Life in a mobile home is quite similar to life on a boat in many ways. Space, water and power are limited resources. One can visit many different places without ever leaving their home behind. Problems with the gas system can mean no refrigeration, nor cooked food. When issues arise, it can be hard to find help. Exploring new places we often don’t know where we’ll spend the next night. Anchoring during darkness, ia finding a suitable parking for the night, is much more challenging than during the day. The list goes on.

After another less than ‘wow’ boat viewing, an evening swim and subsequent dinner (Baguette, French cheese and olives) on the beach we recalled why we want to go cruising. First, exposing ourselves to different cultures, exploring this world. Second, living close to and in harmony with nature, becoming ever more self-sufficient. Third, challenging ourselves, continuously grow with every new adventure… Recap. All these things we are currently already living in our gypsy life with Wilson (the motorhome). So why still look for a boat?

There is this unexplainable longing for the ocean I have always had, the mystery of the big blue I cannot get over. I wouldn’t even say I’m crazy about sailing, but I love taking the boat out, stopping near a little island or in a sparkling bay… Add the satisfaction of getting better and better at anything that boat life contains – sailing, boat maintenance, carpentry, astrology, provisioning, technical stuff, engineering, logistics, self-sufficiency – and it is clear that living in a boat is similar, but not quite the same, as in a motor home. This is just thoughts passing through our travelling minds which have started to wander and wonder just as much as our four little bodies, past the French Alps and far beyond the Cote d’Azur.

We rarely stay in official camping spots and have had only good experiences so far, discounting the morning we woke up next to a gully overflowing with sh… which found its way, past our window, straight into the ocean… French are fabulous in so many things like croissants, cheese, wine to mention just a few, but cleanliness doesn’t seem to be their strength. Often otherwise beautiful beaches are spoiled with cigarette buts, glass, and used toilet paper. Usually WCs come with neither toilet paper, nor soap and the boats we have looked at here are more than filthy.

Today it was time for a proper shower, some laundry, internet and recharging of electrical gadgets’ batteries, so we went to an official camping in Castries, just north of Montpellier. Away from the busy Côte d’Azur and the ocean prices dropped by half. The owner’s of Camping Le Fondespierre have been so welcoming, the place so tranquil and the play opportunities for little ones so abundant (jumping castle, trampoline, ping-pong, swimming pool, go-kart, ball games to name just a few) that we’ve decided to stay another night before viewing more boats on our way down to Spain.