_DSC0006I’ve been tracking my spending over the first week of travel. I enjoy this kind of math and I wish there was more information about exact costs when I do research for traveling. I find it ridiculous when travel info websites don’t talk about cost, even a ball park estimate. I know there are many reasons the prices change but for most people the cost is a concern, a defining concern. Its a reason not to travel, the idea that travel is very expensive has probably stopped many amazing trips before they even got to the planning stages.
I would thoroughly enjoy destroying any reason not to travel.

In the first week I’ve spent 577 Ringgit (133USD). 81RM (19USD) per day all inclusive.
I’ve been in Kuala Lumpur, Palau Ketam, Teluk Kemang and Melaka.
2RM (.50USD) for an hour bus ride. 4RM for a couple hours.
7.50RM (2USD) for an hour and a half train ride.
5RM (1USD) for street food.
10-15RM (2.50-3.50USD) for a nicer restaurant.
20RM (4.50USD) for a very cheap single bed room.
40-70RM (9-16USD) for a double with A/C and wifi.
23RM for the Zoo.
15RM for a boat tour.
15RM for a movie at a theater.
2RM for a 500ml water bottle.
4RM for 1.5L water bottle.

19 US dollars is what a lot of people make an hour. But even if you make minimum wage in the US you could save an hour of your pay per day and still travel for a week every two weeks once you have enough for your plane ticket. Which I suspect is a big stopper for a lot of people.

I paid 527USD for my plane ticket from Seattle to Kaula Lumpur. So in total travel cost I’ve spent 660 for a week of travel, or 94USD per day. Not as good as 19USD and I haven’t even taken into account the gear I bought to make my trip a little easier.

I think its about setting yourself up to do the things you want to do.
I will talk about how I set myself up and I can really only give advice for that way of being. I have put a lot of effort into setting myself up to succeed, not just in the short term but in years and decades. I’m not going to say I’m ready to let my setup ride without continued work but I think I’m proud that I’m even thinking of my long term.

I will talk about setting myself up for this trip in a future post.