Bald unter 800 Meilen bis Horta, und es beginnen die Gedankenspiele um den Wiedereintritt in die Zivilisationsatmosphäre.As the Azores get gradually closer (I say gradually, as we are not blessed with awesome speeds at the moment), we have started to become a little more aware of our appearance.
The last thing we want is for the good folk of the Azores to refuse us entry as we look like a couple of salty Yetties, particularly not after dreaming about cold beers and steaks for so long. On the one hand, it is most liberating being at sea and not really caring too much about how you look. On the other, when you finally DO look, it comes as a rather nasty shock!
10 days of suntan lotion, salt water, basic and not particularly healthy diet equals crazy hair, suffering skin and no doubt struggling digestive systems. This is all OK on a trip of this length but thinking ahead to the 5-6 week legs of the Global Ocean Race, it does make you think about the importance of getting nutrition right and maintaining some kind of basic routine to keep your body in good shape.
But for now, we are looking forward to the celebrations in Horta on completion of our qualifier. We have decided to order an entire cow each, cooked rare with a side salad, just to have something to crunch and remind the teeth how to chew! Our photographer Ditten and communications guru Ian will be arriving in Horta on the 28th and 29th respectively so we best put our foot down and get there ASAP.
We should be under 800 miles to go in the next few hours.
Hannah & Anna
