Our Round The World Tour November 2011 – March 2012
We know this report is somewhat delayed, but it was not long after the suspension of our previous web site, due to the difficulties experienced with our then Hosts, 1and1, that we set off on another of our long held dreams. Now that our new site is up and running, and we are trying to catch up, we are delighted to report on our most amazing journey. 
Years ago, when Pete was at sea, despite travelling all round the world on the ships in which he served, he never ever called into New Zealand. Yet it was the one country he so wanted to visit, indeed, just after Pete and Margaret were married, so attracted he was to the reported Kiwi life style, he even suggested they emigrate there.
Margaret, from a very early age, was aware that her Dad had a brother (Margaret’s Uncle Arnold) living in New Zealand, with his wife Joan and their two children, Glenda and Stephen. She had never seen any of them, but as the years passed by, developed this wish to see the country in which they lived.
When in later life we were approaching retirement, making plans for our numerous adventures, a trip to New Zealand, became very definitely, a must. Readers of our previous web site might recall that we spoke within its pages, as to how we were gearing up to making this trip, in the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2010/2011.
Unfortunately a total engine failure aboard “Market Lady” whilst approaching Gocek, Turkey, late in 2009, demanding the purchase of a new engine, left the NZ budget totally depleted. Two years hard saving to recover however, ensured that the trip was back on for 2011/2012.
Interestingly, they say every cloud has a silver lining, and instead of New Zealand, winter of 2010/2011 was in fact spent in Ag Nicholaos, Crete, aboard “Market Lady”, and it did prove to be about the best winter we ever spent aboard “Lady” since leaving UK in 2005.
During the 2011 sailing season, having departed Crete, as outlined within the log of this site, we cruised slowly back towards the Ionian, West Greece where in the middle of October, “Market Lady” was hauled out to spend a winter ashore at Aktio Boat Yard, Preveza.
Once having prepared “ML” for the winter without us there to look after her, we departed on the long six hour bus journey to Athens, where, after an overnight stay, we boarded a BA flight to Heathrow.
We had just three weeks in the UK visiting friends and family, whilst preparing for our “Round The World” trip. So quickly it seemed, Saturday 26th November arrived, the day had finally come when we were setting off on an adventure, that for ages had been no more than a dream, yet had been planned in detail for over a year.
Please join us on the following pages as we fly off for a most amazing four months.
Pete and Margaret
