Life is complex, full of crossroads where we are forced into a life changing situation, or where a difficult choice has to be made.
I was lucky that life, and to a lesser degree my choices, pushed me into a path well rewarded economically.
It has also brought some true negatives. Ruined knee, severely damaged lower back, now with arthritis. Later a worn out shoulder, arthritis in neck.
My first wage after my studies was age 28. Was burdened with a student loan, eqvivalent to 5 average yearly wages, until 6 years ago.
Leaving my home country Sweden, a country full of wonderful, hardly touched nature where I used to spent most of my free time hiking and fishing. Hunting in season.
Leaving UK, where I managed to establish another type of life, with less ‘wild, real nature’ but more social culture.
Then another breakup, this time to a small, nature deprived island...
Beach? Not been there for at least 4 years......
Everything has a cost. If I want to enjoy the nature I love, and can live in effortlessly, (which is the Arctic Boreal in northern Norway or Sweden) I need to travel for close to 2 days.
I am not an elitist. I always preferred premium quality equipment. Which is usually expensive.
I got it by saving my money until I could buy it.
Give up one luxury a week. With luxury I mean something non essential. Like smoking one pack of smokes less a week ( 3 cigs less a day) Or one pint of beer at the pub.
Put that money in a glass jar.
Quite soon you can buy that expensive thing.
I still have the 1972 ABU Ambassadeur 5000 I bought after cutting neighbours lawns for a summer. I still have the 1973 Omega watch I bought after shovelling snow from neighbours drives brfore school for one winter. I still have and use the ( very expensive) equipment I bought through the 1970’s.
The quality is fantastic, longevity too.
The cheap equipment I have bought over the years is broken and replaced several times.
End of tangenting off topic.