RIP Mr Andreas Liveras

In spring 2006, we toyed with the idea of moving to Monte Carlo to be closer to X when he was working & so possibly for me to return to work. By sheer coincidence or fate, my CV ended up on the desk of X's former boss.

Even though I have absolutely no experience in yachting apart from living with one who works on a yacht, he had called me in for an interview. We drove down south, had a meeting & after that, were invited to join him for lunch at his favorite restaurant. That was the first time I met Mr Andreas Liveras.

That summer, X was re-hired by him to work on the super luxurious Alysia. One of the weekend, in between charters, Mr Liveras invited The Girl & I to go on board as guests. I was over the moon. Little old me, a guest on board the motor yacht featured on Robin Leech's Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous. We were given guest cabins, had full access to all facilities (The Girl had a babysitter while I had mani, pedi & massages) & dined with Mr Liveras every night - dinner conversations were always interesting & lively. It was like a dream & needless to say, we had a fantastic time.

It was probably no skin off his back but I was extremely touched by this generous gesture from a man I'd only met once. So it was with deep sadness when I heard that he was a tragic victim of the recent Mumbai attacks.

X had heard the news of what happened even before it was reported. We found a phone interview he had given to BBC saying that he had gone to the Taj Mahal hotel for curry & recounted how they were led to the basement (the interview has since been removed but the text is here). I was thinking to myself, he was alright then. But shortly after, BBC published a report that he was identified as one of those shot by the terrorists. The Times ran the story here.

From the little time I'd spent with him, I found him to be a man who enjoyed life & made the most of it. I remember that I couldn't believe he was in his 70s. His crew is fiercely loyal to him, many of them having worked for him for years (X had worked for him for 5 years) . He loved children, Alysia was named after his grand-daughter & when we were on the boat, he would often take the time to play with The Girl. We will always remember him as a generous man full of life & humour.

Our thoughts are with the Liveras family. May he rest in peace.

X & The Girl on the deck of Alysia

M/Y Alysia (the one in the foreground)

Jacuzzi with the color changing wall

Upper deck Alysia