We left Australia a little down on the 7th of September. Stepping onto the plane was simply the final proof that our waterborne life had definitely come to an end… though I have to admit, it still hasn’t quite sunk in that we actually did what we did over the last year.

But there was very little time to dwell on that, because our state of confusion was soon to be distracted by the complete opposite of what we had experienced during the last few months in the South Pacific.

The slow, quiet rhythm of the ocean was replaced by the lively fuzz and buzz of Singapore.

Luckily, we had two of the most amazing Navigators waiting for us there to help us find our way around civilisation: my brother Christoph and his wonderful partner, Sijie.

Not only did they welcome us with the most open arms and the warmest hugs, but the effort they put into making us feel comfortable was simply amazing. And boy, did we need them to help us navigate our way through people, malls, restaurants… basically everything.

Their local knowledge made these few days incredibly special.

There was the Night Safari — a zoo that only opens at night — together with Sijie’s nephews Edward and James. There were the most delicious mud crabs, which Nino promptly discovered as one of his new favourite foods. There was endless shopping — because after a year of wearing essentially shorts and T-shirts, we suddenly had to acquire things appropriate for a German winter.

Oh, and did I mention that we bought pretty much all the boys’ winter shoes in Singapore?

Singapore.

Of all places… where people only need sandals!

The food, the liveliness of the city, the sheer size of everything… it was a pretty stunning re-entry into civilisation, and one we all very much enjoyed.

And then there was THE Thursday.

Imagine spending one entire year together as a family, pretty much 24/7. Then your brother and his partner offer to take the kids — not just to a playground for a little while, but to a WATER SLIDE PARK… for the whole afternoon… during school holidays!

Not to have time to work on the boat! 

Oh no!!!! So you can go out with your husband and have a drink.

As much as Mark and I love the boys, I have to admit: missing them (and having the time to do so) felt incredibly nice.

And the Mojito at Level33 — a bar with perhaps the best view in Singapore, because unlike looking down from Marina Bay Sands, from here you actually get to look at Marina Bay Sands — was quite possibly the best Mojito of the entire last year.

Or perhaps ever.

And things only got better for me when I dropped Mark off at Leica to meet some colleagues — or, as I jokingly said, to play with some friends at daycare.

Which left me with the incredibly difficult task of shopping by myself.

I coped remarkably well.

Dinner together at the Old Market was fantastic, and thanks to these two wonderful people, everyone got to enjoy some proper me-time.

The boys were risking their lives on waterslides.

Mark was playing with fancy cameras.

And I was bravely trying on the latest season in a fancy clothes shop.

Everyone had a pretty great day thanks to those two who made it happen! 

But all great things must come to an end.

Today we get on the final leg of our journey: back to Starnberg via Bahrain.

And the excitement of seeing our Bavarian family there is hard to beat.

I keep wondering what it will feel like to open the door to our house — a house we haven’t seen for a year.

What will the next few days feel like?

How will it feel to slip back into our lives?

Will everything seem strangely familiar, or strangely unfamiliar?

And I cannot wait to wrap my arms around some of the people we haven’t seen for such a long time.

The strange thing is that, somehow, it still feels like yesterday that we left Italy.

A whole year.

One enormous adventure.

And yet it has somehow disappeared in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Time really is a slippery bugger.

Just when you think you’ve finally got a grip on it, it slips through your hands — and you’re left wondering where on earth it went.