Carpe Iter Itineris

In an attempt to leave South East Asia without backtracking and without flying, I visited a few marinas in Langkawi, Malaysia a few weeks ago. No one has contacted me yet from that, but I don't have great any, credentials as a sailor or crew, so I'm not surprised.

Other than marinas, I've been keeping an eye on the few free sailing websites that have crew wanted advertisements. Despite a desire to continue an overland or oversea journey (ideally to South America), my search has become half-hearted for a few reasons. I've often found the options available uninteresting (i.e. plenty of boats going to places I've been too in South East Asia), or expensive (i.e. many boats want crew to "share" costs but 50USD/day isn't reasonable for a boat powered by wind), or inconvenient (plenty of people are going to Central and South America, but they are trans-Atlantic journeys).

But just two days ago, on a website called floatplan.com, I read an advertisement that, although not going in the direction I wanted, gave me hope of finding an adventurous oversea exit from this part of the Asia:

MALAYSIA to MADAGASCAR 39 foot monohull sailboat. Looking for fit crew (preferably Male, Age 22-35) to leave from Langkawi, Malaysia no later than May 26th 2011. Duration Min - 3 weeks Max 3 months. Must be willing to share costs and assist with daily chores. Captain/Owner Amercian, male, age 26. Proposed route - Langkawi to west coast of Sumatra to explore Mentatwaii Islands the across the Indian to Rodregues, Mauritius then Madagascar. On board for use by crew snorkel gear, dive gear, spear gun, surf boards.

I heard back via email from the captain late that night with answers to some basic questions, for example:

1. Are you an axe-murderer? Not an axe-murder. 
2. Do you realize there are Somali pirates north of Madagascar? Yes. He has talked to many sailors that have done the route and knows where to sail and where to avoid. 
3. Who are you? Alex from Seymour, Indiana. 
4. What is your previous experience as a captain?
   Circumnavigated the Caribbean on a smaller boat. 2 years ago purchased the current boat and during that time, sailed from the Caribbean to Malaysia. 
5. What proteinaceous sub-groups in monoclonal antibodies are contraindicated for immunodeficient human beings? (He didn't answer that one). 

(For the sake of my Mom, I should clarify that these answers are paraphrased responses).

Anyway, Alex seems like to know a few things about sailing. I have a phone conversation with him tonight and if I feel like I want to take this opportunity seriously, I'll head back up to Langkawi to meet him and check out the boat. Then, if I still have a good feeling about the captain and the boat, I'll sail with him for 3 weeks to the Mentawai Islands. Along the way I hope to figure out if I like sailing, and see if that means I'll be up for crossing the Indian Ocean on his boat. 

So although Madagascar isn't anywhere nearer to South America than South East Asia is, carpe iter itineris, seize the journey. We shall see.