Excuse the pace...

St Malo, Brittany, France
Lat: 48° N
Long: 2° W

Big disaster aboard with Hanna's computer getting sea sick. We are now confined to hotel receptions where the essence of the free spirited Wong is attempted to be caught with a group of American ladies and gentlemen grunting and pacing restlessly back and forth in the reception, seemingly waiting to upload new facebook photos of themselves eating crépe. Oh, that's right, we're back in the country of sweet and fatty foods.

Jersey was such a treat and we did actually seem to kick up the dust on the island with no less then four media outlets visiting. Footage from BBC and ITV, as well as audio from BBC Radio and a print article will be uploaded shortly. Journalist are great people to have aboard because they all seem to be one husband/wife/mortgage/kid away from climbing in to a bunk and taking off into the sunset. It must have something to do with a romantic idea about the travelling writer or film-maker, somehow lost in promotions and paychecks. That's why we were thrilled to find an email from our friend Yann-Olivier, journalist from Honfleur (see image in Honfleur post), who wants to spend his holiday this year sailing with us!

We are so happy to have done the Channel Islands as they were some of the most beautiful places any one of us had ever visited. One of our favourite things out of Jersey is Matt Lane, 22-year-old American philosophy student and new crew member on the Wong. (We all think we're philosophers when the lanterns are lit and the red wine comes out - to have a man with a university degree in mid night rambling aboard is a slightly intimidating honour).

Since Jersey ended up being a pretty intensive time with lots of new friends and (mostly) welcome attention, we crossed down to Brittany, France, where we took the Wong up a serene river, far from just about everything. After enjoying a late night dinner of Gasettes (savory crapés) and local Cider, we fell asleep to the sound of birds and a squeaky anchor chain for the first time in weeks. The river Rance also saw this season's first enjoyable swim!

We could easily have spent a lot more time on the river but had arrangements in the town of St Malo. A huge wall wraps around the old town which is surrounded by sea and filled with every delicious treat you can possibly imagine. Here we were joined by Domenic, 19 years old and extraordinary. Domenic left New Zealand to backpack around Europe, sleeping on people's couches and the occasional Junk, and hitch-hiking everywhere, 13 month's ago! And people go crazy for Clive leaving town at 40 something, with a floating home. They should obsess about hitting the road at 18 with nothing but a backpack and a guitar. We're pretty sure that Domenic will still be on the road in twenty years time too, if simply because it's a tricky thing to hitch a ride to New Zealand.

We are filling up bunk space for July fast so for anyone interested in coming along for a ride should check in now.

Happy days and happier nights,

Nuthin Wong