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...

Moving out can be such a hassle. Over the past 17 years in Hong Kong, we’ve moved quite a bit—five times in total. It was an adventure, but when you’re not completely satisfied with your home, it’s important to keep searching and never give up. That’s my motto, and it’s always led to positive outcomes. This final sixth move is taking us back to Europe (France). However, we don’t yet know where we’ll ultimately settle since we’ll be traveling around the world during our sabbatical year. We decided to ship everything to Nico's parents in southern France. Given the uncertainty about our final destination, we chose to sell or give away 99% of our furniture. When we first moved to Hong Kong, we were young and carefree. Over the years, we’ve matured, so we know our new decorating and furniture style will be different when we eventually move into a new home or country. Movers quotations We decided to get quotes from three different moving companies. I had a piece of art to transport, a...

We've been living in Hong Kong for the past 17 years.  We finally decided to break free and live a life off the beaten tracks. Risking it all for a year of adventure and probably of discomfort.  It's now time to bid farewell, and little did I know it would be so admin heavy.  So here are the things you need to do on top of the usual moving out process if you want to claim your MPF and leave Hong Kong. Please make sure you do all of it at least 1 month or more before your final departure date (more if you need to consolidate MPF accounts, it can take from 3 to 6 weeks for a transfer!) 3 STEPS 1. Inland Revenue: Ensure that your taxes are settled before leaving Hong Kong. Your final paycheck will be withheld by your employer until they receive confirmation from the Inland Revenue (IR) that your tax obligations are cleared. Your employer must complete   IR56G If you don’t have an employer at the time of your departure, simply email the IR at taxinfo@ird.gov.hk to noti...