This is how radiant Matt and Jessica have been since they started their journey
It all started in 2008, when they were faced with a dilemma: do we use all our savings to buy a piece of land in the countryside to go to on weekends... or a ship ? Fortunately for them, they did the latter, and spent the summer learning to sail on his Hunter 240 . They had a great time - despite the small disasters caused by their inexperience - and when autumn came, they still had the worm of life in the sea inside them. The itching didn't go away either when winter came, so they soon found out: they had to leave everything and live traveling with the wind.
They started saving like crazy, and in early 2011, They sold their house and moved in with Matt's parents. to scratch even more pennies from his salary. In July 2012, they left their jobs , and in August, they were already weighing anchor to begin a journey that they planned to extend for four or five years (Depending on how long the money will last) . they celebrated heading to the Bahamas, passing through Cuba and Central America, and in 2014, these two young people from Michigan (United States) had already crossed the Atlantic twice (that's determination and the rest is nonsense!)
Wanting is power!
By the way! Before leaving, they adopted a kitten from a shelter, to accompany them on their oceanic adventures. And even though these animals are not very friends of changes (not to mention water), they tell us that the key is that he was caught when he was only six months old: "We believe that she was so excited just to get constant attention that she didn't care (or realize) that he was on a ship. She is completely used to this life now."
Say hello to Georgie, the cat queen of the seas!
If you have done the math, you will have noticed that this couple of adventurers has already four years of vacation on the high seas . Wait, did we say "vacation"? They don't see it quite like that: "This It's not quite the same as a great vacation: entails many hardships and hardships. It is a life with an extremely good good part and an extremely bad bad part. There is a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice, but the rewards will be of the best things that you can experience in your life", they tell us. And they don't lie: it is not uncommon to see them in their very detailed -and always updated- blog ** making improvements to their boat or feeding exclusively on sandwiches...**
To stretch the money, nothing better than a Bricomania session
Besides, living like a buccaneer these days makes you miss "a lot of little things you get used to living without , until you have them again and remember how wonderful they are, "Jessica tells us. She speaks, for example, of" showers with unlimited hot water, constant internet so you can connect with your friends and family, not have to do that all your provisions fit in a backpack ..." Oh, and of the reasonably priced coffee "In the Caribbean it is very expensive!"
Living on a boat comes with many hardships, but yoga is not one of them
However, traveling by ship has wonderful things, like " wherever you are, you always have your house with you ", the couple tells us. "And despite the fact that 12 meters seems too small a space to fit your whole life in it, after a while you realize that everything you need fits there to live comfortably: a bed, a kitchen, a bathroom and an area to sit down". The only drawback they find is that, on a sailboat, They depend too much on inclement weather..
"Phenomenal cosmic powers and a tiny space to live in", as the Genie from Aladdin said
But they they have not yet tired of this nomadic existence -in fact, they are delighted with it-, even though there was a turning point more or less ten months after leaving. "Suddenly, neither of them was happy : we did nothing but travel running from one island to another, and all the beaches and little towns looked the same. We never had time to stop and know a place, so we thought we had made a mistake and we were ready to give ourselves a break from this new life when we settled in Guatemala during the hurricane season. That gave us the opportunity to catch the breath we needed again , connecting with people and realizing what we wanted from this adventure."
As you can appreciate, Matt and Jessica are very candid about their trip (and we love it!), so much so that they **chop their living costs** down to the smallest detail so anyone who wants to emulate them will see that it is possible to travel continuously without being a billionaire.
In fact, recommend their experience "to all those who want to try it, even if they think they can't", and they are well aware that your money will not last forever. "Eventually we'll have to get a job again, but I don't think we can go back to living the way we used to. We have reached a point where, if we tried to settle in one place, we'd get tired too quickly."
Living in the city after months waking up with landscapes like this must be complicated
The favorite places -until now- of these globetrotters are the ** Azores and Madeira, in Portugal,** "for their amazing views and towns" and Cuba and Guatemala, which " They offer a simple way of life with extremely nice people.
The difficult thing is not to fall in love with the Azores
Yes, we envy them very strongly, but our consolation is knowing that, for them, anyone can join the life of a sailor and see the world through the ocean if you really want: " Never give up on a dream if you see that not a day goes by without you thinking about it. , because surely there is a way to make it happen. It may take you months, or even years, until you achieve it, but time will pass whether you pursue it or not, and in the end, all the sacrifices you've made will be worth it ".
Leave everything to see places like this every day
_ You may also be interested..._*
- Traveling couples that will give you eternal envy
- The 'I leave everything' syndrome - Berkeley, the 'hippie' cradle of California - 36 hours in San Francisco - California 'al fresco': outdoor plans - All articles by Marta Sader