What are our Future Plans? Relaxing at Langkawi and a New Mainsail

    What are our future plans over the next year?  How do we get home?  There are four options and we are at the point where we have to commit ourselves.  We can sell the boat, ship the boat, do a  circumnavigation or return home by the Pacific Ocean.    The Circumnavigation is what I have always wanted to do and Dorothy is into it, so we will contiunue with that even though we now have to take the tougher route down around South Africa with the Red sea being too dangerous because of  pirate activity.
 Plans always change, but currently we are looking at heading up to Thailand in a week or so and then late February cross the Northern Indian Ocean to Sri  Lanka and then down to Mauritius Island  and eventually over to South Africa. Will not be mentioning exact dates until after the fact for security reasons.

We have been taking the free ferry over to the main island of Langkawi every couple of days.  It is a 15 min ride on a 35 ft speed boat.   We rent a car occasionally for 40 rm or about $14.    It is a 7 hour rental and no paper work, no insurance bothers.  You give the guy the cash and he gives you the keys, He did not even ask our names or to see any ID or drivers license.  He has been renting cars to cruisers here for a number of years. (Din 012 402 0827)

With the car we drove over to the highest mountain on the island which has a cement stairway to it's summit, consisting of 4280 stairs.   The steps are in good condition but they have not done much work to keep them clean of debris falling on them, there was a number of places where the hand rails where crushed by falling trees.  Also two places where you had to climb around a big mess of trees.  As we neared the top I could feel something in my sandles and found that small leeches where getting inside and then got squashed and left a bloody mess. I had to remove several on the way down as well.  Lots of blood comes when you pull them off as we had no salt.  Dorothy was okay with running shoes and socks.

After a bit over an hour we arrived at the top of the stairs with tired knees.  We were a bit disappointed as the stairs don't quite go to the top where there is a radio tower and road.
  We are also stocking up on stores as it is cheaper here. This is also the best place to get courtesy flags and copy's of charts at the same store.

Also got our new mainsail that we ordered from Rolly Tasker in Phuket Thailand.  Our old Lee mainsail was rotting and ripping easily.  We were not pleased with how long it lasted. This new one seems better made and was still an excellent price. The sail fits fine except for a minor mistake with the foot of the sail which we will get fixed when we arrive in Phuket. I think it was a result of a misunderstanding in emails.  We are pleased with their service, always answered our emails quickly, and efficient delivery of sail to us.