Life On Sail

December 2024 We have barely started our sailing journey. We don't have a boat yet, but we are preparing for that by taking all sailing-related classes. So our spendings are pretty low, and they're all education-related. December overview: September to December 2024 in details: December 2024 vs our overall Budget: The education related spendings are not over yet.  So stay tuned for the January report, so that we make a final overview on how much we spent on educating ourselves on boating.  

Once again, we are slowly progressing into our sabbatical. We now have our boat driving license (although we haven’t received the physical copy yet). However, we still lack our VHF permit, which is essential for navigating international waters. Unfortunately, Nico made an error while booking the exam. As a result, we won’t be taking the exam until next year in southern France (Toulouse). Any tips for the VHF permit? For those registering for the ANFR CRR permit, remember that registering and receiving a confirmation email is just the beginning. Booking the actual date and location of the exam is a separate task! After registering, make sure to follow up online or by phone to secure your exam invitation. That said, we’ve left France to spend our Christmas holidays in India, exploring Rajasthan and visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal. Our son joined us for this adventure! Here is the Rajasthan itinerary on Polarsteps . We rented a car and driver for this jou...

We're taking the theory exam for the boat driving license this morning. I have to admit I was feeling a bit anxious. Nico was reviewing the lessons right up until the last minute. You just need to book an exam center close to you. For this session, there were only three of us: the two of us for the boat test and one person for the road test. How does it work? There are 40 questions, and you can only make up to 5 mistakes. Unlike the road theory test, they don't inform you if there are multiple correct answers (a maximum of 2). It also lasts longer than the road exam. You sit in front of an iPad with headphones. Then you get started. You'll have about 2 questions to test the sound and the answering process. You find out if you've passed or not 40 minutes after finishing. You'll receive an email detailing the number of mistakes you made. And yes, I passed! I only made 1 mistake. I expected to make more, but I nailed it. Nico made 3 mistakes. After receiving the...

We're approaching things a bit backwards, as we took our boat driving course before even passing the theory exam! And we did this practical course the very next day after our theory class... It’s quite unconventional. The usual process is to first attend the theory class, then take and the theory exam. Once you pass, you proceed to the driving practical class. After completing and passing the driving course, the instructor automatically submits your documents to the administration to process your final boat driving license. The reason for our approach was simply that there was only one available slot at that time.  We booked last minute, so we couldn’t be picky with the dates. Since we’re on a sabbatical, timing isn’t a concern for us. So, here we are on a chilly Friday morning in December 2024, standing on the banks of the Seine River, ready to learn how to pilot a boat. Naturally, we arrived somewhat unprepared. Any tips? Bring your candidate book for the instructor to fill ...

We traveled a bit before returning to France after our bittersweet yet motivated departure from Hong Kong at the end of October 2024. Just a few days after arriving in France (I got there a bit earlier, in mid-November), we were already on our way to our boat permit class in Lagny! Which company we went with? We decided to sign up with  Paris Nautique for this adventure.  One of the advantages is that they have various classrooms throughout Paris, making it easy to find available slots for our last-minute registration.  Plus, they are among the most affordable options.  The real highlight is that you get to take your practical class on the iconic Seine River! But that’s a topic for another post. The instructor appears to be very knowledgeable and is well-regarded in the industry, having had his nautical adventures documented by the press. You receive several online resources to help you prepare before the actual class, including: Online Courses Online Tests B...

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...