WE ARRIVED IN VALETTA!! It was an exciting 2,5 days hitchhiking the yacht of these two lovely people from Lebanon and the USA. They picked me up from the marina in Corfu and we sailed all the way to the capital of this small island nation: Malta. I’m very happy to have found them before I might have given up on the whole boat hitchhiking thing. And it was a great way to start learning more about sea sailing and a good test on whether I like being on boats for a long time. The verdict is that I freakingContinue reading
corfu
Success at the Marina: I’ve Found a Boat to Malta!
Today is a good day! Six days and six nights after beginning the quest for a boat to hitchhike to Italy, I’ve found a boat with a Lebanese-American couple headed directly to Malta! Freaking Malta! For context: Malta is my target destination all along. I just asked for boats to Italy because I thought it would be a lower bar to pass. Gouvia Marina on Corfu (Greece) has been a success! I will meet the couple again at 22:00 tonight to also sleep on their boat. At 8:00 tomorrow we should set sail with the boat “Boysterous” 😀 if there areContinue reading
Gouvia Marina in Corfu, Greece: Sailing Sunsets, Sunrises
D-Marin, which I call “Gouvia Marina” has been my home for almost a week now. I’ve experienced the sunrise and sunset for so many days. Witnessing these daily events here is still so spectacular when you notice that the density of masts resembles a forest. Sometimes, I forget that I’m already on a tiny island in Greece. Corfu feels like the mainland now. My rhythm each day has been as follows: wake up on the deck of the motor yacht. Don’t worry, the owner suggested this to me for finding a boat hitch, so I have their permission. After awaking,Continue reading
Corfu Donkey Rescue: A Retirement Community in Greece
During my stay in Corfu, Greece, my host took me on a trip to the Corfu Donkey Rescue (CRD). She sometimes goes there to volunteer. Scroll down to see the wheres, hows, and whats of visiting Corfu Donkey Rescue. I’ve only hung out with donkeys before in Morocco (April 2012) during my short stay there. Our riad owner invited my partner and me to visit his family’s country house. They had a donkey and he sat on the donkey for a bit, presumably to show off. Then my partner did the same. I passed because it felt disproportionate and frankly,Continue reading
Boat Hitchhiking 101: Dockwalking
Dockwalking: many people do it in a more advanced way than I do in order to go boat hitchhiking. They print out copies of their CV, wow! I just carry a hitchhiking sign with my destination and my not-so-secret weapon: a smile. And patience… for the love of God, you need a lot of patience. [update 2020: I have embraced technology. I have a very nice profile on CrewBay and Find a Crew profile now. If you’re a boat owner, make sure to star my profile!] But I keep singing: I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay watching the tideContinue reading
Hitchhiking a Boat: Patience + Frustrations in Corfu, Greece
Good morning from the island of Corfu! Yes, that is correct, I managed to hitch to an island. This wasn’t super intentional… but cool! I’m now at the huge marina of Gouvia on the Greek island of Corfu and it’s super early. Why am I here so early? Because a kind soul allowed me to sleep on the deck of her husband’s boat. Once the people wake up I’m going to try hitchhiking a boat. My approach? By walking around with this hitchhiking saying ‘Italy’ to try and find a sailing/motor yacht to cross the Ionian Sea. Do I feelContinue reading