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7 June
2001
We were at a Maritime agency (together/along) with Patrick, where they earn a
living classifying boats. Of course(/Naturally) it's a French system, and
it(/they) decide(s) where it is permitted(/you're allowed) to sail, and that
caused problems(/difficulties) for Trojka. According to the(ir) tables she's not
even capable of crossing (any) oceans. Maybe(/Perhaps) I should have known this
before leaving(/I left) home.
Tomorrow they will(/are to) come by to perform an inspection to see if they can
grant an exemption, otherwise he won't(/is not willing) to buy the boat, since
it won't be possible for him to go to for instance(/, e.g.) the Tuamotus.
Patrick asked (us) what religion we belonged to, and I told him that I was (a)
Muslim. He's annoying(/laborious) and asks annoying questions.
After this(/that) we went back to the house and called a ship('s) chandler, the
only one there is on Tahiti; Daniel and I went to the marina to meet him
(there).
Natalie went into town to take care of(/do/sort out) various(/different) things
on our to-do list, which doesn't seem to get any shorter(/smaller). All (of) the
time new things need to go there(/be put on the list).
The conversation with Daniel wasn't (all) too encouraging. He's not going
to(/doesn't) buy(/purchase) boats, but is willing to take it into commission on
shore blah blah blah.
My hopes are(/I'm hoping for) that the inspection tomorrow will solve all
problems, but don't believe it(/can't see it happening). French system isn't
(all that) flexible. We know (about) it (already, edit) from the European Union
(e.g. the banana and cucumber regulation(s)).
8 June 2001
We partied(/did some partying) with some locals, and I blew off Patrick. I had
agreed to meet him at 8.30 but I didn't have the energy to(/feel like) listening
to him.
I talked(/spoke) to him later on the phone and gave him a load(/bunch) of
baloney(/hot air). (I know, edit) I have to pull myself together, he's a
potential buyer, (though) he's rather annoying(/laborious).
I have shown the boat to several people. It seems to be too expensive for
everybody, or they want the boat classified as first class, and that seems
impossible due to the size. This would mean that the French authorities won't
permit(/allow) it to leave the coast more than 50 miles....
Gary's wife were to arrive yesterday evening(/night), so we went out there, and
there she was. We had(/drank) some coffee and talked a little before Nat and I
went back to Trojka to show it to another interested Frenchman, who wanted to
call back tomorrow concerning(/as regards) a sail.
I'm beginning to(/just about to) consider setting(/putting) it on shore.
Unfortunately that(/this) just costs a (small, edit) "fortune", but it would
give me a bit of "safety"(/"security"/"peace of mind") having(/keeping) it here
for a couple of months. Then I could come back and continue (on),
if..................
Otherwise(/Or (else)) I'll find(/track down) some young, crazy Dane via the
Internet, who for a small amount of money would (be able to) continue the
journey. The boat has already proved that it is up for it(/can do the job).
We are feeling (the) excitement before the journey and everything is (just,
edit) about to(/being on the point of) being arranged both here and in Canada,
with the family and overnight accommodation etc.
A couple of times I have (just about) been getting cold feet. Some times I
think, well, I don't even know what it is, but sometimes I am dubious (/in
doubt/have doubts), only for the next minute to have no doubts whatsoever.
Sometimes I (would) wish that I could take the journey through the rest of the
Pacific and work (for) some time in New Zealand or Australia. The(/This)
experience attracts me enormously(/immensely).
And a couple of times we have been in the soup(/heated discussions) because of
it. Nat is getting worried(/worrying) if, in the last second, I would back out.
The tickets a (already, edit) bought, her mom has bought us (the) tickets for
Hawaii and everything has been arranged (for). Sometimes the wait(/waiting
(time)) is driving me "crazy"(/"insane"). I would wish that I didn't feel like I
had(/there was) any choice (in the first place, edit). Natalie is fantastic(/out
of this world), I have never known a girl like her. We're functioning very well
together in every way(/all respects) and are having incredibly much "delight"
of(/with) each other.
She's willing to pay for me, and actually already is. |