The start of our sabbatical year

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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?

Leaving Hong Kong also allows us to reclaim around 17 years' worth of accumulated MPF (retirement scheme). We decided to allocate these funds for our sabbatical.

We'll probably try to find a way to make money while traveling. But we are not counting on that. 

Mini holidays within our sabbatical

This brings us to November 1, 2024—my first journey outside of Hong Kong without a return ticket. My initial destination will be Doha, where my mom and I will spend two weeks at my sister's home.


Meanwhile, Nico remains in Hong Kong, giving friends tours and planning one last trip to Japan before joining me in France end of November. 

Once we are both in France, we'll start the heavy work:

  • Get a boat driving license
  • Get a VHF license
  • Buy a sailboat

My itinerary in Qatar with Polarsteps

I was just told about POLARSTEPS, an app that tracks your trip. Blog style, you can add pictures and comments. 

Have a look at my itinerary on Polarsteps here

I have given it a try. It's nice, but you need to be dedicated to the task. Which is hard when you are always on the move. 
Let me know what you think.

Location: Doha, Qatar

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