Accident Update

Well after 22 days we finally got the police report and man is the girl who caused the accident in trouble.  She has 4 citations just on this accident.  Plus her story is not consistent with ours or the external witnesses.  Plus it looks like she may have pulled a runner as the rental car company and insurance company is having difficulty finding her.  Anyway we should be settled with the physical damage sometime next week and our medical stuff shortly after.

Just Signed On

Well I just signed on to be a captain for the charter sailing cat Alii Nui here in Guam.  It is a job I wanted back in May/June.  It comes now at a confusing time as we were getting ready to depart Guam.  Anyway I am taking the job and if I still love it in March we may stay for another year.  If not it will be fast track to get ready to leave in April.  This is the biggest boat in Guam so will look good on a resume (of course Guam is pretty small)!

Our Struggle with Kamchatka Cruising Permit

Any readers out there know anything about obtaining a cruising permit for Kamchatka?  We have tried the internet and had a possible hit from a possible sponsor (a tour group there) but then they evaporated.  We know it is possible but we are struggling to find out what hoops to jump through.  There is no Russian consulate here on Guam so that makes matters worse.  Plus I imagine the one in Japan is in Tokyo and we will be a ways away from there for the first several months of our trip in Japan.  Of course it doesn't help matters that we are not sure if we will need the permit in 2014 or later.  But if any readers have some information please email me (Mark) at murbius@gmail.com or sy.saritimur@gmail.com .

Cheers
 and Merry Christmas

Found this Quote

We found this quote and it kind of explains why we do what we do!

William Arthur Ward

 

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves: they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.

New Chapter

Pauline resigned on Nov 6, after 11 months of working at DFS Galleria Guam.  She has been offered a job with RIM Architects, Guam.  An admin job, day hours, 5-day week with the weekends off and much better pay.  We think she will be happy.

Mark, however, is still trying to find something to do that pays him a salary.  It has been frustration after frustration, trying to deal with government departments and bureaucracy.  The latest rejection is based on a missing copy of the BACK of the TWIC card (out of about 30 document he sent).  They didn't say "please re-submit".

The decision to stay on Guam or move on is split, based on the above.  And also on the lack of confidence that we will find any jobs when we do get to the mainland.  In the meantime, we just get on with life and enjoy Guam and the friends we have here.

Google Earth has finally moved us!

Hey, for a long time after we left Raffles we could still look at Sari Timur in our old berth.  Today I noticed they had updated the picture, and we are not there.  So I looked for where we are and they have updated us there.  So we are not lost.  Check us out at 13 degrees 27 minutes 39.16 seconds N and 144 degrees 40 minutes 54.99 seconds E.  Big brother is watching us!

"Home" coming

Pauline has been away from Guam and Mark since July 20 and she is finally going home.  She was in Hong Kong and Singapore and will post more details when she gets back.  It was good being away from the stress of work and she has earned her much deserved rest.  It is hoped that she will feel more rejuvenated and ready to face the reality of work again.

Curiosity Lands on Mars

Hey, those of you may remember me posting pictures of the Mars Launch back in November 2011.  Well it is great to say it made it all the way to Mars and deployed successfully.  Man the landing operation just seemed posed with all kinds of difficult details but it went off ok and NASA now has a great research vehicle running around on Mars.

Our Rating

Well for those of you following our blog.  You will remember how I was rather disappointed with the club’s handling (or not handling handicaps) during the recent Rota Race.  So I went to Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet of the Northwest and applied for an official handicap.  Lots of measuring and a several emails later we got our handicap.  It was 236 with spinnaker and 248 without.  A whole 15 points more than we had originally asked for.  So we would have won the whole thing.  Oh and to add insult to it all I found out the pompous people who asked us to with draw from the race because we didn’t have a proper handicap.  They, themselves only had an illegal handicap.  There was not one racer in the entire race had a valid handicap.  Go Guam!

Why Pauline is in Hong Kong

The reason Pauline is in Hong Kong : her nephew Joshua's 1st birthday.  So far all she did was eat and eat.  Thank you PJ and Pearl for your generosity.