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Finally We Are Leaving… By jack July 16th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

Tomorrow morning, 5 am, when the tide is right, the Kathryn Bay will slip away from Darwin Harbour towards the sunrise with two stowaways. I’m not quite sure how we did it but we have managed to get a ride on a container ship from Darwin to Dili. We have been generously welcomed aboard by the friendly Filipino crew to whom our presence brings a break in the monotony of portholes, containers and karaoke. Amazingly, there is no alcohol, drugs, or even smoking allowed on board. So much for the ‘drunken sailor’…

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 at 10:54 pm and is filed under Australia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

30 comments to “Finally We Are Leaving…”

  1. By Natalie July 17th, 2008 at 6:50 am

    Halleluja. Thought you’d both disappeared off the face of the earth. Long time, no hear!!!
    Speed bonny boat and happy sailing. Natalie

  2. By Roz July 17th, 2008 at 8:30 am

    Heard jon on the radio yesterday afternoon, and he said that you were leaving by ‘normal’ transport yesterday afternoon. I take it things went wrong???
    Do tell!

  3. By Lindsay Ford July 17th, 2008 at 10:01 am

    Hi,im glad your adventure is going well,you both are very brave,take care,and i enjoy following your adventure,regards,Lindsay

  4. By simon July 17th, 2008 at 10:07 am

    good luck on the open seas guys! our workplace is following your trip with interest and were discussing how long the journey from darwin to dili will take?
    best of luck!

  5. By Pat July 17th, 2008 at 10:25 am

    YAY!!! Was beginning to think you were permanently attached to Oz. You both must be hugely relieved to be actually On The Way!

    Dili later today? Please keep us in touch — there are gazillions of fans waiting for every snippet of news.

    Fair winds, and will be watching for the next news.

  6. By Glenda July 17th, 2008 at 10:57 am

    OH! Congratulations. Wonderful news! Could you add another stowaway???

  7. By Rolly July 17th, 2008 at 11:05 am

    I only came across your adventures yesterday; totally by accident. Serendipity rules OK! I’ve no doubt that you will come to the realisation of that as you travel on.
    What actually happens in life is invariably more interesting that the plans you have for it, so always be ready to “grasp the forelock”.
    My best wishes go with you. I’ll follow your progress with interest and more than a little envy.

  8. By Andiis July 17th, 2008 at 11:05 am

    What , your leaving , so soon. No really , well done and good luck , guess we’ll be hearing from you from the great art-asian basin. All the best from your fans in central Vico.

  9. By Christine Crooks July 17th, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Hi Jon Hi Jack
    Yaaay!!At long last!I have been checking the web site everytime I’m at my computer.Den and I have been discussing how the arrangements might be going.I’m so pleased for you to be nearly on your way outside Oz.Good luck and God speed.Both your writing has been so descriptive I feel like I’m there with you.Tonight ,raise a glass as the sun sets over the bay at Darwin,we’ll do the same here and wish you well.love Christine xxxx

  10. By Vicki July 17th, 2008 at 1:02 pm

    WoW…and the ‘adventure’ begins… Bon voyage boys Bon voyage! X:-) (ooooo l have butterflies in ma belly!)

  11. By David Hardy July 17th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    John/Jack,
    Well now you are at sea can tell you of our experience sailing north from Darwin in February this year. One day out from Darwin from millpond seas at Darwin we hit the edge of a monsoonal low which resulted in nice 14m swell with the bow of Superstar Gemini actually in the water and the windows up on deck 5 awash with water . Bit hairy for 3 days but quite an experience . Hope seas are smoother for your passage . Keep up the postings most enlightening .

  12. By Susan Brown July 17th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Finally you are on your way! Seemed like it would never happen most likely more so to you than to us.
    Heard that you are not going to China any more. What is Plan B/C/D??
    Keep up the blog. We didn’t and have regretted it since. It’s well worth the effort. Good luck both of you!

  13. By running thread July 17th, 2008 at 3:10 pm

    Good luck boys and bon vogage

  14. By Lyn Fisher July 17th, 2008 at 4:35 pm

    Hi, Jon & Jack,
    Thanks for the tales to date, enjoyed them all & will keep reading, so keep it up & smooth sailing.

  15. By Bob July 18th, 2008 at 9:26 am

    Hooray Jack and Jon - leaving the shores of Oz at last. Bon voyage!!

  16. By kevin of southbank July 18th, 2008 at 10:32 am

    Excellent - well done. Looking forward to reading your updates.

  17. By ken July 18th, 2008 at 11:48 am

    Have a safe journey, did you try for Barra while in Darwin. Have you got your travelcalm pills?

  18. By GORDON BAXTER July 18th, 2008 at 3:26 pm

    Hello Jon,

    A freind, Andrew Mahar, runs/owns a company in Melbourne called “The Infoxchange”. The are an infotech company that runs by the motto, “Technology for social justice” and do a number of things from being an ISP, running a web site that points people looking for social services in the right direction, training, and selling hardware. They basically run as a not for profit company that re-invests its profits into providing their services at a subsidised rate.

    Andrew was asked by Steve Bracks to help in bringing East Timor into the 21st century re IT and he has been over there a number of times & has brought people from there back to his offices in Abbottsford for training etc.

    It’s an interesting storey & if you get a chance to check it out while your there you might find it an interesting little storey.

    Cheers,

    Gordon Baxter

  19. By Judi July 18th, 2008 at 7:24 pm

    YOOHOOOO!

  20. By Ray Davis July 18th, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Dear Jack & John, Glad to hear you both are on your merry way….:-)How is your wife coping without you two?Get her to give us some feedback please.
    On another note..Pleease be very aware at all times of some one stuffing drugs in your vehicle or in your luggage,Yeah’I know…. but it just a thought,As Anthony Abbott MP once said “Shit Happens” Good Luck as allways.
    Ray & Margaret Davis

  21. By greg July 19th, 2008 at 5:33 am

    At last you are finally moving,seasickness next?pleasant cruise Greg

  22. By Benny Lompoliuw July 19th, 2008 at 11:02 am

    Bon voyage J&J

  23. By Matt Thomas July 19th, 2008 at 2:20 pm

    Hi Jon & Jack !

    What an amazing trip to undertake ! You guys are gonna have an amazing time:) When will you be in Bali ?

    Jon i have been a avid listener to your show and have missed it whilst away from Melbourne. Im currently on a working holiday during 2008.

    Post lots of photos :)

    Matt, 35 -
    Melbourner in S/E Asia

  24. By Mavis Lelong July 19th, 2008 at 6:58 pm

    Jon, you said you would not be missed after a couple of days (or was it weeks), well you are. The only thing that got me up in the morning at my advanced age (not your business) was to hear your dulcet tones! However, bon voyage to you both and I look forward to further reports.

  25. By Alistair July 20th, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    All the best and I looking forward to logging on and reading of your adventures through Asia and beyond.

  26. By John Pearce July 21st, 2008 at 11:04 am

    Hi Guys,

    Not sure you will get a chance to read this or get a chance to take any action but will ask anyway. By way of intro I am a teacher and blogger who is interested in getting more blogging happening in schools. One cause I am championing is making more images readily indentifiable for use via Flickr where I note Jack is uploading your images. The way I am suggesting is that images suitable for school should be tagged as “pics4school” and be licenced under Creative Commons for use, as yours are. You can see a recent post I made about the idea at http://johnp.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/i-want-a-new-image/ As you will no doubt see and photograph some images that most students will never see it will be great if you get the chance to tag those suitable for use by students from primary age onwards as “pics4school”
    Cheers and enjoy the drive :) BTW Ally Moore is already remodelling the show and Red is giving both her and Kathy a hard time like old times

  27. By Jenni July 21st, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Amazed I didn’t realise what you were up to! My husband is gob-smacked I didn’t know! I was wondering why I wasn’t hearing you on the radio in the few snatches I manage to listen to here and there! I have a lot of catching up to do! Looking forward to keeping track of your adventures. Good luck, good health, good fun! What an amazing experience you will have!

  28. By jane grimshaw July 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 am

    i couldnt help thinking of you John last Friday night when watching the final of Spooks! I do hope someone is taping it for you or maybe you have already seen it on dvd. Such a fantastic show and oh what a great finish! Can barely wait for the return.
    I enjoy your online updates of your trip and hear of your adventures on 774 also.
    travel well,
    jane

  29. By Paul N July 24th, 2008 at 9:10 am

    We have bets going as to where you will get arrested:

    3:1 Indonesia for smuggling dope in your boogy board bag

    4:1 Laos for not smuggling dope in your boogy board bag

    2:1 Kyrgyzstan for not being able to pronounce it

    5:1 Iran for looking like an Israeli terorist

    2:1 Anywhere in Europe for looking like an Arab terrorist

    Even: London for illegal parking

    Seriously, this is a great trip. When you get to Xian, go see the terracotta army. Photos do not convey the scale or uniqueness of this site.

  30. By John "Juanito Hayburg" Eyberg August 13th, 2008 at 10:21 am

    Hi, mates–I just heard your conversation with Ali on 774 ABC Melbourne. If you’ve a need to extend your trip [I can't imagine your NOT wanting to after London arrival, you'll be quite addicted to the travel if not already.] you can go up to John O’ Groats, ferry over to the Pentland Skerries (don’t miss Skara Brae, vastly superior to Stonehenge!), and eventually catch a ferry up to Iceland. After mucking around there, I’d be sure there is a way to ferry with your vehicle to Greenland to (Canada) Newfoundland. (Just speculation on my part, I’ve not done that yet.) Once you make landfall, go back to France (islands close to St. Johns), ferry to Labrador, drive the back road through Goose Bay. Don’t leave the area without going to P.E.I.-there is a bridge to the mainland now, but I went by ferry when I bicycled there in 1980. Eventually you can make it down to my home here in El Paso TX, and I can give you some potential overnights in Missouri (mother, brothers, sister, friends) should you go that way. Of course, I’m right on the front door of Mexico/Central America/South America, all accessible by motor car except for the Darien Gap. You are motoring a route I’d very much like to do also, although both my children are very much into figuring out their own lives (daughter, high school senior; son, junior at University of Texas-Austin; neither want to travel with their old man anymore, even if I’m footing the bill!) Many years ago, I had thought we’d pedal from Victoria to Tijuana but… So we motored to Western Canada and Alaska instead. Our next trip was to Europe & Northern Asia, mostly by rail with air. Two years later, we took New Zealand Air to Melbourne, my home away from home. Absolutely, a return will be forthcoming–I’ve yet to explore Melbo to Adelaide, Perth South, Perth to Darwin, the ACT, and Tasmania. Unfortunately, finances are a bit challenging this year, though my wife did get her 25th anniversary present (new kitchen cabinets/countertop) and a promise on MY 25th present–RETURN TO MELBO/DOWN UNDER! After all that digression, the reason I heard you speak with Ali is because I am writing up an account of our trip: LA FAMILIA HAYBURG: DOWN UNDER and stay motivated by listening to 774. You can read the chapter where we toured from Alice to Adelaide at my website, as well as see pix of our Eurasia trip. Anyway, goodonyer! I’m envious and hope to do such a journey similar to you sometime.–John “Juanito Hayburg” Eyberg

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