Dear readers,
We are living in politically turbulent times. The general election is over, the formation of a government is underway and on the other side of the Atlantic US President Donald Trump issues decrees in a continuous loop and smashes china wherever he can in terms of domestic and foreign policy.
If, like me, all this executive rattling is getting on your nerves, there is now a way out: fast-forward once, please! And on the seven seas, too. With its "Skip Forward" travel package, the US cruise company Villa Vie Residences has now come up with the perfect solution for all those who want to escape the second term of "The Donald". Out of sight, out of mind. The cruise, which is as Trump news-free as possible, lasts four years, visiting 140 countries and providing plenty of political distraction with 425 stops.
This freedom can be purchased for around 152,000 euros, and the organiser also offers shorter travel options for the less well-heeled. "Everywhere but Home" is the name of the three-year tour, "Mid-Term Selection" the two-year trip and simply "Escape from Reality" the one-year escape from reality. As the managing director of the US company, Mikael Petterson, points out, the offers are by no means political statements; rather, the packages were designed before the election for people who had announced their intention to leave the country in the event of one or other of the election outcomes.
Can this curious but serious offer - which made me smile - also be used as a blueprint for sailors? Cast off and "Farewell, beautiful homeland" certainly sounds like an incredibly tempting plan these days.
The fact that I'm not alone with my emigration fantasies is proven by the fact that the number of people joining the Trans-Ocean association, which helps its members to network with each other and realise their dream of a long-distance voyage, has been rising sharply for years.
Once the plan has been made, the question remains: where should we go, where is a good place to live and sail? The Caribbean, Australia or perhaps Denmark, our favourite sailing area right on our doorstep? Less long voyages, more hygge. The country of the relaxed lifestyle is close and beautiful and ranked second after Finland in the World Happiness Report 2024 (WHR) published by the United Nations. The Nordic kingdom's mix of social security, connection with nature, trust in the government (aha!), a good work-life balance and an innovative and sustainable economy make it one of the happiest countries in the world. What's more, it has a multitude of beautiful coastlines and islands to discover on your own keel. And Germany? We also have attractive and varied coasts, but we are lagging behind when it comes to "happy life". According to the WHR, we dropped eight places last year and ended up in 24th place among the happiest countries in the world.
"Every man is the architect of his own fortune", you could say, or "Happiness lies in the little things". Some sailors might describe the Alster, the Hanseatic city's favourite sailing area, as small. On the other hand, many Hamburg residents who appreciate the 164-hectare lake as a sailing area after work or at the weekend say "small but beautiful".
Unfortunately, there are now plans to fill in 50,000 square metres (5 hectares) of the water area located in the middle of the metropolis, as construction site space is needed for the construction of the new U5 underground line. "Is sailing on the Outer Alster on the brink of extinction?" we asked in our article last week. The outcry in the sailing community was huge, as was the political exasperation. Specifically, the Hamburg transport authority is considering draining large areas on the eastern side of the Outer Alster - for ten (!) years. The outraged opposition of many Hamburg residents caused the Hamburg elevated railway to row back just a few days after publication. It is now "unlikely" that the water surface will have to disappear. There you go, that's possible. However, a final decision on the construction site logistics for the U5 is not expected until 2026. Until then, I'll be happily cruising across the Alster on the YACHT train and thinking about where and how best to "fast-forward".
Martin Hager
YACHT Editor-in-Chief
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