Short Vacation

by Ed

I just got back from a short vacation on Tioman Island. For foreigners visiting Malaysia, there are several tropical islands you can visit that is a bit like heaven on earth. Us locals prefer to stay out of the heat and blazing sun. My vacation was way too short due to tide timing issues and the fact that we had another event, a wedding we had to attend. I can say I don’t “have to do” anything I don’t want to but my dad promised relatives he’ll be there and the vacation was scheduled later. If it were just me and my other half, we’d probably get a later boat and give the wedding a miss. So, we ended up at the nice resort for a total of 24 hours while we spent 21 hours travelling.

While the plan was to have at least a day and a half on the island, and that plan we messed up, I made the best of the time available. Which is how life is, right? Not everything will go according to plan. If they don’t go according to plan, great. We meant getting to bed a bit later and getting up earlier to enjoy the beach and pool. So even with the limited time, I still had a great time.

What surprised me though were prices though. Malaysia used to be quite affordable for us locals. As a student years ago, I saved up enough money to go for budget trips with my friends. We call them “economy trip” then. On such trips even though we can afford a bit nicer food and drinks, we try to get as low a bargain as possible. We had a lot of fun and got a real kick out of such trips. We even bragged how little we spent back in those days.

Fast forward to today. I found that the locals are perhaps pricing things for foreigners. Those with larger purchasing power, who might not bat an eyelid to be charged US$ 80 – 100 for a room. As a result, the locals like me find things a bit steep. At such a time like this, I wish that I have more money to spend on holidays. Not that we can’t afford it but the thought of paying steep prices turns me off.

This brings me back to the point about planning and having mentally prepared to spend money. If you read back to a post I wrote titled Rich, Yet Poor, some time ago, a lady by the name of Hetty Green, a millionaire several times over but choose to life like a pauper. That is no way to live. If the sole purpose is to accumulate money without spending it, why do it in the first place. Perhaps money give people a sense of security. The more money you have in the bank means you are more secure. This argument might be true to some degree but I think it give only a false sense of security. I think most of us place our security in the wrong things and I’m guilty of it to some extent. By the way, Hetty Green is not the only one. There are quite a few of such people around.

One reason I think it happens for me is that perhaps have not drawn up this years budget. Yeah, yeah, I’m guilty of that one too. With a budget, I reckon it will alleviate such thinking as to spend as little as possible. With a budget set for things in the future, it would be easier to spend money you have. Not money you don’t have. See this article about the Rich and Stupid. Perhaps stupid is too strong. Silly would be more appropriate.

So, in closing, 2 tips here:-