I sit on the precipice of a most unmustachian journey.
Many months ago when I planned this trip I included a mini vacation before the vacation. I did it because I had a surplus of miles and a blank slate to work with.
I did it because I was curious.
I did it because I’m as hungry for a new experience as the next guy.
But I will be the first to admit it. This trip is a manifestation of my own unique split personality disorder.
The early retirement part of me wants to subsume my own consumerist instinct. I’ve spent money in the past, and it’s affect on my happiness was neutral in the final tally.
Sure, there was the thrill of the purchase, and the satisfying itch-scratching pleasure of getting something new. But behind that there was the buyers regret, and the feeling of emptiness. It felt like the opposite of progress. And it’s that dead-end feeling that I remind myself as I trim back spending in pursuit of my own financial freedom.
But the itch remains. I still want to know what it feels like to lie down on a fully flat business-class seat. And I am not immune to the allure of warm mixed nuts and complementary bubbly.
Call me shallow. You’d be right to do so.
But the miles game has given me the opportunity to scratch this itch for the low low price of taxes and fees (about $70.).
So here I sit nursing an IPA at the airport Laurelwood and planning my attack.
Step 1. Air Canada portland to Vancouver BC. Economy.
Plan: water. No pretzels. Save stomach space
Step 2 Vancouver.
Plan: Cab to Chen’s Shanghai. Eat XLB (soup dumplings), Shanghai rice cake and beef roll.
Step 3. cab back to Vancouver airport.
Plan: hang out in business club lounge and read.
Step 4: 2 AM redeye flight Vancouver to Taipei. Eva airlines. Arrive at 5 AM.
Plan: Soak it all in. Then sleep.
Step 5: Hustle into Taipei on public transportation.
Plan: do some walking. Sample the local street food. (The early morning arrival will make Beef noodle hard to come by. Drat)
Step 6: Hustle back to the airport.
Plan: Hang out and rest in business club lounge.
Step 7: 1 PM business-class flight to Taipei to Osaka. Take a nap.
Step 8: 5 PM Arrive in osaka.
Plan: Bus to Kyoto. Hug Mrs Dividend and my kids.
I’m excited. There. I said it.
Stay tuned.
Reports to follow.
