2022 was an exciteing year for us with a lot of changes and fun.
In December we planned to spend time with family and friends, plus a few adventures.
Christmas we celebrated twice with
my family in Germany
Jolanda’s Mom and friends from far and near in Switzerland
Afterwards we enjoyed the last days of the year with the Swiss family and friends who came as far as Koh Samui and Australia. We even had some surprise guests: Jolanda’s Mom and her friends Rabe and Otto. What an incredible time we had.
Short video of our skiing days in Laax.
On the way back we stayed in a hotel in Zurich to recover and to meet up with our friends Rabe and Otti. As a surprise Jolanda booked a fondue Tuk-tuk. We were cruising throught the streets of Zurich and enjoyed the awsome cheese.
We were flying back to the US via a 3 day stopover in Istanbul. What a great city. We walked to Jolanda’s customer from our hotel, enjoyed the suroundings, incredible architecture and ate like queens and kings. Even the taxi ride from the airport was an adventure as our original one broke down and we were transferred (lucky not kidnapped) to another taxi on the highway.
Unfortunately we found out that Jolanda got shingles after she arrived in the USA. She is still recovering. It was a scary and humbling experience. However, always seeing the positive – she actually said the sickness helped her to make life changing decisions, she should have done a long time ago.
We are looking forward to a beautiful 2023 and hope that we will build more memories with many of you!
Our friends Susanne und Davide who live in Switzerland visited New York end of October and we thought it would be nice to take them to Newport (Rhode Island). We have been there is the past, but the weather wasn’t great so we were excited to explore the sea town city with them.
Now I know why everybody raves so much about Newport. It’s gorgeous and we are thankful for experiencing such a wonderful weekend thanks to Susanne and Davide.
Trip to Soap Lake Washington State
After coming back from the long weekend in Newport, the next day I flew to Spokane in Washington State to a “feel good retreat”. I have been following Margo thanks to our friend Malisa who introduced me to her facebook page. Any tools for making me feel better I embrace and the tools Margo provides just make me a happier and a better person.
I learned during the retreat to give self massages, learned about postures (gets even more important the older we get), received tools to reduce stress “evo size”. We learned what to eat when you get older, how to create our own positive affirmations, explored the area of Soap Lake and bonded with the amazing other retreaters. I will cherish this experience for ever.
Check out her facebook if you are up for craziness :-): https://www.facebook.com/MargoInMexico
Trip to Europe
Another night in NY and it was time to fly to England for work. The trip was inspired by my Mom. She didn’t do so well earlier this year and just reminded me there is no better time than now. So I said I’m going to Europe to spend time with my Mom and combined it with visiting customers. Ever since Covid customers visits are even more special.
It was a fascinating experience. Besides knowing that I want to see my Mom and visit customers, I didn’t make any plans. Before my trip I got reconnected to a wonderful friend who I met in California when I was super young and now lives in Geneva. In the inspiration of the moment I visited her and her husband in Geneva. I had an amazing time talking about god and the world and even being invited to my friends cousins 50th birthday party and speaking more French than the last 30 years………
Marcus and I still have wonderful friends in England and it was super special to catch up with Jackie, Mairead and Clara.
After my work was finished in England I flew to Zurich and enjoyed every minute with my Mom. We did yoga together, visited my Mom’s friends, my sister Karins new place and went to a spa together. We also visited my Dad’s grave and just enjoyed each others company like there is no tomorrow. It was really precious. I also managed to squeeze in my favored walk with more than 1000 steps with my girlfriend Patricia and her husband.
Thanksgiving
I flew back to NY right before Thanksgiving to be with Marcus and to relax… Temptation came calling and we ended up celebrating with our friends.
Marcus enjoyed his sunfish passion with glorious November weather.
Sailing in Jamaica
Somehow I got the inspiration…. to offer myself to participate in a J22 Regatta in Jamaica in December and when you ask you get. I found a boat who took me on and sailed with the nicest skipper and his mates and daughter in incredible strong winds. We came 3rd, were one of the few boats who didn’t have anybody going over board or retire. Super proud! Added bonus we were able to spend time with Vicki and Clive in their paradise.
2022 in conclusion
Now I’m sitting on a plane to German to celebrate Christmas with Marcus parents and I was wondering why I was so stressed in December. I believe it was the most stressful December in my life…. even though I wouldn’t want to give back any moment I had the honor to experience, my resolution for the next year is to plan LESS.
Life can be so tempting with all the wonderful opportunities it presents and it’s not easy to say no!
Marcus and I had so many highlights this year – what were yours ?
Our highlights:
Marcus running the Berlin Marathon he tried to get in for 6 years.
Marcus teaching his first class by himself
Marcus racing on many different sailing boats from Sunfish to Match 40
Me overcome losing my wonderful colleague Clara of 12 years – Clara to another great job she landed
Me running a half Marathon in Sonoma
Me taking the time, even though I didn’t have the time to go to the retreat to find tools to make me feel better
Me to say no when it doesn’t feel right (still working on it, but huge improvements)
Both:
Buying a camper with an F150 Truck
Visit from our god child Lucas and family to our boat
Surprising my brother in law Philipp in Switzerland for his 50th birthday
Safety at Sea course and Marcus getting his US Coast Guard Captain’s licence
Trip to Nashville with our new camper and Luna & sunfish camp
Living in the Long Island Sound for a good part of the summer
That we do continued to cherish each other, motivated each other to be better person and encouraged that either of us can do anything we put our eyes on
We are looking forward what 2023 will bring and sending you love and many new wonderful experiences which turn into your highlights for the New Year,
Ever since we moved onto our boat one of my biggest wishes was that I would be able to show my parents how it feels living on a boat. As both my parents are over 80 years by now, I was concerned that I have missed the opportunity. For the last few years they told us that they don’t want to fly anymore. I was so happy when they told us this spring that they changed their mind and they like to visit us.
So in October my wish came true and they arrived at Newark airport, where I picked them up. After showing our boat, we introduced them to our sailing friends with a fondue party at the next door sailing club. The first night went well and they still looked like they enjoy the boat life. The next day we took them out on their first sail ever, on our friends saling boat. The sail was very exciting as the wind was gusting up to 28 knots and the boat which belongs to our friends Dragona and Kjartan’s was heeling a lot. To all our surprise my parents enjoyed every minute.
After surviving the sail, my parents were ready to go out with our boat. The following day we took them on a river cruise to see the Statue of Liberty, Governers Island, Brookyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan. After the cruise we visited our friends Don and Pam on their boat to have a view of New York during our sunset drinks. Another adventure was the ride in our little dingy (Jolanda calls the tender “Ugly Duckling”).
The following week we took our boat up to City Island to visit two of our longest friends Alex and Noelva. I think I mentioned that they own an island so we did a little sighseeing tour. In the evening we went to the local Japanese Hibachi and next day we did some Yoga all together.
We also did a little road trip to Sandy Hook to go to the beach, it was a very beautiful day.
My dad joined us for our workout with our personal trainer, with 84 he is still very fit.
After 10 beautiful days it was time to say goodbye and we can’t wait to see the family again on Christmas.
Conclusion written by Jolanda:
It was a true inspiration to have Marcus parents visiting! They embraced our boat life like pros. Got up and down the steps and deep steps. Got on and off our boat and even managed to get into the dingy and out well. They had the choice to stay at our friends place, but preferred to stay with us on our boat while we were on a mooring ball at City Island. Marcus Dad was invited by Marcus to go and see a soccer match, but he preferred to watch me racing during our yearly end of season Regatta instead. We had a beautiful time together and are so grateful they decided to visit us.
After becoming a proud US citizen, I knew my first business trip since 2019 was coming up on September 6th – to apply the normal way for an US passport…. I investigated how to get an emergency passport…. and to make a long story short. I did get an appointment on the day I was flying to Amsterdam….in Stanford Connecticut….lucky our friend Noelva and Alex live only 30 minutes from Standford and were so kind to have us the night before!
On September 6th we rock up at 8am and I left by 11am with a brand new US passport. I felt like new born. We had extra time to spare until I had to go to the airport to Newark.
The trip to Amsterdam was also a success. To see so many customers and partners after 3 years was incredible rewarding. It felt like a reunion.
On top my wonderful friend Ting Chris from our Singapore time send me a text on the day I arrived in Netherland (she moved recently to Holland) which inspired us to meet for a dinner – we saw each other the last time in Singapore in 2015. I hope that is a new tradition we started to meet once a year.
Another proud moment was that I rented a small electric boat and took one of my customer through the canals of Amsterdam. The boats are really easy to maneuver, but the canal traffic can be daunting.
All in all my first exhibition trip was a true success.
After Jolanda’s business trip to the Netherlands she came back for a few days and were were off to Berlin. I applied for 6 years for a ticket for the Berlin Marathon in the lottery, eventially I got lucky and I got my entry this year. This is the marathon I always wanted to run in my home country.
The journey to Berlin was a bit of a bumpy ride with a flight to Frankfurt and a train ride afterwards, but we made it despite all delays. After a bit of sightseeing we participated on the Saturday in a 5k morning run around Tempelhof airport (first airport in Berlin). Right there I could pick up my number for the run the next day.
On Sunday we had perfect weather for running, amazing people cheering and nice scenery. I started slower than usual to enjoy and not push too hard, that payed off as I was running all the way through and did not suffer at all. Not my fastest marathon but definetly one I enjoyed the most. Jolanda supported me all the way and ran a bit with me.
The next day was more sightseeing and Jolanda surprised me with a tour on a bed-rickshaw. The driver was very nice and knowledgeable, we enjoyed our 2 hr ride and lot of people took pictures of us.Unfortunately the next day we had to leave, but we already planned new adventures.
After we came back from our Camper Adventure – the summer started with me (J24 racing) and Marcus (sunfish racing) at Manhattan Yacht Club.
We have the best sailboat neighbors one can dream of and had the honor to do another sail with our friends Dragana and Kjartan and their baby boy Marco. Our mutual friends Alies and Roel joined us for a fun breezy day of sailing.
As you all know by now – we are crazy about our sailing and the more we do it the more we love it. This summer we wanted to experience different boats and therefore joined as well the Oakcliff Sailing club in Oyster Bay. As a supporter you can sail their sunfish, laser, Swedish 40th and Classic sail boats – heavenly.
The weekend of July 4th our neighbors Malisa and Todd inspired us to join them on an excursion to Larchmont sailing club. We started our trip visiting our friends Noelva and Alex in City Island
On Saturday we arrived in Larchmont where we had the honor also to catch up with our wonderful friends Jo-Anne and Raghu to celebrate Jo-Anne’s birthday
What a fun weekend – this will be a new tradition to sail somewhere on the 4th of July week with Malisa and Todd.
On July 15th we flew again to San Francisco to try to run the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon – 3rd time is the charm. Our amazing Daniel we met while doing the Packard Convertible wine tour the previous year picked us up and showed us San Francisco from a different side and drove us to Sonoma via the coolest beer bar.
On Saturday we were supposed to run a 5K. I woke up with pain in my foot….I had a swollen ankle since months and have been in rehab and couldn’t run. Walking to the starting line hurt…. Marcus said let’s try start running and if it gets worse, we stop…. long story short… we started to run and the pain went away. 5K successful done….next day half marathon and I run it in 2 hours and 45 minutes – no speed record , but I can’t tell you the happiness I felt after such a long time to run without any pain in my ankle.
A wine excursion to our favored winery Frisinger and Packard convertible with Daniel couldn’t be missing
Southern California – visiting my client and having some fun swimming and hiking with my girlfriends
Long Island Sound It was really important to us this summer to explore the Long Island Sound and enjoy anchoring or being on a mooring ball and make sure we have everything set up so we could work flawless from our boat…. Marcus installed Starlink (Satellite wifi) and it was a success! We spent almost 6 weeks enjoying new Harbors.
Oysterbay
Port Washington
Northport
Glengove
Jolanda going in style to MYC Wednesday racing
Malisa and Todd encouraged us to sneak in with their rendezvous group with the Liberty Yacht Club and their trip to Jersey and Staten Island shores – Raritan Bay – read more on Malisa and Todds blog: https://www.sailingcerulean.com/updates/raritan-bay
I also have applied some time ago for the US citizenship and it’s official, finally this summer on August 14th I become a proud US citizen.
Thank YOU Laura & Raju for the amazing Indian celebration dinner and the cake ❤️
We also welcomed our first visitor since Covid started – our good friend Roe and her boyfriend and his son Damian
Thank YOU summer you have been so good to us. We will miss you, but cherish you for EVER!
Now dreaming to run a Marathon in Berlin (Marcus)….
