhaul of the alternator, etc.

Since we know Tommy Chung as a reliable yacht specialist and hard worker, it made sense to have everything done here.

(The man is an absolute stroke of luck in SE Asia!)

The weather was not such a stroke of luck, as it is the rainy season here in eastern Borneo, which makes working outdoors very difficult. This means that the work...or rather the waiting times are taking longer.

We make the best of it. When the weather is nice, we have a barbecue with other sailors…NOW WATCH THIS; here comes the best part…IN THE MIDDLE OF A GOLF COURSE!!!! ;)

The workers greet us in a friendly manner and no one thinks of chasing us and our grill away.

This is Kudat!

Today all the work was finished...but now the wind for the next 6 months will mostly be coming from the direction we want to sail. Well, we'll just have to wait for the weather window and then seize the opportunity.

"Think positively" as the Latin says. ;)

Oh, I see... yes, the headline of this blog…I think I´m getting “mellow”…...You see,  since the beginning of this trip I have resisted having any Christmas decorations hanging on the ship in 30 degree heat. Frel has now convinced me that she absolutely has to put up Christmas decorations on the ship. With colorful lights, Santa Clauses, Christmas angels, Christmas balls, plastic fir trees and cozy blankets!!!!. Heeeeelp1

As I said, this can only be the leniency of old age that makes me not fight against it. ;)

Happy Christmas to you all from the Odin