I’ve been brought up with a sensible approach to money. I had a paper round at 13, a part-time job throughout school and university, and I’ve always saved a portion of my earnings since working full time. The three month trip that I’m on right now is down to the fact that for two years I saved every single month, although admittedly with no specific aim to go abroad. I’ve travelled a lot since 2014 and inadvertently stopped buying as many new clothes in order to fund my new passion.
Now I’m away and I am loving every second of it. But when you’re away for three months, you can’t fit more than two weeks worth of outfits into a backpack and it is driving me nuts. Four weeks in and I am so god damn bored of what I’ve got with me. Two pairs of jeans, two pairs of trousers, two pairs of shorts (which I haven’t been able to wear since I left Singapore because the weather has been distinctly English everywhere else I’ve been). Multiple mix and match cami tops and a few tshirts. ONE HOODY. Two pairs of trainers, a pair of sandals and a pair of flip flops.
I miss my Tatty Devine necklaces. I had the perfect scenario for my long denim duster coat the other day and was so bloody annoyed that I don’t have it with me. My poor Mulberry bags are tucked up in their dust bags at my mum’s house not being used and if that’s not money down the drain I don’t know what is.
I find myself really desperately wanting to shop for the first time in months. I’m feeling really inspired by some of the clothes I’ve found in Asia, but I can’t afford to shop because I couldn’t do this incredible trip without budgeting. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ungrateful for the position I’m in at all, but it turns out I would very much like to be able to afford some of the awesome things I’ve found in boutiques and markets so far. Or be able to fit them in my bag! The blue and silver brogues in PMQ, Hong Kong. The denim midi wrap skirt in Xintiandi, Shanghai. I want them all!
I’ve made my choice and I am more than happy with it. But when I’m back in the UK this summer, you can rest assured that I won’t be wearing my Nike trainers or using my trusty brown satchel for a really, really long time.
