I thought I should put a post up to celebrate my anniversary. I am one year house free today.
On 13th February last year – I sold my house in the UK and started this nomadic lifestyle. In the process I paid off all of my credit card and other debt and became debt free for the first time in decades. If I had kept the house, I reckon I wouldn’t have been debt free until my early 70s and by then probably too old to travel. I find it hard enough now. I can’t do the walking I used to do as a young man and I get tired after half a day’s sight-seeing. But I am out there seeing the world instead of watching reels going around on a machine.
I’m very happy with my choice of lifestyle. I am on budget and now that I am working, I am confident I can remain solvent into the foreseeable future.
It strikes me sometimes, that my journey is a bit like my recovery. Okay, I have a big picture – that I am travelling overland, (as far as possible,) to Brazil, but I am taking small steps, (literally!) I know where I want to be at the end of this year, but I am taking things one day at a time.
When I was gambling – there was no big picture. I just gambled for the sake of it. If I had had the big win – I know I would have just used it to continue gambling. Later it was going to pay my debts off. I needed a goal in life; I needed to be working (or walking) towards something.
So today I was seeing more of Paris. This time next year I plan to be in Porto. There is a whole world out there other than the inside of a casino, betting shop or a slots arcade. I intend to experience as much of it as I can.