When one of my very close and dear friends came to visit us on the boat this summer, she brought with her a stunning pair of Chanel sandals and this piece of art for me as a gift. She was of course thrilled and excited by the fact that I would sail around the world with the man of my dreams but wanted to advice me that "a women should always sail in style" - just what I would imagine both Coco Chanel and miss Hepburn to suggest, if they only were alive.

The preparations for this whole trip has been all about giving and taking, for us as a couple. Alex might have to put up with a couple of stilettos and Hermès boxes taking up space for additional tools or extra provisions, while I had to leave a huge part of my self (materialistically that is) to be able to jump aboard this adventure on such small space. And no greater problem with that, as we both know that togetherness is all about compromises and as we're utterly convinced that this journey and our love is the meaning of our lives for now - but the image of Ms Hepburn hanging here on our wall is a cute memory of what once might have been a big part of me, and what I still am connected to in a subtle way, through some of my beloved friends. Far away on the map perhaps, but always in my heart.

/Taru