When things don't work out as planned, what should you do?
Put a for sale sign of your Defender and hope that a Bedouin with lots of cash shows up to put you out of your misery?
Sit around and feel sorry for yourself because you are high-sided on the sand dunes of life?
I don't think so.
If you don't have a snatch strap, and you are all alone in the dunes, then it's time to get out the shovel and start digging. Once the sand no longer touches the chassis, you will be on your way.
When plans don't work out, you keep on digging, keep on fixing, keep on navigating, and keep on driving.
I high-sided my red Defender on top of this dune because I was driving too slow when I went over the crest. That's what happens when I live my sand dreams. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I don't. This time I didn't.
The one thing I don't do is complain about being high-sided in the dunes of life.
Of all the billions of people inhabiting planet earth, I am one of the few people who have had the privilege of high-siding my Defender on this particular dune in Saudi Arabia. It's a very exclusive club.
If you don't want to have problems, you should drive your Defender into a 40 foot shipping container and move right in.
Don't come out into the real world where challenges and difficulties abound.
And if you want to be really safe, deposit your shipping container smack dab in the middle of a meteor crater. The odds are astronomically low that a meteor will strike twice in the same location.
Talk about being safe - that pushes the equation of safety to exponential levels. You will also maintain the value of your Defender as it sits pitifully in the 40 foot container.
If you take enough antidepressants, you may not even notice that you don't have a life.
But that's not what Defenders are for. They are for living your dreams. You are supposed to get high-sided. You are supposed to sink down to your chassis in the bull dust. You are supposed to get up to your axels in mud.
One of the things I like about my Defenders is that they are all the same. Some may have a diesel and others a petrol engine, but they are all dream machines.
Defenders are made for living my overland dreams.
Defenders are always up to the task, and they fit any size of dream.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
