Hi everyone,

So this is the start of a new adventure for us.  The plans to sail around the world have been in place for five years now but this is our first opportunity to discuss the trials of how we got here :).  Firstly, why Mariadz:

1. It’s a combination of Maria and Adam (or Adz)
2. It’s recognition that from the first moment Maria met Adam, all she ever wanted to do was marry Adz!

In 2015 we sold our gorgeous six bedroom home in West Bergholt,  Essex.  We had many great parties at the house and will miss the built in DJ decks, pool table, hot tub and huge TV with cinema sound.  Funnily enough we don’t miss it but we had some great times.

We now live on SY Mariadz while we save the money to allow us to give up work and go travelling. How can someone give up work, we are not rich.

So we have been saving whatever money we have left and building a house in Italy.  The plan is that this beautiful holiday home (plug-plug) will rent out during the summer and the income for this will keep us in beans and rice.  It’s a plan 🙂

It does take time though, it took a year to buy the land and then two years for planning permission, the build has also taken a number of years so it looks like the house will be ready from 2017 (so get in quick with your bookings).

For the time being, we have also bought a motorhome so that we are not chained to the boat at the moment.  This helps us with our frequent trips to Puglia and also gives us another retreat. It is an Autotrail tracker RB with a few creature comforts added. We will also document some of the fun and games we have in the motorhome. No prizes for guessing that it is also called Mariadz by the way 🙂

Now how can I get through so far into this post and I haven’t mentioned our four gorgeous kids (the pic may be a little old, but they were cute then :)). 

This was when we went on a tour to india and met up with a lot of really good friends.  They are from left to right: Amie, Matthew, Kristy and Rachel.  Amie and Kristy are Maria’s twins and Matthew and Rachel are Adam’s children.  This picture was taken back in 2007 when the girls were all 13 and Matt was 11.  They have changed since then – we may blog about them at some stage (if we are allowed!).

There are two other members of our family….. our two gorgeous cats: Bonnie and Clyde.  These are two ragdolls, born in 2010.  They have their own facebook page!  They are very affectionate and important members of our crew.

And this is where all of the fun will be had, our 2001 Moody 54, Mariadz – extensively refitted, and more of that as we blog.

So a lot for us to talk about, hopefully some of it will be interesting for people to see!

Whatever you are doing, have fun 🙂

Adam and Maria

SY Mariadz