Thursday, May 08, 2008

What to do?

I've been shamed in to posting by a recent comment from RazboyNik. (His blog is always worth checking out, not just for frequent updated content but also because he finds the coolest blogging widgets that can be shamelessly pilfered).

The farm sale has fallen through. The owners wouldn't move on the price, and I couldn't get comfortable with putting the majority of my net wealth into one "project". I did the maths, after expenses (3% of purchase price must also be paid to real estate agent), car purchase, etc etc I'd have only around $15K USD left. This would include my working bankroll, and I'd have nothing to fall back on should any emergency arise. Being a commitment-phobe I found it easy to come up with a bunch of excuses not to buy, and only very few to actually go ahead.

Now the question is: what to do next? In six weeks or so it'll be full-blown winter here in Buenos Aires. I'm paid up in my current apartment until June 31st.

I'm considering the following options:

1. Summer in the UK again. This'll mean mostly playing/watching cricket and a lot of boozing. Maybe a weekend in Amsterdam (or something like that) mixed in.

2. Heading to Brazil, maybe an 8 week trip that goes something like BsAs ---> Iguazu -----> Rio de Janeiro in the first week, and then flying north to Salvador and renting an apartment for a month. I'd also really like to spend a couple of weeks checking out the Bay Islands of Honduras.

3. Heading over to the Mauritius for 6-8 weeks. I checked out flights and couldn't find anything for less than $2.2K USD, which is ridiculous. (It seems only South African Airlines operates flights between S.America and Africa?).

4. Struggling through winter here, saving as much $$ as possible and playing a lot of poker, with a view of heading back to the mountains (possibly the province of San Juan rather than Mendoza) in the spring to find the ideal small holding.

8 comments:

Razboynik said...

Hallelujah - praise the poker Gods !
The man has made a post.
I love your options - just don't pick England - it sucks.
I'm thinking of selling up and going abroad. I'm really p!ssed off with England at the moment.
I think that you made a wise choice not to buy that farm. All your eggs in one basket etc.
Keep posting dude...!

Perpetual_Traveller said...

Options 2 and 4 are the favs right now. Will have a long chat with 'er indoors and work things out over the next couple of weeks I think.


Where are you thinking of relocating? Blog about it.....?

Anonymous said...

It's great that you're actually making the PT life work. I'm hoping to break away from the grind, but anticipate at least another 10 years building capital. In the mean time, your posts are providing a bit of inspiration and reminding me that it can be done!

I'd second razboynik-anywhere but England... brazil is great, but the panhandlers are pretty aggressive in salvador old-town, though not such a problem down in barra district.

hope things work out.

PJ

Perpetual_Traveller said...

Thanks PJ.

Obviously there's two startegies to achieve PT status: get rich first, or work on the move.

Could you email me regarding your experiences in Brazil? perpetualtravellerATgmail.com. Thanks.

Unknown said...

5. Thailand - Vietnam!!!

Though it's rainy season, but it's not that bad... Summer is rainy season in England anyway :-P

- nepundo

Perpetual_Traveller said...

Anda cagar nepundo! LOL. Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam are definitely on my to do list. I hope you're still there by the time I get around to it.

TrUlster said...

Sweet options man, was in Salvador for some days after BsAs, and while interesting and a beautiful place to see, IMO not a place to stay for a month.

England does indeed seem like the worst choice... then again I am enjoying the Norwegian spring/summer immensly at the moment (people go crazy in these light nights).

Perpetual_Traveller said...

Hey Truls,

You're the 2nd to advise me that maybe Salvador isn't the best place to spend too much time. Thanks.

Looks like the rainy season in thailand and the UK (!) are out too. We'll see.

When are you likely to be back in BA?