If I looked like you, I'd post a picture of myself every damn day. Don't listen to those grumpy old men, keep doing whatcha do :)

Well, let's see. They don't like your blog because there are too many photos of you in a bikini? Yet they keep coming back to your blog. Does not compute. I'd brush them off as whiners.

If you're taking a poll, I vote for more bikini photos.

Maybe we should do a poll, now you got me thinking.

No need to vote, Taru you are a beautiful flower.

Hey, I'm a middle aged, retired man with a sailing blog - and I don't mind your posting bikini pictures at all. Not one bit. Keep them coming (and if Alex can post more about his boat projects, that would be welcome as well.) Maybe I'll run across you two in the South Pacific... Safe & interesting travels!

haha..you go girl!! The "haters" make you "famous":))You look fab and you should absolutely show it!

I'm all for less bikini...more phot shoots ;-)

I enjoy your blog for years now and I keep coming back despite those pictures of you making women jealous and grumpy old men double-tongued.

What is it that makes me stick to your blog? The no-nonsense, carfully drafted postings, the layout, the look of the pictures and the beauty of the main characters. Since I am a straight male, mainly the female of course.

Keep it up!

MS

Hahahaha du är så rolig!! Fler bikinibilder!

Hey Taru,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VpIHNtCmDl8

Blogtittle made me think of this video I saw lately. And as you are always sharing music with us readers...

Keep it real, so no poll...!
Be yourself and act as you want to. Not what others want you to

I love your blog and the people that are negative and nasty towards you, are just jealous that they (or their partners) don't look or have the lives you guys do.

People would rather hide behind a computer and hate at others. Ignore them and if they don't like what they see, they don't have to keep coming back and reading your blog...

Lou
www.thekeypieces.co.uk

I started visiting this blog after Matt Rutherford finished his trip. As a substitute for him, this blog is pretty weak tea.

If bikini pictures gets you traffic though, I don't have much fault in that. I'm surprised that pictures of a [near] naked woman still has much draw on the internet though. It's not like there aren't plenty of those already.

Hi Taru and Alex,

First of all, congratulations on every aspect of the blog. U two are doing a very good job combining exploring the world and catching your dreams with keeping a blog and trying to monetize in order to fund the travel. Both of you are optimizing what is in your power. It is the ultimate dream for every traveler.
Alex making the trip possible technically: if not the journey would end somewhere prematurely. And you are providing the followers with beautiful images so we can taste a bit of that dream.
Your postings are so valuable, it is not only your beauty that attracts and entertains, you learned me cooking along the way for god's sake!
Don't ever let someone tell you you're full of yourself. You two are young and pretty, enjoy it in every way, show it in every way! Because one day we all grow old and we think of all the things we could have done, so do it now, no hesitation.
I've felt trough the years your up's and downs trough the writings on the blog. But now you got it right, keep it going!

As long as you realize how lucky you are with your achievements and don't take it for grated, you will not be full of yourself.

In my country we have a saying: "High trees will take on a lot of wind" meaning whenever you do something great and stand out the crowd, there will be people trying to knock you down or criticize. Please don't let them, don't let them steal your energy and happiness! Guard that and share with us, because there are many more who just like you two without judgement.

You guys are appreciated a lot!

Greetings,
Thomas

Lou,

We have no issue with Alex or Taru (she is beautiful and he is an excellent photographer), there are lots of other sailors with the same qualities. We only fear the blatant commercialization of an otherwise reclusive lifestyle. The cruising community is a very tight group of people living outside the norm and enjoying reasonable anonimity. I believe it is natural to fear encroachment of the world that many of us have gone out of our way to place in our wake.

With that said, I'm impressed by their self promotion and focus on presentation. Their public image is well sculpted and classy. Another couple that essentially blazed the trail in a similar way is S/V Bumfuzzle

http://www.bumfuzzle.com/

Bumfuzzle has been a favorite sailing blog of ours for a long time.

Something I'm a bit reluctant to here is what anonymous says: "The cruising community is a very tight group of people living outside the norm and enjoying reasonable anonymity" - it's not like it is a secret, hidden society where no one else can enter, right? If you have an adventurous spirit and a lust for exploring life in a different way, that is enough for someone to pack their bags, prepare a boat and get out "cruising". You don't need to be a part of a special, tight group of people to do so. Alex and I very rarely hang out with the cruising community, that community is not why we are doing this. We are sailing and enjoying life this way simply because that's what we enjoy doing. Just like many other younger sailors does these days, there's tons of examples on that.

That we then combine our knowledge and interests to create a blog and a business around our journey that can help us maintain this lifestyle, is just a natural extension of who we are. We wouldn't be able to sail indefinitely without bringing in some money on the way. And as I've been blogging and working with online marketing for many years before this journey began, it was just a natural step to combine the two. We don't need a confirmation from the cruising society nor anyone else for that matter to do that, we just do what we feel for, share the beautiful parts of this journey, in our way, and we're glad that we have collected a great bunch of people who wish to follow along.

It's a bit conservative to wish for everything to be "just like it's always been" - there will always evolve new ways of doing things and I think we should embrace that. Just because we do something in a way a bit different than some other cruisers might do, it doesn't mean that the "old" cruisers can't keep on doing what they've always done. We have no intention to disturb your way of living, we're just here doing what we feel is right for us.

And of course what Thomas says is so very true. Without Alex's knowledge on all things boat, sailing and maintenance, we wouldn't be able to do this in the first place so we are a good team no doubt. One thing wouldn't be possible without the other and it's a blessing that we have this combination between us two. We don't take that for granted and we are very thankful for being able to make use of our talents in this way. I also think it's pretty obvious in this blog that we both are working hard to be able to live this life.

Taru, I can only hope that when you cross into the Pacific that you take the time to meet some of the other sailors leaving from Mexico and Panama on the Pacific Puddle Jump. Everyone has their reasons for joining the lifestyle and usually it is a life long dream realized. Getting to know the people with like interests that support each other is a major part of the experience. To miss that would be a mistake in my opinion. Unlike the Bums, take the time to meet them even if they are older or sail on a 100ft super yacht...everyone has a worthwhile story to share and usually lots of sailing wisdom to garner.

Also, be prepared for far more challenging weather conditions and seas. The convection squalls can kick your but at 3am...50+knots is common and it seems like they chase you for hours. And remember, "an adveture is a sign of incopetence."

You look amaaaazing! Ignore the haters!!!