14/6/2019

This was written on June 14th 2019 and I failed to continue and published it.

This morning I woke up much earlier than usual. It always gives me such a happy and positive vibe whenever I wake up an hour or two earlier than I usually do. Even though I do understand this and really keen for this — so much, but I always wake up too late than I would love to.

Last night I booked a flight to Melbourne. I’ll go there next month, mid July, alone. The reason I want to go there is I want to visit this market called Finders and Keepers. It’s an art and craft (and all things beautiful) that I’ve been admiring since almost a decade ago. I grew up financially unstable, so to be having to book a flight to Melbourne, to visit this market, is pretty much a wild idea to my brain.

I wasn’t planning to have another abroad trip this mid year, because me and my hubby have spent a week in Tokyo last spring. I was just scrolling on Instagram and found out that this market is actually happening in Brisbane on June and will be in Melbourne on July. The market itself doesn’t happen all year long. If I was not wrong, they do it only twice a year, summer and winter (July is a cold month down there), in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Then I randomly asked my hubby to go to Melbourne, because I’ve always wanted to go to Melbourne anyway. Back then when I was just starting my blog in 2008, I was so obsessed with the seemed-to-be-dreamy-life of Etsy, Frankie magazine, and Finders and Keepers market. I really love how they seemed so creative, which translated into their creations. So to be visiting Melbourne has been one of my dreams for almost a decade. Back to my conversation with my hubby, he then asked me why don’t I just go there myself. He understands that it has been a dream of mine for so long and it’s impossible for him to go (to ask for another leave permit from the office) — He convinced me to go.

So the decision is in my hand.

Financial wise, I do have some cash for this dream trip. I have been saving up constantly since 2014 (yes, I didn’t have any saving before that). My saving always go to travel and concert expenses, because I do save up my money for these two (and a property much later, fingers crossing). That’s the thing about making money and saving up. If you make money, make sure you do save up for the personal emergency fund, which for me, the target was 12 x monthly expenses. If you do have collected the personal emergency fund, then you can have another saving and spend it on the things you love — this is my logic hahaha. I will share more about this personal emergency fund later, when I feel like writing in detail, which I can’t promise when.

I asked my hubby again, whether he was serious about me going without him. He assured me that Melbourne won’t be any more challenging than Tokyo, because I’ve spent a few times alone in Tokyo, because they speak in English anyway. True. Then he also mentioned that Melbourne is one of the most liveable cities in the world for seven years in a row, according to The Economist. So there isn’t anything that I should be worried about. Also, the venue that the market will take place is in the CBD area, so it’s easier for a first timer like me.

Okay, I really wanted to go, but I’m still a bit hesitant. I’m hesitant because it will be my first time to go to Melbourne and more importantly I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend, to have an expense for myself. Becasue sometimes traveling feels like a huge expenses, not an investment.

I asked Diana and she told me the same thing as what my hubby said. Just go, when you have the chance, there’s nothing holding me back. I asked Sanya, one of my closest friends, she repeated what Diana was saying. Basically everyone told me to just go, but myself.

For a week, I kept on checking the cheapest ticket that I could find. Not thatI can’t afford the higher fare, again, I just don’t really have the heart to spend my money, that came as result from my hard work. But again, I try to remember that we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves, right? So then I booked the flight,  July 9th.

It’s the thing about making money. It happens many times before. I saved up for the dream designer bag that I’ve been wanting to have for years, but when I have the money fully collected, I just don’t want to spend it. I like the joy of just saving up but I rarely spend on things that I was saving for on the first place. But oh boy, when it comes to food, I don’t think twice to spend my money. It just vanishes. Lol.