Leaving family behind
Picture: In the picture you can see me, my parents and grandparents in a typical Hungarian restaurant.
I’m on a plane again. I’m heading to London, after a weekend in Budapest visiting my family for the last time before my trip. I have, as usual, a couple of bottles of wine for the flight. Small bottles, not full sized ones. One is a lovely Hungarian red from the Sopron region. I put on my headphones, and listen to Bonobo’s ‘Migration’ Album. It will be a relaxing flight.
Flying, it turns out, is perfect for writing. And writing, it turns out, is something I have decided I will be doing a lot, over the next 18 months. And finally - it will be public. The day of departure is soon, and I really need to get my thoughts in order.
I came back to Hungary to give one ‘last’ hug for my family and a few friends. As always, it was a busy few days with loads of emotions with laughs, arguments, worry, tears but at the end, just love.
Saying goodbye is not easy, for neither the one staying nor the one leaving. It is incredibly difficult for my family and friends to understand and imagine what it takes, how it feels, how it's possible to sail around the world on a 45 foot (13 metre) long sailing boat. It’s an absolutely unknown territory for them as ocean sailing is not a celebrated activity in Hungary. We have a nice lake, but that’s all.
It’s worth mentioning one Hungarian person though, Nándor Fa, who circumnavigated the Globe five times, each time with his own self-designed and self-built yacht, and who completed the Vendée Globe, the world’s biggest solo, non-stop yacht race. That’s something that I am aspiring to, in the future.
I am the first sailor in my family (if we exclude my dad who - in his 50's - had a motor boat in Croatia for a few seasons). I won’t be the last though. My amazing sister - Nono - and her partner - Norbi - gave me two beautiful nephews, Levi (3) and Miki (1); these little energy bombs will be my perfect sailing companions when I am a bit older, a bit weaker, hopefully a bit richer, and in need of some enthusiastic crewmates.
From my point of view, saying farewell to my family and friends is also difficult. It’s overwhelming and exhausting to realise how many people actually love and care for me.
It's not easy to say goodbye. I’ve known since November 2021 that the organisers would be opening the registration for ambitious sailors who wish to become circumnavigators. We signed up, which was great, but I was terrified of telling my family about my plans. I was terrified about their reaction. I was still unsure about my decision, with mixed feelings, and was worried about my family being ‘in the dark’.
In March 2022 I gradually managed to find the right time and environment to tell my parents and siblings about my adventures and it turned out to be ok. My plan B had been to go back to Hungary a few weeks before the departure and tell them at the last minute. I am glad I gave them a longer notice.
So here we are. Last visit in Hungary until 2024 summer. I wish from my whole heart the best for the country and all my loved ones in it!
Lucky Sailor Girl
October, 2022
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