A few days before we left the Galapagos we had dinner with friends Vicky and Steve from True Companions. During dinner Vicky told us of a great recipe she had for coconut brownies. �"I�'ll print a copy of the recipe out if you like�". My mouth was already watering as Steve began describing the large amounts of coconut and chocolate that was in them.

Passing our three quarters of the way mark to the Marquesas, Jamie and I decided, called for a little celebration, �'What a great chance to make those brownies�' I thought.

Here is how I know I�'m living in a globalised world; first I got out the coconut cream powder which Nona bought for us in Australia but was made in china with coconuts from Costa Rica and mixed it up into a creamy milk. Next I melted the chocolate, which we bought in the Galapagos but was made in Ecuador by a Swiss company. I also beat some eggs, which had been made by chickens in the Galapagos (their feathers are probably a product of Japan). I went to the cupboard and picked out the bottle of rum, which we bought in Panama but was produced in the UK. �'Why travel�' I thought, �'when you could just eat a brownie�'.

I�'ll tell you what, if ever I have experienced a moment of Zen, it would be when I began to mix the coconut cream into the chocolate. It oozed around my spoon and a sweet, rich, divine smell wafted up and into my nostrils. Come to think of it, it may have been more rapture than Zen. All of a sudden, a bigger than usual wave rocketed into the side of the boat. Everything crashed and flew. I was thrown against the sink behind me. Our toaster fell off the shelf and into my chocolate mixture leaving big lumps of carbonised toast sitting there on the surface of it. One of our white cups fell off the bench and broke for the third time. The remaining coconut milk spilled all over our bench and began to drip innocently into our dry food storage. The eggs followed the milk. I won�'t tell you what word I then muttered.

Jamie was down in a flash picking up the pieces and cleaning up the spilled milk and eggs. I was so frustrated. After only four hours sleep I was already on a short fuse. I felt like crying or screaming but serious matters urged; a brownie was at stake here. I began to spoon the carbon off the chocolate. Jamie assisted me for the rest of the brownie making and as the boat lurched and waves hammered, we finally got the brownie in the oven.

30 minutes later, Jamie and I stood staring down at our creation. �"It�'s tiny�" I sighed. Jamie hugged me �"Well�" he said, �"It�'s our three quarter cake�".