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3/27/2003 10:00:00 PM
Boulder Creek, CA
In the Santa Cruz mountains and the redwood forrest

March 2003

I am sitting here on the floor in front of my computer and don?t quite know where to start ? there has hardly been a report that I was dreading that much... I have some big news

Hallo you all,

Where have the last months gone?.... Well I have good and bad news - the bad is, that I had sent this last report in German the end of March and have failed to translate it since then - the good news is that you will be the first ones to hear the latest news before the German report this time. With this said, let me start right away. Although most of you on this list know what is going on in our lives right now, there are a few who have no clue...

This part was written on March 27, 2003

Hallo everybody,

I am sitting here on the floor in front of my computer and don't quite know where to start - there has hardly been a report that I was dreading that much... I have some big news (no baby or separating ones) and even though many on the English list know about it there are still a few who will be quite shocked. Before I have to roll back almost 10 months I will at least spit out the outcome so that you don't have to wait to the end of the mail: WELL, we have sold our house, bought a sailboat, Robert will stop working by fall (please keep quiet only a few people in his company know!) and we will take off 1-3 years and travel together with the winds.... So there it is! I hope you were sitting down, because this is the truth and no April fools.

Where do I go from here - I guess best where we started this process, last summer. During my visit in Austria with the boys last June, Robert got really homesick, missed us terribly and started to think seriously about his and our live. As you all know the economy is no fun right now and it specially showed last summer here in the Bay Area, where everybody sort of had to be prepared to be on the "black list" - as we unfortunately had to witness with a few friends and colleagues of Robert's. The consulting business has also changed a lot and it is more and more difficult to please the client and often it gets very political and non work related, 10-12 hour days are normal and at the end there is very little to enjoy. To make a long story short, Robert seriously thought whether this is the career he wants to follow for the next years. He also missed being at home during the week either working out of town or coming home really late, and on the weekends we were busy with house, garden and social activities (as many of you probably experience - did we have that many birthday parties to go to as kids?) The next thought was, do we really have to wait until retirement to live your dreams, specially since life will take over your plans and one might not get that far due to many different circumstances.  We had many, many weeks of intense talking, thinking and crying and at the end decided that we want to do what many might not get a chance to do - an extended family vacation. We are lucky to say that we have healthy and young parents, we have not private business that we have to look after, and our kids are at a age where we can "easily" move them. The only major thing (besides many dear friends) that keeps us here, is our own built home, that we love and are very proud of.

After a few more weeks of thinking, heartbreak, more tears and the unknown we decided to sell our dream house and fulfill our next dream with it. After this decision we had to decide what to really do with our family time - maybe travel a bit and open up a bed and breakfast place, buy a motor home and drive around the US... And one of them was sailing. As you all have probably read in my last years summer report, we had done a sailing course to see whether we like it at all or not. Many of you know that Robert loves anything to do with wind, water and adventure so he knew already it be within his element. I wanted to test how I would do and I have to say I had a wonderful time, I really enjoyed the experience and even though there are things that I have to get used to and are afraid of, I have to say that the positive side won and it also triggered my adventure button in me. After that we started to read books, internet articles, sailing web pages, talked to different people who had done cruising and just got all the information possible about living on a boat. We also looked at a few boats, just to get an idea, because we first had to sell our house....

It went on the market the end of August and even though we had many people come and look at it, we never got one serious offer. Therefore we took it off the official market  by Thanksgiving,  because we were told that over the holidays and winter there really is not much going on and we also wanted to enjoy these months without 3-4 showings a week.  Well, and then early January we had this unexpected visit by a couple from LA which only could see it at that time (early 50's, no kids but 2 dogs) and with them it all got rolling. They gave us their offer the end of the month, February was filled with house inspections and early March we signed the final agreement. We had 4 weeks to move out and many of you are probably in awe right now. We sure hope though, that you will all understand that we really did not want to talk about it until now, since we had to wait for the house sale which was hard enough but without that there would have been no news. Even the last weeks were critical since the buyers can get out of their contract any time, but now it is official and we can tell you our big "secret".

We've been packing since early march and it is unbelievable how many things accumulate over the years. I remember our last move and thought that was hard and strenuous, since we had to move from our rental house into an apartment for 4 months before the house construction was finished. Well that was nothing compared to this.... Not only is sorting out and packing one of my least favorite things but we really had to reduce dramatically and had to think of what we want to keep and store, what do we need on the boat and what can we get rid of. I spent at least a day in each room taking every single piece into my hand and decide which category it goes in to, I had a box for storage, one for garage sale and one to take on the boat. We probably got rid of 3/4 of our household - either selling it or giving it to charity. Our major furniture, favorite or inherited pieces, china, silverware, pictures and personal things we moved down to Temecula where Barbie and Jimmy live.  We rented a storage close by and now have all our belongings in a 10x10, fascination how little one really needs at the end and we can reduce down to. That is why I am sitting on the floor - our desk and chair are gone. All there is left right now are the things we need for the next couple of months or the boat. Many of our furniture pieces we passed on to our friends Fiona and Graham, whom we will also be staying with for a few weeks....

We never really knew when the house will be sold and therefore left everything else open as well. Once it was clear by February that we will probably be out by early April, we had to do the next planning step. Robert has only started his new project in January, Sebastian has only 2 months of school left and to sail south from here is not advisable before October, since summer is the hurricane season in Mexico. Therefore we soon knew we will stick around a little longer and Fiona and Graham immediately offered that we could stay with them. They have moved themselves a few times in the last years and know how difficult those few months of transition are. We are very grateful for this opportunity, not only don't we have to look for a short term rental, but we also don't have to keep any furniture and on top of it we don't have to move out of our beautiful house into a lonely place. Also for the boys it makes things a lot easier, they both have a hard time leaving and the incentive to move in with their buddy Oscar (he is also 6 and at the same school as Sebastian) is wonderful. They have a big sunroom which we will occupy, our own bath and the rest will be shared. We all get along really well and I think we will have a great time together, which we would not have had otherwise. We hope to buy a boat April/May and move on to her by the end of June, spent the summer months in Santa Cruz, get to know the boat, the things we will and will not need , take her sailing and get prepared for our trip. Robert will continue working during the whole time and quit (he is going to take a year sabbatical, to have as a safety net incase we need to come back then already) by the end of September. Only his direct boss knows at the moment and is very supportive of our plans, even though he is sad to loose Robert, they have worked many years together now and both respected each other a lot.

There are so many things I want to tell you but it does not quite fit into one mail. The last 6 months we intensively worked on all of it that it is hard for me to know where to start. So I thought I will do a FAQ and hope to cover most of your questions:

Q  What happens with Brose and the cats? A   Right in the beginning in July when we told our friends Maura and  Bob about our plans they immediately offered to take Brose. Not only will they give her back to us at any time but we also know that is her second home and she will be very happy there. The cats will stay with the new owners since they are totally self-sufficient and it would be difficult to move them.

Q  How long are you going to be traveling? A   We basically have almost 3 years to "survive', but have given ourselves a year to see if we really like it, if so we can continue and maybe will work here or there to keep going.

Q  Where are you going to sail? A  Into the sunset... We hope to find a boat in the area and go down to Mexico in fall, stay there 5-6 month along the coast - 1 to 3 days sailing, then a few days at anchor - to get to know our boat, more experience in sailing, etc. If we feel secure enough and all circumstances are right we hope to go west with the wind, to the South Pacific and all its island groups. After that all is open, either New Zealand, Australia or maybe the whole world....

Q  What are you going to do afterwards? A   To be honest - we have no idea! Most of all Robert has to think about what he wants to do for "living" - everything is open, back to consulting and Boulder Creek, California, somewhere else in the US, back to Europe or Austria, open a bed and breakfast in Fiji.... Did we know a year ago we were doing this? NO, so what to I know what we are going to do next...!  :-)

Q What are you going to do for Sebastian's school education? A  We will do a home schooling program specialized for kids on the "road". You get the whole year curriculum in advance and than it is up to you at what pace you fulfill it, sending in tests every couple of month. Robert and I we will both work with him and besides that he will also gain a lot from the experience. Benjamin is not ready for school for another 2 years and I am sure he will also benefit from the home schooling.

Q  How are the boys reacting to the changes? A  We have talked to them from the very beginning, Sebastian is too old not to know and overhear what is going on, specially with people looking at our house 3-4 times a week. So he has known about it for the last half year and he also is processing it, with many questions along the way: What are we going to do with Broesel? How are we going to celebrate Easter on the boat? We will make new friends again on sea and land, right? Which dentist are we going to see?.... At the moment he is a bit sad to move out but is looking forward  to moving in with his pal Oscar,  and also excited about living on a boat. With Benjamin we first thought he might not realize much at all what is going on, but since he has been growing over the last month he more and more is aware of what is happening. He certainly cannot articulate it as much as Sebastian but constantly asks whether this toy or stuffed animal with come with us on the boat. We can tell my his behavior that he is processing it, he has quite some mood swings at the moment (on top of the 3-4 year old ones) and is either very cuddly or very naughty. I guess it is a tough age,  they know how to do certain things but  yet need the closeness and reassurance of the parents. In general they both are doing really well and we are very proud of them. I am looking forward once the move is over and I can spend more time with them again. At the moment they are being watched by many friends and have to entertain themselves while I pack, etc.

Q  Is it not difficult to leave your self built house? A  Absolutely! That was not an easy decision, Robert and I have spent a lot of time, love and work into it and are very proud of it! We had a wonderful time, the construction time got us even closer, we spent 4 very happy years with many memories, visitors, parties and family time. On the other hand we also realize that Robert really could not enjoy it, specially the last year (being gone during the week), I spent most of the time alone and that there is no guarantee in live that we will live there until the end of our lives. We are grateful for the years we had in it and not somewhere else, the experience of the building and the "life in the woods". It certainly is not easy to move out and I have cried many tears but at the end it is material and it is not the only pretty house (even though it is something special...!)

Q  How will we get in touch with you? A  Our cell numbers will stay the same  408 504 2474 for Niki and 408 505 2474 for Robert. We will also keep our same e-mail addresses and more than ever will I write my report and let you know what is happening at the Schmids. We will be around in Boulder Creek until the end of June and after that on the boat in Santa Cruz until October. Would you like to mail us something through the postal service please use the following address. Right now we get things sent once a week and afterwards we will get them at certain ports, so no excuses you could not reach us...

Robert and Niki Schmid PMB 502 88005 Overseas Hwy. #9 ISLAMORADA, FL 33036-3087

Q  How are you going to sail with such little experience? How can you expose your children under such risk? A  Robert got a lot of experience surfing on Lake Neusiedl (Austria) ... ;-)  No seriously, we will do this really slow and step by step. The first step was the sailing course, the next to go out by ourselves last summer and more this summer, then maybe 1 or 2 deliveries for Robert, many months of coastal cruising in Mexico and THEN maybe a 20-30 passage on to the Marquesas... Still sounds overwhelming!?! I can only assure you that we have a very big respect for the whole adventure and will not rush into anything. We have talked to many different sailors (many who teach, have done cruising themselves, race, etc.)  and they emphasize on a thoroughly preparation for the boat, it is interesting to see that most of them tell us that the sailing technique will come with time but that it very important to have good self assessment, mutual good judgment on risk, good communication... Well at the end many of you will still think that it is too big of a risk but we have given this a lot of thought and came to the conclusion that the time together as a family and the experience we all will have on this adventure is worth it and as said earlier, we will take it easy and not rush into anything we don't feel comfortable with... This is a very personal decision and probably quite hard to understand from your points of views, if you haven't been going through the last 10 months of process.

Q  What do your parents say?  A  What did we do wrong? - They think it's great and want to move in with us! - ... NOT! Well in over all they think we are nuts (that are at least Robert's fathers first words). Niki's mom generally thinks its a wonderful thing to do with your family but certainly is a bit worried about our well being, and Robert's mom is warming up to the idea. It is very interesting to see how friends and family reacted. There are generally two sides either "Your are totally crazy" or "What a wonderful adventure", there is not much in-between (at least until we find out what people really think). It will probably take a couple of months/years before we will be taken seriously and being trusted (specially by Robert's dad)

Q  What type of boat will you buy? A  That is to be determent, we are still searching and we hope to let you know in our next report (which as promised will go out to the English list first this time - and yes we do have news on that one...!) It will probably be between 37 and 45 feet... More later

Q  Will you be coming to Austria at some point? A  This question is also hard to answer. We will definitely try to come back once a year, since Robert does not have to take it out of his vacation time he for once can come longer than just a week. When we will come the next time is pretty open, since we have to find a boat and get the process going and don't want to leave the boat right away. Once we have a better idea and details we will let you know - BUT WE WILL COME FOR SURE!!!! (and not only after 3 years of cruising!)

Well, it seems like the most important questions are asked and hopefully answered to your "satisfaction. Sorry it got to be such a long report this time, but it is really difficult to cover all of it. I will still have my computer set up until Saturday and after the weekend we will be with Graham and Fiona. I have to apologize that I haven't been writing many personal mails lately, but first I did not have a computer and I also had a hard time to write some of you without giving away any of the news, I hope you will understand and forgive me.

EXTRA REPORT written on Wednesday April 2nd, 2003

Well today Escrow is closing and I only have a few hours before I have to pack up the computer. The last week was really hectic and more things to do than I expected. Robert had to leave on Saturday midnight to go to India for 2 weeks, which did make things not easier. The date for this training had been set in the beginning of the year and could not be changed since 80% of Robert's team is in India.  Little did we know that it will be the week we have to move out of the house, it all is a bit overwhelming right now with the last minute clean ups, getting things straightened out at Fiona and Graham's (it looks like a bomb attacked their house with our stuff), to pass on the key to the new owners by myself is a bit emotionally overwhelming and on top of if the worries about the SARS virus (Robert also had to go to Singapore for 4 days!)... I will be so happy to have him back and start our new family adventure together.

We sure hope that you are all doing well and hope to hear/read many of your reactions from you - keep in touch! Many dear greetings, hugs and kisses >From the 4 Schmids and Zoo (soon with a big "aquarium"!) 100's of frogs are back in the pond - my lullaby songs....

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