Tightwads on the Loose
A Seven Year Pacific Odyssey
Wendy Hinman
December 2, 2019
Salsa Press
Blurb: Everyone dreams of tropical escape. But what happens when you escape for too long?
Imagine spending 24 hours a day with your spouse in 31 not-so-square feet for years, crossing the Pacific Ocean on two gallons of fuel, and tossing spaghetti marinara around your living room then cleaning it up while bouncing like ice in a martini shaker.
Tightwads on the Loose tells the story of Wendy and Garth, lured to sea by the promise of adventure. They buy a 31-foot boat that fits their budget better than it fits Garth’s large frame and set sail on an open-ended voyage, never imagining they’d be gone seven years or cover 34,000 miles at the pace of a fast walk. They live without most “necessities” and learn that teamwork and a sense of humor matter most as they face endless “character-building opportunities.”
They make a long-anticipated visit to the island where Garth had been shipwrecked as a teenager, only to find it had become a penal colony. An electronic catastrophe in the Solomon Islands leaves them without navigation equipment, which forces them to trade their free-wheeling lifestyle for one that seems straight out of a ’60s sitcom: jobs at a US Army base in the Marshall Islands.
In Asia, they dodge typhoons and ships that threaten to turn their home into kindling. Finally, they endure a grueling 49-day nonstop ocean crossing. None of this prepares them for their arrival “home” to a post-9/11 America which leaves them wondering what had changed more – them or the world.
Tightwads on the Loose offers a fun listen to the armchair adventurer or anyone afflicted with wanderlust.
This review is for the audio edition.
Travel. Travel. Travel. I love to travel! Discovering new place, tasting local delicacies and meeting interesting people. Unfortunately, due to the current state of the world, I’ve not be able to take my annual trip to Europe, visit countries yet to be discovered by my little party of two. So, when I came across Tightwads on the Loose I thought it would be a great way to get a bit of traveling in from the comfort of my home. At first, I found it difficult to get into the story and thought it was going to be a bit of a chore to listen to, however, I soon got into Wendy’s and Garth’s traveling adventures.
After years of scrimping and saving Wendy and Garth’s dream to sail around the world finally comes true and they set of on their 7-year trip. Wendy’s tale of her sailing trip around the world with her husband Garth on their little sailboat is both inspirational and informative. The description of the places and people they encounter easily conjures up colour images that helps the listener to visualise Wendy’s story. I would have liked to have heard Garth’s take on their trip, especially when he wants to return home to build his dream boat. Tightwads on the Loose is a tale I could relate to. Even though I do not travel the seas, I do enjoy traveling and often feel the pull to travel and explore new places.
I received an audio copy of Tightwads on the Loose in exchange for an honest review.