Sail away with Paul Chopin.

After spending many many years in teaching it had always been my ambition to do something mad once I retired but the planning stage needed some thought. A few years prior to getting to the ripe old age of 60 I wanted something to keep me occupied when I had time on my hands. I played golf, (badly) snowboarded, and enjoyed travelling to different countries and experiencing the history of those that I went to. I thought hard and long and then decided that flying lessons would be a good starting point. I could buy myself a small singled engine plane and take myself and some friends off to play golf on the continent during spring and summer, and then in the winter, go further south to the ski areas. I bought all the required books to learn about being a pilot and then booked a few lessons and took myself off to Biggin Hill, the local airfield. Fantastic thrill of being up there, 2000 feet above ground, at the controls, even at one point flying over my own house! I thought that this was the way forward and looked to see whether an intensive course in the USA during the summer recess could be completed. But after three lessons I was having second thoughts. I didn’t really have the time to study whilst still working and, three years off from retiring, could I really afford to have the luxury of a small plane sitting in an airfield somewhere rarely being used? New plan required. Take up sailing!!!