Our “Searose” Sue is a traveler, a Kiwi who's gone far,
Logged many miles around the world, a real globe-circling star.
An early trip to London town was meant as just “O.E.”
But then a man from Canada transformed it to “Whoopee!”
Opposing poles of magnets pull each other without end
Just like this north-south couple who were joined for good right then.
He carried her to Egypt's sands where work brought cash - a pile.
The girl was Cleopatra-hot down by the sultry Nile.
She brought in sausage, getting past the Customs men of Oz
With charm and smiles which helped them find a way around their laws.
But mid-east deserts were not right for water-loving Sue
And so she started making plans: a cruising dream for two.
No veils for her, she needed space - an ocean-going life.
Her flatland partner might have thought a mermaid was his wife.
So they escaped like flying fish - just took off to be free.
In “Ikarere,” aptly named, they started life at sea.
They cruised the islands many years while always making friends
With other cruisers, locals too - a good time without end.
Still every year when duty called they flew away from boats.
She headed south and he went north to see their land-bound folks.
Their migratory routes were not like those of any bird
And always back aboard their boat those journeys would converge.
Their boat cruised west until it reached Langkawi's island harbour.
They left it in a cosy slip. Unfortunate Telaga!
Tsunami wrecked their mono there, but spared a lovely cat,
And soon they sailed upon two hulls. How fortunate was that!
With “Searose” up in Borneo, K.K. they loved like crazy,
Then sailed into the Philippines, back down to Sulawesi,
Round Singapore, Malaysia, Thai, across to the Maldive,
And then to Chagos - lovely isles set in a peaceful sea.
The southern islands next, then Madagascar, wild and warm,
South African safaris and around the Cape of Storms.
Now they have crossed Atlantic too, arrived in Trinidad.
We meet again and celebrate - to see them makes us glad.
Sue looks so fine we can't believe she's joined the elder set.
She's keeping up her standards too, on that it's safe to bet.
They'll leave us soon, go north and south, touch bases in old homes,
But then return to journey on. There are more seas to roam.
Sue's total miles are many times what other people see,
And may she keep on traveling - a lifetime of O.E.
This was written for Sue's birthday in 2013. “Ikarere” is the Polynesian and Maori name for flying fish. The tsunami which wrecked their boat and caused tremendous damage in several countries occurred on December 26, 2004. New Zealanders often tour other countries for what they call “overseas experience” and they frequently abbreviate it to “O.E.”