June 1, 2016
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

Audio Books – Do you like them?

Big News!

Great news arrived in the Parry house(boat)hold yesterday.

Rouge Corsair – 1920s Dutch Barge

A few weeks back I announced that my publisher is producing This Is It – 2 hemispheres, 2 people, and 1 boat in audio format.

Just one of the fabulous places we visited on Pyewacket – Lake Titicaca (well, I should clarify, we didn’t take the boat to the lake!)

Yesterday, I received the news that A Standard Journey – 5 horses, 2 people, and 1 tent, is also going to be in audio format too.

These things take time, finding the right professional reader and production – it has to be just right.

webpage cover header 15th feb

All my books – aside from Cruisers’ AA (accumulated acumen) (for obvious reasons!) will be available in audio format soon – Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl to Sea Gypsy Woman – already is!

Later this year I am sure I will have plenty of giveaways!

Do you like audio books?

May 19, 2016
by jackieandnoel 4 Comments

What I’ve Learned Voyaging Around the World

I’ve sailed around the world one and half times with Noel, I’ve not only grown, I’ve learned so much… here are my thoughts after our second trip across the Pacific Ocean… some of these learnings I use in talks at schools…

The tough times, make the good times, so much better!

Sailing is my drug. When I’m scared, I feel alive; when times are tough, my senses are heightened. Surviving the demands of furious seas enhances calm anchorages.
I must feed my addiction of adrenaline-thumping emotions of electrifying fear and invigorating fright.
It doesn’t matter what we tackle as long as tension, terror, anticipation, and elation can have a punch-up in my gut and come out battered and bruised – but, still mates.
The most important part of seizing life by the scruff of the neck and relishing it is learning to love yourself. It doesn’t matter if you are living in paradise or a shoe-box; if you don’t like yourself, you won’t like your life. You must love the boat you have, and love the body (and mind) you have, too. If you don’t, a trip won’t change that, and it will never be special.
We must all face compromises to move forward in life. Many concessions are our own decision, but there are also penalties in how people perceive you, especially if you are a little different.

Being happy with what you have – what you are, and what you are doing – is the secret to happiness… oh, and have a purpose too…

Be Different
I urge you to be different; step outside the box; allow your light to shine. We all make career, family, and money decisions. Whatever you do, someone somewhere will judge you.

Have faith, follow your inner compass, and be gracious, because then you can’t fail.

If that means standing away from the crowd and making yourself a prime target for opinionated people, then keep this in mind: those who are ostracised, judged, and questioned are remembered.

Be different (Ecuador)

This Is It – 2 hemispheres, 2 people, and 1 boat details our two-year trip crossing the Pacific Ocean

Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl To Sea Gypsy Woman details our nine-year circumnavigation on a small boat

A Standard Journey – 5 horses, 2 people, and 1 tent details our adventure living with five adopted horses in the Australian bush for several months.

If you want to know what we’re up to right now – on a Dutch barge in Europe, look here.

Author blog: www.jackieparry.com

Travel blog: www.noelandjackiesjourneys.com

Horse: http://helpinghandforhorses.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.parry.7543

Travels: https://www.facebook.com/NoelAndJackiesJourneys

Horses: https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-the-love-of-horses/1048526295173146

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00OT9CWV8

Amazon book links

A Standard Journey: viewBook.at/astandardjourney

Of Foreign Build: viewBook.at/OfForeignBuild

Cruisers’ AA (accumulated acumen): viewBook.at/cruisersaa

This Is It: viewBook.at/thisisit

Audio Excerpt Of Foreign Build: http://goo.gl/AnsKRr

Twitter

https://twitter.com/NandJJourneys

https://twitter.com/StandardJourney

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7157763.Jackie_Sarah_Parry?from_search=true

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jackieparry7543

Linkedin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackieparry

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/113148478675680852619/posts/p/pub

Photo album of A Standard Journey: http://goo.gl/1QgMp2

Photo album of Of Foreign Build: https://jackieparry.com/of-foreign-build-photo-album/

Photo album of Cruisers’AA: https://jackieparry.com/pics/

Photo album of This Is It: https://jackieparry.com/photos-this-is-it/

A Standard Journey FB Page: https://goo.gl/uV7NGY

Cruisers’ AA FB Page: https://goo.gl/2vEnkB

Of Foreign Build FB Page: https://goo.gl/VvLT3M

Listen to me chat to Carol Graham (Never Ever Give Up) about sailing, pirates, adopting horses, and surviving life! http://app.stitcher.com/splayer/f/69073/41215218

May 15, 2016
by jackieandnoel 6 Comments

Shark Encounter That Changed My Life

Excerpt from This It It – 2 hemispheres, 2 people, and 1 boat

Tahanea Atoll is part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. For an atoll, it is large, measuring almost thirty miles in length; the maximum width is just under ten miles. There’s a narrow entrance and a wide lagoon to anchor within. It’s uninhabited but visited occasionally by islanders from neighbouring atolls for fishing.

We anchored in clear, turquoise water a fair distance away from shore and the other three boats already there. We declined the offer of joining the other cruisers on a shark dive in the passageway – sharks weren’t my thing; I noticed Noel wasn’t that keen, either.

‘They won’t hurt you,’ they said. ‘The sharks there have no teeth; they can only suck the flesh off your arm!’

We weren’t sure if this was a joke or reality; either way, the outcome wasn’t endearing.

Anchored off Tahanea Atoll (in the Pacific Ocean)

We took time to assemble, pump up, and off-load our large rubber dinghy; we wanted to snorkel on a reef, but first, we had to float our anchor chain. Finding a sandy patch to anchor in was a little tricky; between the anchor and the boat, the chain would snag on coral heads. The sharp coral can wear chain over time but, short-term, the chain causes damage. Our boat fenders were ideal floats. Every five metres, we lashed a fender to the chain to keep it floating above the living structure of the reef and to prevent snatching where the chain had been shortened when snagged. I kept one eye open for sharks.

With that job done, we puttered over to a coral patch, where we thought we’d be safe. This is where I learned I could walk on water.

On our way to dive

There we were, having a jolly good time drifting along with the gentle current, watching colourful fish flash alongside vibrant coral. Noel swam about twenty metres in front of me, and something made me turn around. As I swung my head over my left shoulder, I practically touched noses with a black-tip shark. A cold rush of terror gushed into my belly as if a sluice gate had been opened.

My mate sharky

Noting its teeth and bulky length at almost twice my height, I screamed, spun around, and flailed my way towards Noel. Running on pure adrenaline, I didn’t make the decision – fight or flight didn’t cross the wreckage of my mind, but clearly, flight had won the day. I can be calm when in immediate danger; meeting a shark so intimately had proven this wasn’t always the case.

As I thrashed my way towards Noel, I forgot to breathe, but my mind conveniently decided to voice its opinion.

You’re never going to out swim a shark! My thoughts tormented me; they were at odds with my physical emotions as if they were sitting back in a deck chair enjoying the show.

Any moment sharky is going to be enjoying lunch care of your left thigh.

But I couldn’t stop. I had leaped into sheer panic mode. I had no control of my actions, and it appeared that I couldn’t control my thoughts, either.

As I flogged my way nearer to Noel, he was blissfully unaware of my stress as he silently snorkelled in peace. He jumped two foot clear of the water as I grabbed his leg, clawed across his back, and sat on his shoulders.

Noel having a nice peaceful time before I came along!

‘What the…. what’re you doing, gerrrooofff!’

He pulled me down beside him.

‘Shark, there’s a shark!’ I scanned the area. Sharky was hiding somewhere, clearly having a good titter at my expense.

‘It grinned at me. It was so close I nearly kissed it!’ I said breathlessly. ‘I think we upset him by not going to see him with the diving excursion, and he decided to pay us a visit.’ Fear makes me ramble.

Noel laughed. ‘It’s okay. Let’s go over there. It’s a bit shallower, and we can regroup.’

We stood on a reef, where the water came to above my knees. I peered at Pyewacket way off on the horizon.

‘At least the dinghy is nearby.’

‘Well, it’s a few minutes swim to reach it,’ Noel said. My heart did a little flip.

‘Will you let go of me now?’ Noel said as he tried to unpeel my arms away from his neck. I’d become a remarkable human form of Velcro.

‘Oh, that’s interesting,’ Noel muttered as he managed to free himself, and I turned to look. I knew his cool demeanour didn’t always mean the situation was cool. And I was right. My mate with the sharp teeth circled us, clearly revelling in our situation. He had us surrounded. Round and around he swam; his black beady eyes watching.

Then he started circling us!

‘Shit!’ I can be so eloquent.

‘Let’s head back to the dinghy,’ Noel suggested.

‘And how do you propose we do that?’ I asked with my knees knocking. I had found the thing scared me silly. I didn’t like any of it – the thumping adrenaline or trembling limbs. Blind panic and tremendous fear wasn’t something I experienced often; now it was becoming frequent!

I searched around the area and found two three-foot sticks to carry. I am not sure what I could have done if the blacktip fancied a munch. Perhaps poke him a bit and give him the hump? But it made me feel better.

My defense!

Much to Noel’s amusement, I swam back to the dinghy in circles, so I could keep an eye on anything that lurked behind me.

That moment changed my enjoyment of dipping in the oceans forever, but I didn’t know I’d be gleefully jumping into shark infested water again… soon.

For more stories on our current escapades and more pictures: click here.

Our boat is for sale: click here to have a good look at our 1920s Dutch Barge.

Author blog: www.jackieparry.com

Travel blog: www.noelandjackiesjourneys.com

Horse: http://helpinghandforhorses.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.parry.7543

Travels: https://www.facebook.com/NoelAndJackiesJourneys

Horses: https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-the-love-of-horses/1048526295173146

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00OT9CWV8

Amazon book links

A Standard Journey: viewBook.at/astandardjourney

Of Foreign Build: viewBook.at/OfForeignBuild

Cruisers’ AA (accumulated acumen): viewBook.at/cruisersaa

This Is It: viewBook.at/thisisit

Audio Excerpt Of Foreign Build: http://goo.gl/AnsKRr

Twitter

https://twitter.com/NandJJourneys

https://twitter.com/StandardJourney

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7157763.Jackie_Sarah_Parry?from_search=true

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jackieparry7543

Linkedin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackieparry

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/113148478675680852619/posts/p/pub

Photo album of A Standard Journey: http://goo.gl/1QgMp2

Photo album of Of Foreign Build: https://jackieparry.com/of-foreign-build-photo-album/

Photo album of Cruisers’AA: https://jackieparry.com/pics/

Photo album of This Is It: https://jackieparry.com/photos-this-is-it/

A Standard Journey FB Page: https://goo.gl/uV7NGY

Cruisers’ AA FB Page: https://goo.gl/2vEnkB

Of Foreign Build FB Page: https://goo.gl/VvLT3M

Listen to me chat to Carol Graham (Never Ever Give Up) about sailing, pirates, adopting horses, and surviving life! http://app.stitcher.com/splayer/f/69073/41215218

April 28, 2016
by jackieandnoel 2 Comments

What To Write About

This blog has lost its way a little – so I’ve signed up for some book-blog-tours on books I’ve read that I’d like to share with you. (All via Rukia Publishing).

I’m branching out into some new genres and the authors of those books will share excerpts and their writing experiences.

One tour will be my own story – with fun, hilarious, and scary stories from This Is It. Like “Shark Encounter” – “So This is What Being Kidnapped Feels Like” – “What Travelling The World Taught Me” – “Mexican Dramas” – “‘Where’s that water coming from?’ – a mid-ocean panic!”

That will start soon, in the meantime if you want to know more about my latest – here’s a wonderful (and descriptive) review from a truly great sailing magazine – Afloat.

Three difficult weeks at sea, living on a tilting vessel!

January 18, 2016
by jackieandnoel 12 Comments

This Is It – Excerpt ….. to be released soon…

This Is It – 2 hemispheres, 2 people, and 1 boat

Here’s an excerpt from my new book… coming soon…

With an intimidating selection of equipment to buy and fit, we found ourselves immersed in several dozen projects at once. With travelling and learning about a new boat, we’d had no time to reflect on our achievements or what we were doing. It’s rare that Noel and I suffer from homesickness; family and friends drift in and out of our thoughts, but the intangible force to move is more powerful; it’s irresistible.

Travelling makes sense to us both. We’re most content when we have a home that can move and relocate anywhere. Entering a new port, we’re filled with the excitement of exploring, learning, and meeting new folk. But when it’s time to leave, we become edgy and fidgety with thoughts: will the weather help or hinder? And when it’s time to go, there’s no controlling the urge – an invisible force pushes us along. On the one hand, we are lucky to have the same drive, inquisitiveness, and sense to explore; on the other, I wonder why we are so unsettled. We are malcontent with letter boxes and a home that doesn’t move. We find contentment in being unsettled, where nothing is the same, where locating the right shops is a skill (and figuring out how to get there), the language changes, the culture challenges.

Being nomadic is not often about being foot-loose and fancy-free; romance plays a minuscule role. Frustrations, costs, and the hardships of uncertainties and fickle weather are all part of the story. But the flip side is immense: a life that’s kindred to freedom, confronting each ordeal to reap the rewards of seeing the world, and meeting people from such far-flung cultures that teach you so much. Luck plays a tiny part – it’s mostly about making it happen. It is an extraordinary life, but it isn’t easy. We split ourselves from our family, friends, and the comfort of day-to-day income and services. We can be up night after night in bad weather, bored listless on anchor watch, petrified of what’s around the corner, and boat bound due to unsafe ports. But that’s what makes it enough. The highs are the foundation of the lows. If we don’t have something to look forward to, something to push our bodies and stretch our skills, complacency replaces joy. We choose this roaming lifestyle because of the challenge and rewards – whatever path we choose, we have to deal with crap; the particular garbage that comes hand-in-hand with travelling is the stuff we can deal with. Noel and I are woven from the same cloth, and I thank my lucky stars we found each other.

August 23, 2015
by jackieandnoel 8 Comments

You Know When You’re A Writer When…..

.. you can write anywhere…

Sailing (and writing) in my slippers along the NSW coast

How do you know you are a writer?

August 13, 2015
by jackieandnoel 6 Comments

Horseback Adventure

Freedom, horse gear, hard work, and a journey that will stay with you forever

‘You don’t need all that gear, look what motorcyclists take.’ I was shown two small panniers, not much bigger than handbags, hooked on the back of a bike.

This is one of the comments I’ve received on the equipment we carried when we trekked in the Australian bush with five horse; it’s all listed out in the back of the book A Standard Journey, or you can see it all here: via pictures.

Mid journey, this was after we had whittled down the equipment even more – bare necessities here!

Bike vs Horse
For a start, if you are camping out with your motorbike and you need something, you can hop on your bike and speed off at 80 km to the nearest shops. You can’t do that on a horse that’s just trekked for six to eight hours carrying your world possessions and you!

Secondly, bikes don’t need feeding, grooming, first aid, rugs, boots, saddles, saddle blankets, fencing, electric fence equipment, water buckets, nose bags… and on it goes.

We’d just unloaded here – next job (once the horses were taken care of) was to sort our gear and pitch the tent

Personal equipment
I’d say fifty percent of the equipment comprised saddles (riding and pack – five in total) saddle blankets, halters and reins. You can’t get very far without any of this.

We were throwing out the hard panniers and buying back-packs – the saddle is in the camp shop – they are big and heavy

Forty percent of the gear would be for the horses, the fencing, water buckets, rugs, food, grooming kit, first aid kit…. etc

Our camp – second tent phase! The grey lump near the horses is all the horse gear

That leaves ten percent for Noel and I. That’s five percent each for clothes, food, cooking gear, first aid kit, tent and… well that was pretty much it!

First set up with hard panniers

Second, and much improved, set up, with back-packs

Compromises
We made comprises and worked harder than we ever did in our entire lives. But there were great rewards, we had one mobile phone for emergencies and ninety percent of the time that had no signal. We had no internet, no car to run, no office to sit in. What we had was nature, freedom and five of the most incredible horses you will ever read about.

Freedom

Take a look at our photo album of our trip and if you’d like to read the story, here’s the link. You can read an excerpt first if you want…. then the reviews.

Charity
I donate fifty percent of profits to horse charities, here’s a website on A Helping Hand for Horses.

oh and BTW, I’ve just reduced the ebook price.

What are you waiting for?

What they are saying

‘A hauntingly beautiful book.’

‘This will stick with readers for a long time’

‘The journey was not all they had expected’

‘The trail presented obstacles at every turn’

‘The journey itself makes for incredibly engaging & interesting reading’

‘The details of the trip are fascinating’

‘I couldn’t put it down’

‘The horses are as real and vividly drawn as the humans in this book.’

‘The moments when the horses get “naughty” are hilarious’

July 26, 2015
by jackieandnoel 8 Comments

Afterlife of Books and Magazines

I don’t usually deface books or magazines, but the other day I did – out of desperation.

I should apologise to Motor Boat Monthly Magazine. But the magazine in question was several years old, ten I think, and it had been read several times, by us both – AND, they went out of print last year (according to Wikipedia).

Instead of throwing out the magazine we became inspired. Most people, who live the nomadic life (especially on boats) learn this knack, everything has at least two uses. We certainly had a use for the stiff folds of paper.

Saving your sanity
So, what can you make with an old Motor Boat Magazine, coloured tape, paper, scissors and string?

You can make something to save your sanity – that’s what!

Freedom at a price
Mooring on the French canals is a wonderful freedom. At many places, most times, you can stop for the night or even a day or two.

Currently, shade is our top priority. Fortunately, we have found great shady spots, safe depths and tied up safely on a straight stretch. (Why oh why do so many boats tie up on a blind bend?)

Slow down
It’s here, tied blissfully to a quiet spot we are hounded by hire boats that insist on racing alongside with total disregard of the ‘rules of the road’ – you must pass all moored vessels at no more than 3 kms/hr.

What happens?
As the water is sucked and pushed alongside a speeding boats’ hull, we shift forwards then backwards and our mooring pegs, that have been driven into the bank, are literally pulled out.

When we see a boat approach and ask them to slow – most do. Some look at us as if we are mad!

So, we made a sign, that’s reinforced with Motor Boats Monthly magazine. It is nowhere near big enough, it’s a little amateurish (hastily cobbled together in desperation and fear of being set adrift!), but it’s a start. I am already planning Mark 2.

What creative ideas have you developed to improve your life on the road?

January 5, 2015
by jackieandnoel 5 Comments

Nothing is Impossible!

“Nothing is impossible – the world itself says, ‘I’m possible!'”

Inspiration: The quote above is by the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, and the beauty in life was part of the inspiration for my story: Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl to Sea-Gypsy Woman.

Living on a ten metre boat, for nine years, I saw the world and changed from a scared, brokenhearted girl, into a sea-gypsy woman – I figured out who I am. Here’s a brief glimpse into my life…

Sailing: Traversing oceans is not like a plane or car ride. Nothing is certain except a vast puddle of water and a great stretch of sky. The days pass, measured not in hours but in distance. It’s dynamic, fantastic and petrifying all at the same time. There is rarely pattern or logic; you deal with what’s received, as it arrives . . . moment by moment.

Paradoxical beauty: Pounding waves, great geysers of water, white bubbles chuckling softly amid giant swells. Plunging into the void, pushing away thoughts of what lurks below. The wind from hell. Disgruntled clouds carrying punches.

Reality: Hopping in a warm bunk, trusting my partner with my life enables me to sleep. Malcontent wind and waves provide rude awakenings. The dawn paints the horizon in breathtaking crimson or sadistic black. The crucial burden of stores, lifted with the seas.

A Lesson in Humility: Vivid green phosphorescence streaks behind magnificent dolphins and rainbow reflections of oil. The paradoxical beauty of the ocean.

The result:
“Your book helped me through a recent bereavement.”
“It made me cry, laugh and quake with fear in equal measure.”
“Your insight-fullness and sense of adventure captured me.”
“Beautifully written with honesty, humour and love for all living creatures on this planet.”
“It’s a long while since I’ve so engaged with a book.”
“Once you start this book, you’ll not want to put it down.”
“Moving, rousing, uplifting, stimulating.”
“I loved “Of Foreign Build.” The book is listed as a memoir, a misnomer I believe, as I found it to be much more. It’s really a love story, an adventure story, and a story of personal growth and determination all rolled into a nine year odyssey.”