We’re Ali Davenport and Ivan Brown and we’re a couple from Australia who have been together for over 20 years. We live in Toowoomba in Queensland and for about 10 years now we’ve been dreaming of taking a break from work to spend an extended period of time in France. So here we are!
We love France and we also love boats so we’ve combined our two pleasures by buying a canal boat to explore the inland waterways of France. This gorgeous country has more than 7,000km of canals and rivers that wind through picturesque countryside and we have a boat that is ideal for discovering this part of the world. Meet Laura our 12.6m canal cruiser.
Taking a break from work
We’re big fans of taking an extended break from work here and there. About 15 years ago we took 18 months off work, bought a 38 foot sailing boat called Shiraz II and sailed the Queensland coastline. It was the best thing we’d ever done and it opened our eyes to the fact that we didn’t have to wait until retirement to have a decent break to wind down and recharge the batteries. So that’s why we are taking a break from work now. To clear our heads ready for the next chapter in our careers once we’ve finished in France.
About Ali
Ali has spent the last 20+ years in executive roles, mostly in media. She has been the general manager of regional radio and television stations and newspapers but the last 5 years she spent as CEO of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE). TSBE is an economic development organisation designed to link business with opportunities and to grow the economy of south western Queensland. It’s a fantastic organisation doing great things for the Toowoomba and Surat Basin region and it was a big decision for Ali to leave a job she loved.
About Ivan
Ivan has spent the last 30 years working as a refrigeration mechanic. He also has a behavioural science degree and is quite a talented artist. Ivan can pretty much fix anything and has a really technical brain. He’s brilliant on a boat where lots of little things can and do go wrong. He’s been known to fix lights, plumbing (although he’s not too keen on fixing toilets – don’t blame him there), appliances and other bits and pieces. He also has a great knowledge of boats having grown up sailing yachts on Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne. He’s the practical person on board.
So that’s us. We’ve put together this blog to keep in touch with family and friends and give ourselves a record of our travels. And we hope that when you read our stories that you’ll discover a way that you can take a break from work too. After all, life is short.
English 
French