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Money, its a gas! |
“Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash. New car, caviar, four star daydream, Think Ill buy me a football team.”
When discussing this drive I am frequently asked “How do you manage to take fifteen months off?” or “How can you afford this?”, for it is plainly obvious that we are quite middle class. We don’t have massive family wealth, we haven’t hit it big in the .com lottery, and we’re not high level executives. So there is the secret in plain view – almost anyone can afford a trip like this as long as they have the will and the confidence.
A long time ago I made a list of the things I like to do the most and came to the realization that most of those are free – enjoying the company of those I care about, taking a walk in the mountains, or reading a good book. I would not categorize myself as a saver because I do spend to make my day-to-day existence comfortable and pleasant but I try to spend only on that which I care about. Why spend $200 on a Montrachet when an equally good Riesling can be had at a fraction of the price? Frequently, the $200 Montrachet will be disappointing because so much is expected of it. Of course, there are exceptions to this.
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Retail therapy? |
I know that I am incapable of living a St. Francis like ascetic lifestyle because I like my comforts too much. What I try to achieve is balance, like a good Riesling. Yukiko Urano is travelling the world in a 250cc Suzuki on a shoestring budget of several hundred dollars a month. I just spent that on a set of PIAA driving lights – they are nice to have but do I really need them? Ari Meyers plans on going to Tierra del Fuego with his $600,000 UNICAT motorhome. Somewhere between the two, in the middle, there’s us.
Hi Shreesh,
Great blog you got here. I think your’s is a cool life-style approach. It is great that you are able to clear the riffraff from what is important. Wish I could do what you guys are going to do. Indeed it is more about the resolve and clarity of thought (and of course, time) than about money. Anyways, great site – I’ll be visiting often, and I have linked to your blog from mine. I hope that’s ok!
We are gonna have fun in BM!
– Vinay
Thanks for the compliments, Vinay. Preparation for this expedition has been a great learning experience, and I would encourage anyone with the will and inclination to do it. There is nothing extraordinary about us – if we can pursue our dreams so can all of you, it is possible, it can be done.