Thursday, 7 August 2014

Bill Gates treats his family to a Mediterranean vacation on board a 450-ft superyacht complete with a submarine, 12 state rooms and a helicopter to fly them to and from tennis

Bill Gates vacations exactly like you would imagine the richest man in the world should.
First up a relaxing game of tennis in the morning before being helicoptered - not ferried - back to the superyacht you and your family have chartered to the tune of $5 million-a-week.
Then, an exuberant jet ski around the $330 million boat with wife Melinda and children Rory, Jennifer and Phoebe, moored off the billionaires playground of Porto Cervo, Sardinia.
The Microsoft founder and philanthropist - worth $76 billion - has taken time away from his busy schedule to relax with his family - renting The Serene, the 436ft yacht of Stolichnaya vodka magnate, Yuri Scheffler, as a luxurious base.
Style: Bill Gates returns to The Serene, the $330 million yacht he has chartered for $5 million-a-week. Moored off the coast of Sardinia, Italy this week
Style: Bill Gates returns to The Serene, the $330 million yacht he has chartered for $5 million-a-week. Moored off the coast of Sardinia, Italy this week

Boating: The helicopter carrying Bill Gates approaches to land on The Serene this week during the billionaire software pioneers vacation
Boating: The helicopter carrying Bill Gates approaches to land on The Serene this week during the billionaire software pioneers vacation
Super: The Serene cost $330million and boasts space for 24 guests and 53 crew and was delivered to its owner, Stolichnaya tycoon, Yuri Scheffler in 2011
Super: The Serene cost $330million and boasts space for 24 guests and 53 crew and was delivered to its owner, Stolichnaya tycoon, Yuri Scheffler in 2011
Tough start: Bill Gates serves up his tennis match in Sardinia as he works up a sweat in the early hours as he vacations with his family
Tough start: Bill Gates serves up his tennis match in Sardinia as he works up a sweat in the early hours as he vacations with his family
Tough start: Bill Gates serves up his tennis match in Sardinia as he works up a sweat in the morning as he vacations with his family 
Return: Keeping fit allows the 58-year-old to travel the world for his philanthropic ventures - such as working to rid the world of malaria
Return: Keeping fit allows the 58-year-old to travel the world for his philanthropic ventures - such as working to rid the world of malaria
Smiles: The billionaire, who has a fortune of $76 billion and is the richest man in the world, seemed to enjoy his tennis match in Sardinia
Smiles: The billionaire, who has a fortune of $76 billion and is the richest man in the world, seemed to enjoy his tennis match in Sardinia
Smiles: The billionaire, who has a fortune of $76 billion and is the richest man in the world, seemed to enjoy his tennis match in Sardinia 
Deft control: Bill Gates was playing to win during his tennis game in Sardinia this week
Deft control: Bill Gates was playing to win during his tennis game in Sardinia this week
Deft control: Bill Gates was playing to win during his tennis game in Sardinia this week 
Beaming as he played his shots during his tennis game, Bill obviously had no need for a more traditional boat to get back to the huge yacht his family is aboard.
Walking with his entourage from the courts to his aerial transport, Bill was flown back to his yacht, christened The Serene, where he changed into a wet suit for a jet ski with his entire family.


Boasting not one, but two helicopter landing bads, because, let's face it one is never enough, the Serene can play host to 24 guests in 12 staterooms, which includes a master suite, one VIP stateroom, seven double cabins and three twin cabins.
Stroll away: The billionaire walks away from the tennis courts to get into his helicopter to fly him back to his family to his yacht
Stroll away: The billionaire walks away from the tennis courts to get into his helicopter to fly him back to his family to his yacht
Stroll away: The billionaire walks away from the tennis courts to get into his helicopter to fly him back to his family on his yacht
Just bring your racket: Bill didn't need to bring much with him for his tennis match it seems, his entourage most likely carrying his bags for him
Just bring your racket: Bill didn't need to bring much with him for his tennis match it seems, his entourage most likely carrying his bags for him
Your ride: Bill Gates gets ready to get inside his helicopter that will take him back to his rented yacht, The Serene, which is moored off the coast of Porto Cervo
Your ride: Bill Gates gets ready to get inside his helicopter that will take him back to his rented yacht, The Serene, which is moored off the coast of Porto Cervo
Can you take me to my yacht? The richest man in the world would have no problems finding a landing spot on his rented yacht - it has two helipads
Can you take me to my yacht? The richest man in the world would have no problems finding a landing spot on his rented yacht - it has two helipads
Get comfortable: The billionaire prepares to sit down to be helicoptered back to the 436ft long yacht
Get comfortable: The billionaire prepares to sit down to be helicoptered back to the 436ft long yacht
Ready to go: Bill Gates prepares for take-off to be returned to his $5million a week yacht moored of Porto Cervo in Sardinia
Ready to go: Bill Gates prepares for take-off to be returned to his $5million a week yacht moored of Porto Cervo in Sardinia
Approach: This wider shot shows the green-grassed landing pad that the Microsoft billionaire's helicopter waited for him on
Approach: This wider shot shows the green-grassed landing pad that the Microsoft billionaire's helicopter waited for him on
Luxury: While most would settle for a boat to take them back to their yacht, Bill Gates decided to go large
Luxury: While most would settle for a boat to take them back to their yacht, Bill Gates decided to go large
With 52 crew, the Serene also boasts a hanger for the helicopter, a seawater swimming pool, submarine hanger, a cinema and onboard WiFi.
The opulent yacht also has a gym, swimming pool and two jacuzzi's on deck.
The Serene also has a full library, health spa, underwater viewing room, nightclub and indoor climbing wall for the Microsoft billionaire and family to enjoy.
It has a cruising speed of 15 knots and is able to travel 6000 nautical miles on a full tank - which is almost the distance from London to New York and back again.
Indeed, the Gates family have been vacationing off the coast of Porto Cervo for years.
Every August the coastal town off the coast of Sardinia becomes a literal billionaires playground.
Originally owned by the Aga Khan, who bought up 50km of coastline almost as a private beach in the 1960s, Porto Cervo is now undergoing a mini-boom since he sold it to a consortium of bankers in the early part of the 21st century,
It is where Princess Diana spent her final days before her fated trip to Paris.
Back on the boat: Bill Gates aboard The Serene with his wife, Melinda
Back on the boat: Bill Gates aboard The Serene with his wife, Melinda
Which wetsuit? Bill Gates looks for suitable gear to wear for a jetski while his son, Rory, runs past him
Which wetsuit? Bill Gates looks for suitable gear to wear for a jetski while his son, Rory, runs past him
Family fun: Bill Gates, wife Melinda, daughter, Phoebe, son Rory and daughter Jennifer (being pulled from water) prepare to get wet off the coast of Porto Cervo
Family fun: Bill Gates, wife Melinda, daughter, Phoebe, son Rory and daughter Jennifer (being pulled from water) prepare to get wet off the coast of Porto Cervo
Adventure: The Gates family get ready to jet ski aboard the $5million-a-week superyacht The Serene which the billionaire is renting from the owner of the Stolichnaya vodka brand
Adventure: The Gates family get ready to jet ski aboard the $5million-a-week superyacht The Serene which the billionaire is renting from the owner of the Stolichnaya vodka brand
Rested: Melinda Gates walks the decks of The Serene while her husband prepares to head out again for a jet-ski
Rested: Melinda Gates walks the decks of The Serene while her husband prepares to head out again for a jet-ski
Rested: Melinda Gates walks the decks of The Serene later that day while her husband prepares to head out again for a jet-ski
Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and ex-British prime minister Tony Blair have spent time relaxing in the sun there.
Now dotted with Louis Vuitton and Gucci stores, the coastline is the perfect spot for the richest man in the world to unwind.
However, they may be the children of the world's richest man, but Rory, Jennifer and Phoebe probably should enjoy this vacation while they can - because their father is not leaving them any of his $76 billion fortune.
In a rare insight into his personal life in March, the Microsoft founder and his wife, Melinda, opened up about how they are raising their family.
Luxury: The Serene has the ability for two helicopters to land on deck - the circular pool seen in the middle of the boat can be transformed into a helipad
Luxury: The Serene has the ability for two helicopters to land on deck - the circular pool seen in the middle of the boat can be transformed into a helipad
Opulence: The state room of The Serene is capable of hosting huge parties and guests of billionaires
Opulence: The state room of The Serene is capable of hosting huge parties and guests of billionaires
The couple, speaking at a TED conference in Vancouver, said their children will be encouraged to make their own way in the world without the help of billion-dollar trust funds.
Gates said that instead of money, they had given their two daughters and son a good education so they can learn how to rely on their own abilities rather than their parents' fortune.
'You’ve easily got enough money despite your vast contributions to the foundation to make them all billionaires,' conference organizer Chris Anderson said.
But, according to Wired, Gates responded by saying: 'They won’t have anything like that. They need to have a sense that their own work is meaningful and important.'
Beach day: Microsoft founder Bill Gates later made his way to a beach bear Porto Cervo, Sardinia, with his wife, Melinda
Beach day: Microsoft founder Bill Gates later made his way to a beach bear Porto Cervo, Sardinia, with his wife, Melinda
Heat: Bill Gates used a boat to get to the beach after earlier transporting himself from his tennis match to his yacht via a helicopter
Heat: Bill Gates used a boat to get to the beach after earlier transporting himself from his tennis match to his yacht via a helicopter
'You’ve got to make sure they have a sense of their own ability and what they’re going to go and do,' he added.
Anderson likened raising three children in the world's richest family 'to a social experiment without much prior art' before asking the couple, who run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, how they had decided to raise their family.
'We want to strike a balance so they have the freedom to do anything but not sort of a lot of money showered on them so that they can go out and do nothing,' Gates said.
He added that they have told their children most of the fortune would be left to their charity, which tackles poor health and poverty.

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