FT Series Dream jobs Meet the people who’ve given up the 9-5 to seek new careers — and new lives — on distant shores From financial consultant to spearfishing in MexicoLeo Waltman left swapped Dutch banks for diving off the Yucatan peninsula From telecoms to winemaking in ProvenceStephen Cronk ditched London corporate life to set up a boutique wine business From architecture to chocolate farming in Costa RicaOn holiday in Central America, Vicki Chandler decided to swap building restoration for cacao beans From selling hair extensions to running a safari lodge in South AfricaA visit to Johannesburg helped Jessica Gold decide to develop Makanyi Lodge and go into the tourism business From management consultant to Antarctic guideCarolyn Bailey swapped flip charts and team-building for a tent on a glacier From insurance sales to motorbikes in VietnamHawkmoon Boxer swapped Manchester for a new life as a guide in Hoi An More from this Series From army colonel to eco-lodge ownerHow Guy Levene left the military and built a lodge in Ethiopia From stay-at-home mum to bush pilotAfter 10 years at home with her kids, Glenys Watson became a pilot in Papua New Guinea From finance to free diving instructorHow Mike Board left a finance job in Canary Wharf and became an instructor in Indonesia From UK-based geophysicist to volcanologist in MontserratRod Stewart swapped Edinburgh for an observatory on the Caribbean island From England to chasing the aurora borealis in FinlandTony Bateman made a website that helped total newbies see the Northern Lights From Sweden to tour guide on Easter IslandMarcus Edensky moved from a Sweden to start a new life in the Pacific From policeman to hot-air balloon pilot in MyanmarSkills learnt as a uniformed constable translate well into a career up in the air From PR in London to husky driving in the ArcticGaynor Leeper quit her job as a communications manager in to work in adventure tourism
