Africa Series – Part 1

The world is always open, waiting to be discovered

Dejan Stojanovic

For quite a while now we have been deciding what the next step in our lives looks like. After much discussion, including options such as working abroad, travel, starting a family etc (see Our Version of FIRE for more), we settled on the idea of a FIRE trial run!

OK we’re not actually retiring, or even leaving our jobs. Actual FIRE is still a distant dream. But we’re taking an extended break in summer 2019 to travel for a month!

But how does this fit with our frugal tendencies and our ambition to achieve FIRE? 

‘Be Present’

A concept which we have raised previously is to ‘be present’. What we mean by this is to enjoy the journey to FI as well as the retirement itself! It’s very easy when seeking financial independence to get bogged down in saving every last penny and forego experience until a later date. Delayed gratification is a core principle of FIRE after all! We have been trying to optimise our spending to increase our savings rate and this trip will have a huge impact on those numbers. But it’s important to strike a balance. It essentially boils down to this: 

If you were to die tomorrow would you be happy with what you have done and achieved? 

Currently, we both feel like we need a break from the grind and travel is something we are both very passionate about. We have wanted to go on an extended trip together for some time, having only ever done the standard 1-2 week holidays until now. After all, it’s our aim to slow travel once we achieve financial independence. We have to be sure extended periods of travel work for us before taking the plunge! Both of us are passionate about exploring different parts of the world and immersing ourselves in their varied cultures. 

We don’t desire many material ‘things’ but spending money on life experiences such as travel is a different beast.  

So why Africa? 

Before we first met, we both had experience of extended travel (i.e. longer than the usual 2-week holiday). Miss Way had travelled independently to South America for two months. Mr Way had travelled to Southern Africa for a month with friends. 

These previous experiences meant we both had pre-conceived ideas of what we wanted our next trip to look like. Miss Way was keen on an adventure elsewhere in South America, and Mr Way wanted to explore Eastern Africa. To help consider these options further, we decided to each research our preferred trip. We came up with options, including:

• Rough costings
• Duration
• Travel styles etc. 

This was an incredibly useful exercise for both of us. When we got together to discuss both trips, we decided that we absolutely had to do both at some point in the near future! 

To cut a long story short, as you probably guessed from the title of this post, we decided to visit Eastern Africa! Among other points, this was mainly due to: 

• The trips involving a visit to mountain gorillas – there are very few of these incredible creatures left and who knows how long they will be around, plus permit costs to go and visit only seem to be heading one way
• The style of travel was much more basic – camping and long hours on an overland vehicle. This seemed more suited to our stage in life (i.e. still young and no dependants!)

Who to go with? 

Having decided on a location, we had a shortlist of possible trips from some of the main tour providers in the area. We briefly considered whether we could travel independently. However, considering the distances covered and the area we wanted to visit, we thought an organised tour was much more suitable. Again, we formed a comparison between the options and settled on the Ultimate East Africa trip by G Adventures .  

The itinerary and available dates were significantly more convenient than those from other providers. Previous experience with G Adventures also told us that this was a reliable company. They seemed very proactive on giving back to the local communities we would visit, which is very important to both of us. The opportunity to camp in various locations throughout East Africa is exciting and we’re looking forward to the adventure!

We ended up booking this trip through STA travel who again, we knew about through previous experience. They also provide a discount for repeat customers which is always a bonus! 

A lot of thought, research and planning went into this decision. In Part 2 of this series we will discuss this in more detail. We hope to provide full breakdowns of costs in order to help others facing a similar decision. 

How much?!? 

We currently estimate this trip will cost us in the region of £5,500 each, all in. This includes trip, flights, food, equipment, visas, vaccinations….. the whole lot. Still, it is painful to type out that number!

However, there are still opportunities to be frugal within the boundaries we have set for this trip. For example, we are borrowing rucksacks and camera equipment form very generous friends and family. These items could easily have become major additions to the budget so we are very grateful! 

Holiday allowances & possible missed opportunities 

Financial considerations aside, we also had to weigh up the impact this trip would have on other areas of our lives. With this trip being in the summer holiday period, Miss Way is available. However, for Mr Way, this trip (in addition to holidays/weddings already planned) uses his entire available holiday allowance for 2019. This means there will be long periods of the year with no break. That can be hard going in a mentally demanding job!

In addition to this, there are the missed opportunities while away. In the peak of summer, the UK weather is for once enjoyable. There are likely to be many outdoor social activities we will miss as well as the opportunity to go for walks/bike rides together. Summer is also the peak season for Mr Way’s sports team and will be a tough time to miss.  

Let’s go! 

All things considered, we absolutely can’t wait for this trip. We have been through somewhat of a roller-coaster of emotions throughout the decision process. It seemed worthwhile recording to show others that it is possible to splurge occasionally and still be on your way to FIRE! 

We all have different priorities. For us, a reduction in our savings rate this year is a sacrifice we are willing to take at this stage of our lives. Don’t worry, we’ll be trying extra hard to set a P.B. next year!!