USB GPS units

For quite some time now, we have been importing Electronics, mainly USB GPS units to use with navigation software on computers. It all began because a friend wanted one as a spare when they sailed off into the sunset on their next overseas trip, so we went hunting on the internet and found the greatest little unit. It's only the size of a memory stick. Everyone has one or two normal sized units and now it seems as though everyone wants at least one of these to toss in a drawer as a spare. They sell for $75 plus freight. We keep intending to keep one for Sokari but they disappear out the door as fast as they come in.

We started looking at what else was on offer and have bought, for ourselves, a data logger which is also a GPS. We use it when driving - it runs for 14 hours without charging - and it records our speed (great if booked for speeding), time, altitude etc. When we get home we plug it into the computer, maps come up and Google Earth if you wish, and shows your tracks. We were rapt and showed it to friends. One friend has bought two - one for him and one for his wife - and it seems that whenever anyone sees it, they want one as we are now getting orders for them.

With Christmas just around the corner, we decided to look for presents for each other and the grandkids. John found some great quadband phones - usable anywhere in the world, unlocked so NO CONTRACTS, with the ability to take 2 Sim cards. So along with his normal Sim he can also put in the cheapest prepaid available (he's using Woolies) to cut down the cost of his calls. It has a touch screen, scrolls through functions by touch, slimline and has an 8 megapixel camera. We have decided to market them as we are so impressed and will retail them for around $250.00. While we are talking about mobile phones, we also found a great "seniors phone". No bells and whistles which is what a lot of seniors want. They don't want the internet, or other fancy options. They just want to be able to make a phone call. But the great thing about this one is that there is an emergency button on the back that when activated will phone and/or SMS a nominated number. How good is that for an elderly relative? SEE BELOW FOR PHOTOS.

I chose a camcorder as my Crissy present. I can't believe that it actually has a 12 megapixel still camera in it. That's bigger than my expensive SLR Digital Canon! I've wanted a camcorder for a while as I have wanted to film Sokari sailing. Now that I have it, John seems to have quite a few months ahead with an arm in plaster so I doubt we'll be sailing in the short term. What a bummer!

We are really happy with the supplier of these electronics - with their reliability, the quality of their goods, so far we've had no returns (touch wood, and the variety of items we can purchase. I even bought a great set of binoculars for one of my young grandsons. It has a digital camera in it so he can look at things in the distance and photograph them. His Mum tells me he will be really happy with it.

Malaysian Magic

I love Malacca. There's no other way to put it. This town (or is it a city?) is simply the best. The colour, the history, there is just so much to see in this place. I couldn't believe the tombstones - some for pirates back in the 1600's. Wow! Chinatown. Incredible. We've been there twice but I would love to go back again. I can't get enough of it.

When we were in a town called Lumit, anchored outside the marina, we ran into a couple on a small catamaran. They had cruised the area for years and advised us where to anchor at Malacca. For monohulls it's not the greatest. There is no protection but for shallow draft vessels there is a great option. We were able to go between a little island, a jetty that was being refurbished as a shopping centre back in 2001 and 2002 and the mainland. We entered as the tide was dropping and, like idiots, didn't take notice of the operator of the little dredge working nearby when he indicated shallow water. Checking the depth sounder which showed plenty of depth, we just smiled at him but when he became insistent we took a look behind us and noticed two long black trails - left by our mini keels - as we ploughed through the soft mud. John immediately stopped at the end of the jetty, near the dredge as the tide dropped and we sat there for hours. We couldn't even use the dinghy. At low tide Sokari sat with mud up to her waterline. The surveyor on the jetty, a Malay-Thai called Bruno, radioed us to make sure we were okay and over the next couple of weeks we became friends. Our final anchoring spot, once the tide rose, was in a beaut protected spot. We were very comfortable.

Bruno introduced us to the greatest chocolates called Cloud Nines. Talk about yummy. He also took us to lunch one day at a satay "restaurant" that had been set up in an incomplete building. (Many building projects in Malaysia seemed to have stopped in mid-stride during the economic turndown in the 90's.) They were the best chicken satays I've ever tasted. We really enjoyed our time in Malacca and would recommend it to anyone travelling up that way.