Today is the fifth day after rounding the Cape of Good Hope and bidding farewell to S Africa. In the time prior to departure, as I walked the docks of Simon's Town, that town at the end of Africa, I would hear words and phrases such as "baby slope" "dessert" and "lazy and lovely", all describing what lay ahead in the South Atlantic.

But, hesitant to believe my ears and displaying an understandable gun-shy demeanor, my mind's eye would relive the rather arduous voyage across the Indian Ocean, the oh so quixotic coast of South Africa and, of course...what about that windy assault camouflaged in benign forecasts as I entered the aptly named False Bay, a bay that for my intent and purposes didn't exist!

But, here I am in the South Atlantic ....and it's indeed lovely. A peaceful wind blows from the back. The boat gently rocks as long swells roll underneath hardly even disturbing the glasses set on the table. The endless blue of the ocean looks up at puffy islands of clouds and albatrosses swoop.

In fact, I'm reminded of something... of the early days of April in 2010, as I set out across the Pacific. I am transported back there today - the same idyllic meeting of wind and water. But I was different then. I was young, the voyage was young. I was impatient. I had just started. I was blissfully ignorant of what lay ahead. And after all, I had places to go and things to see. 'Couldn't we go a bit faster!' Now, as I close the circle, I amble along at 4 knots. We are old - but finally, I know how to savour the "lazy and lovely".