It’s been a long time since my last blog.  Matter of fact, I’ve never written one before.  And before I go on, I just want to get this out in the open…I don’t like you and I probably never will. Unless you hustle on over to BrandiBrooks.com and buy a lovely piece of art.  There! I feel better, how about you?

A ton of people have asked me what I loved about our brief albeit exciting sailing experience from San Diego to Land’s End, Baja  last Holiday season.  I’ve gotta admit that I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.  I loved crashing a dinghy and getting sand and seashells jammed in every orifice of my body.  I love walking around town covered in sea salt, with broken sandals and sans my favorite sunglasses, lost in the crash.  I love paying for stuff with soggy money.

I love night watches on a chilly night in the middle of a storm.  Nothing to look up at…just low slung grey clouds and ominous waves as far as the eye can see.  I love getting the feeling back in my hands and feet after a night watch…and I love watching the rest of the crew puke all over everything.  (I’m immune to such behavior) I miss cooking Ramen noodles on a heaving stove in the middle of hte night just so I can hold and sip something warm.  And I love the sound Spicy Oriental Ramen makes when it’s puked up into the sea.

I miss watching Viggo Mortenson movies (the kind where he’s almost constantly naked) aboard an anchored boat that’s suffering through 5′ swells while eating Trader Joe’s Indian food (Thanks, Debbie!) And I miss watching Jeff and Tim aboard Robin 1 try to paddle back to Oblivion through a squall, against a 3 knot current, and all with just one paddle (the other was broken during our dinghy crash).  That was some good shit. (they didn’t make it and had to be rescued by a fishing boat, FYI)

Of course, the thing that I like most about Mexico is Cabo San Lucas.  I miss the guys selling cigars and weed everywhere…the kids selling whistles shaped like turtles (I have a collection of my own now) the guys selling fishing trips…marina slips that cost $200 a night…I miss hearing “Come on Ladies! Show us the Twins! Nobody knows you and nobody cares” all day, every day.  And most ofall I miss the jetski’s buzzing around all the boats in the anchorage.  And above all else, I miss the smell of Tim’s rubber (yes, rubber) pants that he wore every single day from Ensenada to Cabo.  Thankfully, it’s a smell that I won’t soon forget.

I get kind of dreamy-eyed when I start thinking about those days…sorry it’s taken me so long to post. I’ve been in therapy for the past 8 months to deal with those rigors, but it’s finally working and I’m making plans to join Oblivion again for another Blessed Holiday Season in El Salvador.

Brandi