Life On Sail

So we went touring the harbours in France in order to have a first look on the boats we liked.  We both have different views on it.  HERS I am more into comfort:      -Having an island bed      -Having 3 cabins (in the case family with kids come visit)      -Having a watermaker (I like to shower, unlike Mister)      -A relatively recent boat (2000 or newer)     -Electric toilets My favourite boats include the Bavaria 41 Exclusive, the Moody 425,  the Bavaria 390 lagoon  I'm also fine with the Beneteau Oceanis clipper 400/411 . When we toured the harbours, I didn't like the Central Cockpits, it looked claustrophobic to me.  Unfortunately for me, if you like large bedrooms, usually the Central Cockpits will offer you the best space ratio.  HIS Nico focuses on technical aspects:     - Must be equipped for offshore with GPS, Autopilot, Radar, AIS emitter/transceiver, and all sa...

Our sabbatical has officially begun! However, we can’t set sail just yet because: We still need to obtain our boat driving license. We don’t have our boat. So, for now, we’re focusing on tackling those two points. We decided to head to Aveyron, Nico's hometown, for some relaxation. While we were there, we learned to tie knots with his dad and crammed for our boat theory courses. Of course, we couldn’t resist exploring the harbors of Southern France to check out some sailboats! Here is our itinerary on Polarsteps    We visited Leucate, Gruissan, and Cap d'Agde, even taking a look at a Dufour 38 GL, though it was a bit out of our budget. On our way, we stopped by Narbonne and couldn’t miss out on trying "the best buffet in the world," the legendary Grands Buffets de Narbonne. Fun fact: this buffet features dishes prepared using recipes by the famous chef Auguste Escoffier, known as the father of modern French cuisine! You can savor a wide array of delicacies, from fresh...

Nico and I are originally from France and have been living in Hong Kong for 17 years.  We arrived in 2007 when our son was just 2 years old. After he left Hong Kong at 18 to study in France, we decided it was time for us to move on as well. Our new goal Embracing our newfound freedom, we aimed to break away from our daily work routine.  Our new goal became to take a sabbatical, and we crafted a plan to make it a reality within a year. The purpose of the sabbatical was to travel the world as much as possible within a year or so, and we decided the best way to maintain some comfort while keeping the budget down was by traveling on a sailboat. I lack sailing experience and, to make matters worse, I get very seasick. (Even snorkelling can get me nauseous) In contrast, Nico is quite familiar with sailing; his father owned a sailboat for over 20 years. But I love a good challenge, so I am willing to give it a try. It is all about MINDSET. How do we make it happen financially? Leavin...