my dreams of adventure to far-away lands, my desire to learn to sail. Either way, I couldn’t put it down as I followed the travels of the youngest woman single-handing a small sailboat around the world.
When she started her journey she was younger than I was, and she knew next to nothing. “I can do that!” I thought, after all.
I worked toward funding my travels around the world. Fifteen months later, my first long trip took me to Australia and New Zealand for three months, and again the sailing dream came near.
On that trip I booked a three-day sailing excursion on a schooner in the Whitsunday Islands. My first taste of crystal blue waters, snorkeling on colorful reefs, and feeling the gentle kiss of sun and wind
As the captain helmed lazily with one foot, the mate walked us backpackers and tourists through basic sail handling saying, “Mates, you’re just experiencing another shitty day in paradise.” I kept thinking, “This is the life I am meant to live.”
A scruffy-looking guy with sun-bronzed skin and blond-streaked hair walked in and put a sign up on the hostel bulletin board. It said, “Crew Wanted: Help us sail our boat to Papua New Guinea.”
I thought to myself, “Should I? Could I?”
— Leah Kaiz