I know that you boating and sailing aficionados may be somewhat disappointed that our recent blogs are mostly land-based...but that has been our life here in the Med. If you can hold out for a month, the blog will be sea-based as Captain Ken and his crazy cronies bring Moonbeam to the U S of A via the Canaries and the BVIs. In the meantime...you have to bear with us and our non-boat adventures.

Aina, who has been with us for the week, had to figure out how to get back to Barcelona for the start of University (or 'Uni' as she calls it) next week. We were in Calpe, on the mainland. Very nonchalantly, she went online, accessed a website called Blablacar. People register on it...and then find rides going from where they are to where they want to go, at the day and time, for the price they are willing to pay. The drivers get reviewed (as to the condition of the car, the kind of driver they are, etc) and the potential passenger (Aina, in this case) goes on the website and makes the connection.

Needless to say, I, the mother hen (OK...grandmother hen) was concerned, to say the least. Really? This adorable 19-year old young lady is going to get a ride with a 31-year old man she doesn't know. OMG. I did feel better when she said there would be another couple in the car, also picking up the ride. We bade her a sad but fond farewell. She had been an absolute delight to have with us. We had a blast. We packed her up with a goodie bag of cookies and nuts...and off she went.

Guess what. It was fine. She called when she arrived in Barcelona. It was a wonderful ride and the other couple was great to ride with. Whew!!!! I get to sleep tonight. It really is a new world.

Guillermo stayed with us (we aren't letting him leave so fast) and we continued sailing Moonbeam south towards our final destination: Malaga. We docked at a lovely Marina in Alicante. By coinkydink, this is where Guillermo's boat is docked...and we got a tour of his current life passion. He is fixing it up, and will eventually sail it to the Canaries.