Hi guys. New here.
Lately I’ve been thinking of taking my girl on a
live aboard boat and simply sailing away from it all. A hundred “sailing *” vlogs later and I made my choice.
I’m tired of the usual workday, workweek and once an age
vacation at random tourist hogged
money drain.
Covid-19 made it clear to me that I need time off, a different life, less stress more fun, but mostly more free to move wherever I choose and take my home with me. I live in an isolated middle eastern country bordering the
Mediterranean with no way out but air and sea. And what a great sea it is, with many places to visit. Even before the pandemic the plan was to leave to travel and
work remote or immigrate to
Europe on a
work visa, as I never felt at home here - but it seems no one place is really perfect. At least my profession (software engineer) allows for becoming a digital nomad, and it feels like the time has come.
Luckily the situation has also showed me (and my employer) I am a capable
remote only worker (soft. Engineer). I would only need an
internet connection wherever to keep earning a stable
income.
I believe the world has changed and for the first time the idea of becoming a digital nomad is within reach.
I went ahead and tried a
cruise at the finest
boating school I can find and instantly fell inlove with the freedom of taking your home on a trip in the fresh air and
blue water.
I’m starting an evening
boating class next month, scheduled to finish my
skipper license in September (it’s a long and exhaustive program with lots of onboard experience, I prefer to have knowledge and experience rather than papers am I to be alone with the wifey at sea).
The plan is to break my savings up, scrape around 80$K for a
boat and add a loan if needed (top
budget is around 120$K) and ditch the (1930 built)
rental apartment. Real estate is no longer an option where I live, with housing exceeding 1800$ a month easy.
Purchase prices are in the 500$k for a 3 bedroom apt. from the 60s, and over a mil easy for something at the center of town.
This is without the fact our economy is one of the most expensive ones in the world and everything costs triple what it does on
Europe.
With other expenses, I see around 2500$ Down the drain monthly, and a boat seems like a much more minimalistic, practical and free way to live.
The
mooring costs here are decent at around 500$ and it seems that once I downpay the boat it’s way cheaper than rent and I don’t have to take a 45 year mortgage like my fellow countrymen so irresponsibly do, to finance a falling apart concrete slab.
Besides, if I am to have
kids anytime soon, I want them to have an amazing childhood, and what better childhood than to travel with your parents around the world.
Nice to meet everyone, and hopefully we’ll meet on the
water someday!
Re: Starting my skipper class next month!
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