jackieandnoel

January 5, 2015
by jackieandnoel 5 Comments

Nothing is Impossible!

“Nothing is impossible – the world itself says, ‘I’m possible!'”

Inspiration: The quote above is by the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, and the beauty in life was part of the inspiration for my story: Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl to Sea-Gypsy Woman.

Living on a ten metre boat, for nine years, I saw the world and changed from a scared, brokenhearted girl, into a sea-gypsy woman – I figured out who I am. Here’s a brief glimpse into my life…

Sailing: Traversing oceans is not like a plane or car ride. Nothing is certain except a vast puddle of water and a great stretch of sky. The days pass, measured not in hours but in distance. It’s dynamic, fantastic and petrifying all at the same time. There is rarely pattern or logic; you deal with what’s received, as it arrives . . . moment by moment.

Paradoxical beauty: Pounding waves, great geysers of water, white bubbles chuckling softly amid giant swells. Plunging into the void, pushing away thoughts of what lurks below. The wind from hell. Disgruntled clouds carrying punches.

Reality: Hopping in a warm bunk, trusting my partner with my life enables me to sleep. Malcontent wind and waves provide rude awakenings. The dawn paints the horizon in breathtaking crimson or sadistic black. The crucial burden of stores, lifted with the seas.

A Lesson in Humility: Vivid green phosphorescence streaks behind magnificent dolphins and rainbow reflections of oil. The paradoxical beauty of the ocean.

The result:
“Your book helped me through a recent bereavement.”
“It made me cry, laugh and quake with fear in equal measure.”
“Your insight-fullness and sense of adventure captured me.”
“Beautifully written with honesty, humour and love for all living creatures on this planet.”
“It’s a long while since I’ve so engaged with a book.”
“Once you start this book, you’ll not want to put it down.”
“Moving, rousing, uplifting, stimulating.”
“I loved “Of Foreign Build.” The book is listed as a memoir, a misnomer I believe, as I found it to be much more. It’s really a love story, an adventure story, and a story of personal growth and determination all rolled into a nine year odyssey.”

What inspires you?

Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl to Sea-Gypsy Woman

January 2, 2015
by jackieandnoel 4 Comments >

We’ve made the decision to stay on board this winter. This is our first winter on a boat in the northern hemisphere.

We feel that every moment that passes is nostalgic, important and gone, so whatever we’re doing, we must enjoy it, and keeping warm is part of the enjoyment!

Seven-thirty in the morning – the frost stayed with us all day.

We still have a few months(!) of this winter to go, so I will post more tips, for now – here are our top tips so far:

Don’t turn the heating off, just turn it down.
On those really chilly days, it takes too long to warm the whole boat up again if you turn the heating off. Just turn it down and let it simmer, keeping the boat warm all day.

Have project to keep you entertained.
We are renovating the interior. It is bedlam on board, we are focussed on the job at hand and not indulging in the cold. We finished the exterior painting just before winter set in – perfect timing.

Noel cutting ‘bits’ off -making a waste tank from old water tank.

Buy good gear to wear for those times you have to step outside!
This doesn’t mean spend lots of money. The charity shop near us has an abundance of great clothes – layering is the key. Hats, scarves and good gloves and socks are a must – heat escapes at your extremities.

Watch the weather – be prepared.
If you are totally independent, like us (ie without the constraints of a car), the weather will be important for days you want to go shopping. We cycle seven kilometres to the nearest large town. It’s an easy ride, but we time it with bright, dry days.

Insulate with rugs

We’ve tucked in the curtain (the rods will be painted – one day!)

Insulate all areas – not just the hull
In the autumn we bought half-a-dozen thick floor rugs, which insulate the floor brilliantly. We have plastic ‘blinds’ outside our portholes which we clip down each night. The curtains are tucked in (yet to be painted) to prevent the warm air being sucked up to the windows and cooling. Under our mattress, we’ve placed a layer of carpet – it all helps.

Extra protection on the outside of the windows

Eat little and often.
Food keeps you warm and energised. We tend to eat small meals often. Tea and toast in the morning, porridge mid-morning, a light-lunch, a snack mid-afternoon (fruit perhaps) and then dinner. It helps keep our tummies warm and therefore keep us warmer.

What tips and ideas do you have to surviving winter in Europe?

December 27, 2014
by jackieandnoel 8 Comments >

Many Indie authors, including me, are looking for the best place to market books. Sadly, there is no ‘one-place’ solution. There is, though, many months of trial and error to find out what works for you best.

You need to take into account:

Your audience
Your budget
Your time
The genre
Price

After launching my second book, I went on a marketing frenzy. Although I became a bit burnt out with interviews, pictures, blogs, negotiating, promotions, profiles etc, it was worth it. But I couldn’t maintain that level energy on one thing – after all, I am an author, I need to write!

Now I continue to chip away, here and there, with blogs and promotions to keep the marketing simmering. So I am always pleased to find a new, different and interesting place to promote books and hopefully make some sales.

Opportunity One
Noel and I are in France. We live on a Dutch barge, which we are currently renovating. Noel needed a visa. It was all rather fraught (see details here), however, he needed health insurance from the UK. We found a great company that provides very reasonable quotes and even translated the documentation into French! When I thanked the health insurance company, I told them I was writing a blog about our experience, and mentioning them.

New Promotion/Possible Sales – One
A few days ago, I emailed the blog link to the health insurance company. They shared my website with the entire office, friends and family and told everyone that, for a last minute Christmas present, my book is ideal!

I am often up at all hours, thinking, writing, marketing…

Opportunity Two
A fellow author (ex-army) asked me to contribute a short piece to their Service Military on-line magazine in Cyprus. I could write about ‘anything’ I wanted, (which was harder than I imagined!). I wrote about how I don’t like New Year Resolution lists, but I like looking back at achievements. I talked about how I do like goals and that I remember this phrase to help me out, “If you want something you’ve never had, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done!” This little yarn, led nicely into me talking about my next writing project and my current book that has recently been released.

New Promotion/Possible Sales – Two
The equivalent to a full page advertisement in a magazine, going out to thousands of (UK) people in another country, in other words, a whole new market to promote my book to!

Results?
I did notice a few sales just after I received the insurance email! The ‘short-article’ results will be early next year. Every sale counts.
But it’s the long term results that I am after too. The ‘word’ slowly rolling-out as far and as wide as possible…. someone….somewhere…saying… “Have you read Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl To Sea-Gypsy Woman? – it’s a great story.”

And you…?
What neat and unusual ways have you promoted your book?

December 26, 2014
by jackieandnoel 2 Comments >

And she is right….. I know I’ve written a good yarn when someone ends up knowing me so well…. read this review at your own risk…. (I’m still in tears!)

I’ve just finished Jackie Parry’s book. I was actually in tears at both the beginning and the end. At the start of the book, I felt the loss that Jackie experienced deeply and understood her need to escape to another world. By the end, I felt as if I’d been living with her on board the Mariah II with her and experienced so much. I felt her sadness at leaving this wonderful, free, wandering life behind; the disillusionment of being back in the ‘real’ world again. I shared both her delight and her torments – the joys and the fears of living so close to the elements. But more than anything what I admired about this book was what it represented: the choice of living a dream, of following a way of life that is totally against the normal grain and revelling in discovering the strengths and trust built in a relationship that is more than simply symbiotic. Jackie and her Noel develop a bond that is so strong, it brings a lump to my throat just imagining it. They also make some wonderful friends among their fellow world travellers, the very special Den and Tash, a Dutch couple so intrepid they take living under sail to new levels. I have to say the sense of a community of cruisers just opting out of the daily grind and routine and living like gyspies as they meander round the world is immensely appealing.

It’s taken me a while to read, as it’s a pretty long book to get through if you can only read at bedtime, but in fact it could have been longer. I would have loved more about their travels through America. That could have been a memoir all on its own. The French section could also have been longer, so Jackie, if you read this, maybe we could have two sub-memoirs? The last thing I want to mention is my admiration for Jackie Parry too. She glosses over her achievements, but reading between the lines, I more than take my hat off to her. For an example of someone with guts, courage and determination to live life on her own terms, I can’t think of anyone better. She has not only lived her dream, she is fully qualified to do it too, gaining top diplomas in many areas of marine skills. And let’s not forget the magnificent (and probably very patient) Noel, the rock on whom Jackie has depended and whose patience helped her find peace after the sadness of her early bereavement. Jackie’s personality shines through this book. She is feisty, intrepid, fun and friendly, but also unashamedly given to bursts temper and petulance – a wonderfully human being who has told a wonderfully compelling story.

Amazing Facts & Watching Births & Deaths!

December 26, 2014 by jackieandnoel 5 Comments

I learned some interesting stuff this morning. Which is interesting in itself, as it is my birthday and I plan to do very little today.

While ‘playing’ on the internet, I found some fascinating facts about my birth date.

First, once I had put in my birth-date, they stated my age (44) – very helpful!

Some useless facts (1970)

Music
#1 R&B song: Stoned Love by The Supremes
Today – well it depends where you look. One said something about Tuesday in the title, which put me off as it is Friday today. Another had the ‘F’ word in the title. Yup, nice, I don’t want to know!

Movies
#1 Movie: Love Story
Today – The Hobbit –The Battle of Five Armies. I did notice that Annie is number 3. I simply adored this movie when I was a kid and can’t wait to see this one.

(Best Birthday present: EYES RIGHT! 😉 )

Books
#1 novel for 1970: Love Story by Erich Segal
Today – Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Price of a new car: $3,645. In 2013 it was over $32,000!

Phase of the moon: Waning crescent – 25% illumination
Today: Waxing crescent 25% illumination
(Waning is getting smaller each night, waxing is getting bigger each night (think wax ‘on’!)

Apparently my tarot personality card is The Wheel of Fortune. That sounds pretty good to me.

World Population: 3,766,155,556. Today at 9:15 am it was 7,283,683,299.

Deaths and births
Here you can watch people die! And be born! Goodness. Actually, you watch the numbers change for births, deaths and population growth. The numbers change rapidly! Do they have someone sitting there logging up to the minute deaths!

A Sobering Thought
I found this last one shocking. But it is another neat reminder that my time is ticking away. I’m included in the numbers on the birth log, one day I will be on the death-log too, what a sobering thought!

Positive Thoughts
I think I’ll focus on the love and good fortune theme that runs through my birth-date. The best birthday present I’ve received so far is really – good health and happiness.

For everyone with a birthday today – Have a Great Day and don’t be sad you are another year older… it is better than the alternative.

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December 24, 2014
by jackieandnoel 2 Comments

New Year Resolutions vs. Last Year’s Achievements

Something different to think about over Christmas

Instead of New Year’s Resolutions – how about focusing on what you’ve achieved.

I already have my goals lined up for next year…. they’ve been on my mind for months. So instead of adding more and putting more pressure on myself I’m going to do something different.

Merry Christmas!

Here’s some new ideas:

Think about what you’ve achieved
Write it down
Tell someone
Congratulate yourself
Smile and be proud

I’d like to thank everyone for so much support this year with my accomplishments:

Publishing my second book (that I’ve been writing for 15 years!)
Moving to France and finding a boat we could afford and enjoy
Getting through the year with good health and much happiness

I wish everyone a cherished Christmas, and may all your hopes and dreams come true in 2015……. what have you achieved?

December 22, 2014
by jackieandnoel 30 Comments

Top 10 tips for gaining your Carte de Sejour

French Visa & Carte de Sejour Rumours Debunked!

Noel has received his Carte de Sejour. What should have been a relatively easy process did become a bit of a nightmare. We learned a lot – this may help you!

Our Circumstances

I have a European passport, Noel has an Australian passport. I read so much information on this, my head was spinning, examples:

If he/she has a European passport then their partner is entitled to stay without a visa.
If he/she has a European passport the partner is entitled to stay, with a visa.

Okay, you get the idea, here’s a quick breakdown of the process we went through:

We applied for a visa within three months of arriving (as per the rules – IF the partner has a European visa).
Australians are entitled to visit France (or anywhere in Europe for three months).
We applied in Dijon, as that was our nearest Prefecture.
We were asked to stay in the area (we didn’t – read on).
We went to the Prefecture (in Dijon) and they searched my European passport for a visa – but eventually worked out that I had a European passport!
They presented us with a form and told us to fill it out and mail it back.
We filled out the form and mailed it, they mailed it all back, asking for more, we mailed it back, this went on for five months.
We could not talk to anyone in the Prefecture, by telephone, personal visit or email, they just kept telling us to mail our documents.
They eventually started asking for paperwork that was not listed on the application form, and that we had already sent.
By this time we had moved south – they didn’t comment on a new address.
We reached the end of our tether and went to Agen Prefecture (now, our nearest).

At the train station at 7 am after a refreshing bike ride in the dark!

Here’s what happened at Agen:

After initial contact via email, we were invited to attend (with no pre-arranged date/appointment), so we took that (emailed) invite with us.
We talked to a real live person, (she had enough English and I had enough French (and a dictionary), to get by.
She gave us a list of five additional bits of paper she wanted and said ‘when you return with those, I will issue your visa.’
She fined us 50 Euros for over-staying the three months (despite our process with Dijon) – we would have to pay it on the next visit.
Two weeks later we returned to Agen (we had missed our arranged appointment as we were waiting for paperwork – we tried to obtain another appointment by email but received no response, so we just turned up).

On the day we got the visa

We rolled up with all the paperwork requested.

They were miffed we didn’t have an appointment, but after we explained that we had tried to arrange one via email (and that we had no car and travelled there by bike and train) – they felt sorry for us and put us in a room.
“This is either very good, or very bad!” we said!
The interviewer understood we had been trying to obtain the visa since we arrived, and ‘deleted’ the 50 Euro fine!
She checked through our paperwork, nodded, made positive comments and GAVE US THE VISA!
It is a temporary visa until the card (like a credit card) is processed at another location, they will write to us when they have received the card and we can collect it.
We have to collect it within three months, it will be ready in January sometime.

The paperwork
Dijon gave us one form: ‘Premiere Demande ou Renouvellement – ressortissant de l’union europeene – MEMBRE DE FAMILLE -.
Agen gave us another: Carte de Sejour.

Dijon wanted (all copies):

Copies of passports.
Birth certificate (translated to English – I did this on Google, but they do ask it is done by an official translator).
Proof of where you stayed (and why) in France, for first three months.
‘Family’ proof (marriage certificate for us).
Proof of funds (bank statements).
Health Insurance.
4 x photos (like passport photos).
SSAEs
This was for the applicant – they then asked for health insurance for me also, but at this point we had given up with Dijon.

Agen wanted (they also wanted to view originals and keep a copy)

A different form requiring the names of Noel’s parents, DOB and any children.
All of the above Dijon requirements, plus Noel’s entire passport photocopied.
BUT, they wanted the health insurance and bank statements translated to English too.
We have a French bank account, which seemed to help. They wanted to see a minimum of 1,000 Euros in there.
By this time I had my European Health card (EHIC), which helped (they wanted to see some kind of insurance for me too).

Rumour/Fact

You MUST apply before going to France – Not true – if one of you has a EU passport
You will need a medical – Nope
You have to leave the country straight away, as we had been here five months! (advice from Australian Embassy) -Nope
Fine for over-staying three months – Nope – If you have been trying to gain your visa already and have dated correspondence.

It was a good day - Noel found his beer!

It was a good day – Noel found his very own beer!

Our Advice & Top 10 tips on the French Visa process

Do not go to Dijon Prefecture or any large city’s Prefecture.
Find a smaller Prefecture, somewhere where you can actually talk to someone.
Take the research with a pinch of salt – different websites (that looked official) all had conflicting information.
If someone says “this is how you do it” be aware that:
- everyone’s circumstances are different.
- each Prefecture is like dealing with a different country, they all have different agendas.
- nothing is set in stone, it depends who you deal with on the day too!
If you need to translate Health Insurance documents, ask your insurer, ours gave us a French translation within
twenty-four hours (not google translated either!).
Try and arrange a French bank account – this helped! If not, ensure your statements are translated to English.
If one of you is a UK citizen, ensure you have your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
Research & learn some questions/answers in French before you go, to make the interview easier.
Create a ‘contents’ page at the top of your application, so everything can be found quickly.
If you disagree with what is happening (as we did with the initial fine), ask to see someone more senior. We were just lucky, and on our second appointment we were seen by a senior employee, who ‘let us off’ the fine as she deemed it unnecessary in our circumstances.

The visa is FREE, we had to pay for a lot of postage (our application became quite ‘thick’ and heavy).

More help/contacts
Solutions to problems with your EU rights here. This is a great European Visa Resource. They had already told us they would take on our case if we were fined.
Health insurance at a very good price (and they translated our docs into French!).
UK Citizens applying for your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) here.

In Summary
If we had gone to a Prefecture, such as Agen, first, the whole thing would have been done and dusted in two visits, and with little pain.

December 21, 2014
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

How to set up a blog before you go sailing!

Great advice here from Viki from Astrolabe Sailing

Astrolabe Sailing

I started writing this blog back in February 2014 and I have learnt so much in that time! If you are planning on having a blog for keeping track of your sailing adventures I would recommend that you start early to enable you to get your head around a few things before you head off. My main reason for writing a blog is for my own personal records of our planning and adventures, for family and friends to keep track of what we are up to, and hopefully it might become a useful resource for others who are hoping to do something similar.

If we can make a bit of extra cash to spend on yacht maintenance along the way via the blog, then that would be brilliant too. Getting it all set up takes a bit of time so here is what I have learnt so far and I am…

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Renovations update – a picture story…

December 16, 2014 by jackieandnoel 8 Comments

This wall is about to come out.This water tank comes out.

Continue reading →

Great Gift Idea and Free Sample!

December 12, 2014 by jackieandnoel 2 Comments

It’s hard to buy the right gift – I know, I am hopeless at it. Unlike my husband who is superb with neat, original ideas. He always gifts me something I love (lucky me!).