Following the sailors' wake
Every destination you can choose on the globe has its own peculiarities. None is like another. History does not seem to change too much when we consider that most modern vessels come from Europe. Shipyards and sailors seem to fan out from the Mediterranean or the Channel. Even Americans feel this fatal attraction and end up imprisoned by the fascination of the witches conquering the heart of sailors since time immemorial. The Med is the cradle of art, the big bang of history and certainly the heart of cuisine. Following most yachtsmen route, we cross the Atlantic and stop in the Caribean. Still a world of ex-pats, be them from Africa, France or England, this crown of small and big islands keeps changing ashore, but preserve the same eternal blue soul once the white beach is left behind. At this point the wandering community splits and some go south, to discover the contrasts between the heart-maddening Brazil and the freezing marvels of Antarctica and Patagonia. The staggering contrasts between green bays surrounded by smiling girls dancing samba and windy coves pestered by icebergs is the reward of those opting for the southern route around the myth of Cape Horn. But still the wide majority of sailors chooses the Panama Canal and steers west towards the sunset beauty of Polinesia, with just a tiny group of adventurers heading north towards Alaska. The archipelagos along the route to Australia are endless and full of precious encounters. Galapagos, Hawaii, French Polinesia, Samoa, Solomon, Vanuatu and million athols are still there to be discovered. Once a day is lost crossing the dateline, Asia begins, with the stark beauty of the south east, that means Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. The round-the-world sailor's route continues, through the Maldives and the Red Sea, ultimately ending where it all began, around the volcanoes of Stromboli or Santorini, the temples of Agrigento and Crete but especially around a round table covered full by glasses of wine. While the modern traveller might complain he lost the thrill of exploration, he will never regret he can now combine the pleasure of discovery with the efficency of boat charter service, where Captains and crews will let you discover the world as the first adventure saw it, but in the meantime give you the advantage of doing so with a glass of perfect wine in your hand. Because 'sailing is certainly the best way to travel, unless you have a house...' (Mark Twain).