How would your travel plans change if you won the lottery?
An Aussie backpacker won US$830,000 in a lottery after he impulsively decided to buy a ticket when he arrived to New Zealand. Before becoming a millionaire in Kiwi-land, the plan was to travel around the country for a few months, fruit picking on the way. "However, we will now be able to travel in a bit more style," he says.This story made me wonder: if I won the lottery, how would that change my plans?
Honestly, I'd still backpack. I repel 5-star hotels. Other than a luxurious bath, they really have nothing to offer and they make me feel like I am living in a posh, protected bubble that hides everything real the place I'm visiting has to offer. Paying a fortune for a clean bed makes no sense to me and often makes me feel sick.
This feeling was reemphasized lately when I went to Barcelona for work and I was put up in the Arts Hotel -- the most expensive hotel in the city. Everyone spoke English, I was surrounded by every nationality except Spaniards, a measly and tasteless coffee cost me €5(!!), and there was no place in my vicinity (other than a grubby Chinese restaurant) where I could eat for less than €20. I would much rather have stayed in a cheap little hostel in the city center where I would meet cool people (who don't have a pole up their backside or a $ sign on their forehead) and have access to cheap local food and bars where the Catalans hang.
So if I won the jackpot, I would invest some of the money in assets that would generate consistent revenue so I could spend more time more often on the road; the rest I would give to some cause. What would you do?
Filed under: Australia, New Zealand, Hotels and Accommodations, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Feb 28th 2008 @ 6:13PM
Craig said...
I'd probably keep doing what I do (a half-step up from backpacking/hosteling) but I could get rid of the time constraints and travel as long as I want whenever I want. (Yes, I could go the Vagabonding route without the lottery, but I don't think the wife is up for it!)
As one famous guidebook writer (I won't say his name because of the probable backlash) always says, the more money you spend while traveling, the more you distance yourself from the culture you're trying to experience.
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Feb 28th 2008 @ 6:17PM
Anna Brones said...
A agree with you Abha; invest the money so you can do more fun things later. Or give it to a few good non-profits. I definitely prefer getting a taste of the local culture, but I will say that on my trip to Southeast Asia in the fall, after 5 weeks of traveling and staying in hostels, my travel partner and I sprung for a classier hotel with a pool. One of the best three day investments I ever made, but I don't know if I would do it over the long term.
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Feb 28th 2008 @ 7:50PM
Ben said...
I would keep backpacking and hosteling, but I would sit in one of those big seats in the front of the plane.
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Feb 28th 2008 @ 10:18PM
Marilyn Terrell said...
This 26-yr-old sergeant just won $1 million and is going back to volunteer for a third tour of duty in Iraq:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/WaterCooler/story?id=4358724
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Feb 28th 2008 @ 11:37PM
Arun said...
I would continue to backpack, but once in a month or so would splurge for 2-3 days. And then there are things that I can't do with my current budget, like may be some nice helicopter rides, learn to skydive etc, and the new money can go for that.
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Mar 1st 2008 @ 12:15AM
Brittany said...
I would use some of the money to enroll in language programs in a certain country, live with host families for the experience and culture, and then end every trip by hosting a nice dinner for the families I lived with and friends I've made during the stay. At times, I will even sign up for volunteer work. I will do this type of travel over and over again for as long as I live.
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Mar 3rd 2008 @ 12:42PM
Norm King said...
I'd buy a small airplane, very small, like a light sport aircraft. (LSA) Then I'd travel the USA, happily viewing our country, slow and low. Tent and sleeping bag when necessary. Airport-near motels when available. Heaven on earth from a thousand feet up. Gotta love it!
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Mar 3rd 2008 @ 6:42PM
Rollando said...
If I had won a million, After paying off the bills, I would do something to have fun. Half of it for sure in income earning investments without question. The rest I would use for travel around the USA as well as the world. Perhaps buy a seat on the Space Shuttle. Perhaps finance a political campaign to run for a US House seat or US Senate seat just to see if I could win. One is only limited to one's imagination. Believe me, I can imagine plenty of things to do with the winnings.
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