We have been back aboard for about two weeks now - I think - and it was good to be back. We were both nervous as to how MJ held up in our absence, and overall things were just fine. The only true bummer is that there is some kind of problem with our refrigerator. I am going to refer to it as a "frig" until it is fixed, and at that point it will become a "fridge" again. Right now it is not worth the extra letters. It was especially sad because since this was not in the list of what-might-go-wrong, we stopped at the grocery store in San Salvador and bought groceries - including meat. But as far only one batch of pork chops went bad, and I don't think they really were, I thought Mike was overly fussy. We are using the frig as an icebox at this point, just like last spring in Huatulco. That was easier because I could go to the store every day for fresh stuff. Whine, whine, whine, I know. But it still sucks. Mike thought it was probably a need for more freon, that somehow while being off for three months the freon leaked out. He checked all the wiring and stuff like that, and finally sent an email to the guy who sold it to us. He confirmed that it was most likely a leak, and now the only problem is that we lack the tools to do the repair ourselves, and we have not yet located a technician to do it for us. The other alternative is to buy the tools necessary to do it ourselves, and that is what I vote for. We will likely need them again someday.
Otherwise, the only problem is the on-going battle with the cockroaches. Having tried every remedy and spray and whatnot short of having the place tented with only minimal and temporary success, we decided to try the natural method - the gecko. In preparation for the addition of the geckos, we decided the boat needed to be detoxified so the old bug killing products (such as they are) won't kill the geckos. What we did not take into consideration was the fact the roaches multiplied exponentially while we were gone. It was horrible. Absolutely horrible. We have gone through every single locker and cleaned out all traces of roach detritus, and are now ready for the geckos. I have done my research - the gecko as a method of roach control appears to be a true option. The only downside to this plan is a grim warning from another cruiser who told me she has never known this to work on a boat, that geckos do not usually survive on boats. I promised her that I was going to start with three, and if they die or disappear with no results, I will give up and head back to chemical control methods. The only problem so far is that they are really hard to catch. I think I will offer a bounty to the hotel staff - $10 for each gecko until I have three of them.
Our good friend and landlord, Santos, is also trying to get some for us. He told us his side of the story about the boat break ins, and it does make sense, as much as any of this crazy shit makes senses. Santos said he is in the clear because he had an alibi - he was provably somewhere else at the time the burglars said he was meeting with them arranging the payoff. And the owners of the other mooring field are selling out anyway, and changes are afoot for our little central American paradise.
We are eager to be on our way and at sea again. The plan so far is to meander south all the way to Ecuador, and then decide whether to keep going to Peru and Chile or to head across the Pacific in spring 2014. I have wanted to go to Chile since I was a little girl. I liked the way it looked on the map. It has been fun here, and a good experience, but there are a lot of places yet to see.
So that will do it for now - I await Mike's decision/action regarding the frig . . .
"Once in a while you find yourself in an odd situation. You can get into it by degrees and in the most natural way but,when you are right in the midst of it, you are suddenly astonished and ask yourself how in the world it all came about." (Thor Heyerdahl)
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