The Indian Ocean - Shirley and Peter Billing

Shirley & Peter Billing return to tell us more about their circumnavigation:

From fabulous Phang Gna Bay in Thailand across the untidy Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, oil prosperous Oman, and war-torn Yemen.

From Aden we sailed up through "The Gate of Tears" into the Red Sea where, anchored off Eritrea we were arrested from our boat at gunpoint, interrogated and detained for a month under suspicion of spying. When we disappeared from the radio schedule our international yacht friends hassled the British Vice-Consul and we eventually managed to contact an authoritative friend whom informed the media.

An article in the London Times secured our release. Then on to Sudan, Karnak, the Pyramids, Israel, Jordan, Petra 'Rose red city, half as old as time', and eventually to safe Larnaca Marina in Cyprus.

We meet at 19:00 hours at the Early Bird, Public House,  Grovewood Drive North, Weavering, Maidstone, ME14 5TQ(www.shepherdneame.co.uk – for a map), on the second Thursday of each month between October and April (Inclusive) and the talks begin at 20:10 hours.

If you would like to eat beforehand then, to expedite the service, please tell the Early Bird in advance by telephone (01622 734237) or email earlybird.grovegreen@yahoo.co.uk.