"I wish I could have traveled like you Robyn, but life got in the way," so said a comment left on my website www.robynswanderings.com last week. Life? Getting in the way?

Just this week my family has gone through one of the most tragic times in our lives. My uncle JP was my inspiration and my role model. He lived life to the fullest and he would be disappointed if everyone didn't do the same me included.

I have spent the last week struggling to find inspiration for the travel column when I was emailed by Gillian Outerbridge.

She arrived on this island when she was 20-years-old. She planned to save enough money for a boat for a trip from the UK to Greece. But plans changed. She got married, started a business, had children, became a grandmother, got divorced and 'life' ticked along.

You know what, though? She didn't give up. She decided in 2002, when she was 60, that her dream to sail to Greece was going to happen. Her dream would work.

Since her first solo boat trip, well except for her companion Tucker, she hasn't stopped traveling and inspiring others to do the same. Life would not get in the way.

Q: What prompted your solo sailing trip? And have you continued?

A: I came to Bermuda in 1962 to stay with family and save up to cruise to Greece.

Forty years later I had a family and a business and suddenly realised a) that life was slipping by and b) that Greece, New York State was a lot closer than Greece, Europe! So I changed course to fulfill my dream to 'cruise to Greece'.

I felt I needed a challenge especially since I had survived an unpleasant event and did not want it to affect my life forever as can happen. I became a survivor and not a victim. I think many women have survived an 'incident' of one sort and just need to move on and not let it control the rest of their lives.

Q: How long did it take you and how did you organise the solo trip?

A: I knew it would be a boating trip and although I spent time looking at potential boats I ended up using the boat I already owned. The benefit was that I was very familiar with the boat and it was small enough to handle alone. I shipped it to New Jersey on the Oleander and back again two years later.

Having discovered Greece, New York, it was simple enough to buy maps and charts and plot a route. It took years to plan simply because my business was so successful. It wasn't until the downturn after 9/11 that I could make my escape. After a year away I came back and sold the business to give me more freedom to go back and voyage some more.

Q: What was the scariest part of leaving Bermuda and starting your travels?

A: It was more exciting than scary but I think the main feeling I experienced was similar to 'stage fright' you've learned your lines and once the 'play' is rolling it's no longer scary but exciting.

Q: Did you find much discrimination/problems because you were female?

A: I had huge admiration from others on the waterways.

Q: Do you think it would have been different if you had taken someone with you?

A: Yes, I've found that any time I had company on the boat we tended to become more insulated as a "couple" and not meet as many people as I did as a single.

Q: Will you travel with someone?

A: I have thought about it but I have also learned to appreciate and value my independence.

Q:What have you learned from your travels? About yourself? About travel? About life?

A: I have greater respect for my abilities and myself. Until you take a chance and launch off into the unknown you'll never know what you are capable of.

Q: After your sailing trip you wrote a book: "Going About A Waterway Adventure." What prompted your book?

A: I'd been a professional writer for many years and realised the logbook had all the details I needed to write a book. Finding a publisher was a tremendous thrill but of course today with self-publishing, anyone can produce a book.

Q: Where have you been traveling since?

A: When I shipped Dart back to Bermuda I'd only been back a few weeks and regretted bringing her back as I still had itchy feet. So I decided to go back to the UK and revisit my roots so bought an RV and spent a summer touring England (with Tucker).

While I was in England I found on-line my next boat and concluded the deal by cell phone while Tucker and I were clattering along on a miniature train ride in Wales!

On my next boat Patience, we got trapped in the huge floods in New York state four years ago and I fell so far behind schedule and ran out of cruising funds so sold up and came home to restructure the travel account.

Q: Where is your next trip?

A: To be honest I so enjoyed the US and Canadian rivers and canals I'm happy to go back and maybe go a bit further next time! I'd like to complete the Great Loop and am currently 'surfing' the web to find the perfect (small) boat.

Q: Is it possible to stop traveling?

A: It's a question of time I'm retired so I have the ability to travel. This summer, Tucker, my JR and I are going to Scotland by RV and will take every boat ride we can find.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who would like to do a trip but worry about traveling alone or finding time from work?

A: It's not necessary to go off for months, you can hire a boat in the Erie Canal for a week or two, hire an RV anywhere in the world and achieve a measure of independence.

If you are outgoing and confident you meet people along the way. The best thing about traveling on a boat is that you are not a day-tripper or even a tourist you are a traveler. And in a small boat you get a much nicer reception from the local people than if you are on a huge air-conditioned mega-yacht. You also get a wonderful reaction from other boaters and locals if you are on your own.

* On that note I would love to hear from more people about their trips and what they are doing. So send photos of you abroad with something Bermudian a flag, a kite, reading The Royal Gazette to robynswanderings@gmail.com. The best story and photo will be featured in a column and all of them will be posted on my website.

Next week: Why and how should travel be done solo.