Expenses continue to run high here in my rarified little corner of paradise and try as I might I can’t find the willpower to put a halt to it. Although my friend has come to believe in the divine power of nasi campur with almost the same fervor as I do and thus we have shared some one dollar meals that caused us both to question the merits of the entire restaurant industry, the fact that we both love to drink a beer in the afternoon and another in the evening, or perhaps even a (more expensive) cocktail, especially if there is a table and a panoramic view of the ocean where said drinks can be brought to us, has sent my daily budget up to and over the 20 USD mark more times than I am comfortable with. That being said, I’m having a fantastic time, while struggling mightily to avoid thinking about the ramifications of that time.
Perhaps part of the reason why I have felt able to loosen the proverbial purse strings in the last few weeks is that the end of my travels is starting to become visible on the horizon. I’ve bought my ticket back to the United States, and as the man says, all that is left to do is to take the ride. I’ll sojourn briefly in Thailand, revisiting the farm, saving some money, and shedding the layer of physical softness that has grown in direct proportion to The Balance’s rate of decline. The plan is not yet complete and there are many more decisions to be made, but the fact of my return to the world of day-to-day work and responsibility is more or less certain. I find myself intensely aware that the money I spend now directly impacts my remaining period of freedom, but nonetheless, I know for sure that I will not be destitute, that I will manage, and so another beer with a friend in a beautiful setting is manageable, even if it is not necessarily prudent.
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