My home province of Quebec in Canada has extremely lengthy and harsh winters. Back then, I could never have imagined living on a boat. I was a car salesman without any trade experience or sailing knowledge.
But because I was so eager to travel, I made the decision to look for a job that would let me do so. I was hired by the Navy to work in network infrastructure from a base in Victoria, British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada.
After moving here, I rented my first flat, but three months later I learned that there was a neighborhood of locals who lived on boats. I found it to be such an awesome way to live. I was frequently away from home back then. I frequently deployed to various regions of the world, thus I hardly ever even visited my flat.
I made the decision to break my lease and use my money in 2014 to pay $15,000 for a small boat. It was a very inexpensive way of life. There weren't many systems on board, and the boat was barely 30 feet long.
I had an ice box instead of a refrigerator. Both a water pump and hot water were electric only. I had to boil the water if I wanted hot water. Fortunately, the marina where I was anchored provided restrooms, a washing room, and other amenities. It was enjoyable and truly a hippy lifestyle.
After 2.5 years, I got off the boat. I needed to accumulate money to buy a nicer boat with a few more luxuries because I anticipated spending a lot more time at home. I made the decision to downsize and rent an apartment for a while.
I moved into a one-bedroom apartment that cost $1,100 a month to rent, and my monthly payment was about $200. Fortunately, there are rules in Canada that set limits on how much a landlord can raise the rent they charge a renter, so my payments stayed the same for five years. However, I think the current rent for a similar apartment in the neighborhood would be at least $1,800.
I met Carly in August 2020. We hit it off instantly. This was happening at the same time as the world was entering the COVID-19 pandemic and we realized we were very like minded. Neither of us dealt well with isolation.
Our relationship really was instantaneous. It just felt like every moment was an adventure. Carly had been living at her mom's house and pursuing a career she wasn't passionate about. Shortly after we met, she decided to take a risk and move to the west coast in her 20 foot van.
.webp)
I met Carly in August 2020. We hit it off instantly. This was happening at the same time as the world was entering the COVID-19 pandemic and we realized we were very like minded. Neither of us dealt well with isolation.
Our relationship really was instantaneous. It just felt like every moment was an adventure. Carly had been living at her mom's house and pursuing a career she wasn't passionate about. Shortly after we met, she decided to take a risk and move to the west coast in her 20 foot van.