The Flavor of a Trip Only Possible Now: DIE WITH ZERO | A 40-Year-Old Woman's European Rail Journey [Compilation 10]
For the final part of this compilation, I would like to summarize my thoughts looking back on this journey.
It was 2018 when I quit the company I had worked at for many years and set off on my travels.
Nearly 10 years have passed since then, and during that time, there have been countless moments where I thought,I'm glad I made the decision to go on that trip back then.
Along with the memories of a trip I could only have taken because I was stepping into my 40s, I would like to think about the value of experiences that can only be had at a specific time.
<A 40-Year-Old Woman's European Rail Journey | Trip Overview>
・April to July 2018
・96 days / 28 countries
・Total rail travel distance: approx. 26,500 km
・Used Eurail Pass (3-month continuous version)
・Only one flight taken
・Travel by train + occasional bus
My Encounter with "DIE WITH ZERO"
Three years had passed since my European tour, and it was the second year of the pandemic,2021.
At a time when I no longer had the freedom to travel, a close boss at my company lent me this book, saying, "I think you'd like this, why don't you read it?"
▼ It's become quite famous lately, hasn't it?
I don't usually like business books, but since I had borrowed it, I picked it up right away thinking I should read it quickly, and it was a shock.
"This is exactly what I was thinking!"
Things like how the things you want to do have an expiration date, or how experiences are treasures that no one can take away from you. Those words brought tears to my eyes.
That was exactly why I quit my job to go on a trip; I was afraid that if I waited until retirement, situations like family issues or my own health might make it impossible to travel, and
above all, I might lose my own interest or energy.The things I decided on with those thoughts were written exactly in this book, and I was thrilled that it
put into words what I wanted to say.
The key to maximizing time and money lies in "timing."
What enhances life's fulfillment is"experiences appropriate for that specific time."
This Trip Was a Turning Point in My Life
I easily threw away a privileged environment to enjoy a year off, and then went through my first job change.
Of course, I had unpleasant experiences and days when I felt down, but once I started a new job, the days of working returned as if nothing had happened.
After that, I was blessed with opportunities and changed jobs several times.
Thanks to that, both my career and my encounters with people have expanded significantly.
The thing I was worried about before quitting,"won't taking a year off be a negative?"is something I haven't felt at all, at least personally, as I've been able to have various experiences.
Perhaps it's because my heart was fulfilled, but the days after the trip were spent working happily, and I also felt an invincible sense thatI can do anything if I try.
It is a troublesome change, however, that I no longer want to eagerly go on trips during short breaks, even though I used to make full use of summer vacations to travel with my husband.
What This Trip Expanded
This trip didn't just remain as my experience; rather, it has continued to multiply without end.
During the COVID-19 pandemic when I couldn't go anywhere, I enjoyed organizing photos and making albums, enjoyed writing travel essays, and now, I've been able to post them on note and have many people read them.
Furthermore, triggered by this trip, my interests expanded to wanting to know more aboutwine and World Heritage sites, leading me to challenge myself with certification exams, and in that process, I was able to meet new friends.
In that sense, it could be said that this trip is still not over.
Memories Generate Compound Interest
What left an impression on me in DIE WITH ZERO was the concept of"compound interest of memories (memory dividends)."It means that experiences provide not only the joy of the moment but also memories that can be recalled later, which in turn lead to new experiences.
I agree with this concept so much that I could nod my head off.
That's because I feel that the money and time I spent back then have returned to me many times over.
I think there were things I could do and things I could feel precisely because I was able to travel during that era, with the physical strength I had just entering my 40s, and with the experience I had at that time.
(Furthermore, the seasons, which only happen once a year, are also important!)
As an investment in an experience that can only be had "now", I want to praise myself for making a pretty good choice.
The Journey Continues
Nearly 10 years have passed since then, and now that I can hear the footsteps of my 50s, new interests are sprouting again.
I feel that encountering this note will generate even more compound interest, and my expanded interests will bring even more.
Thinking about it that way, I feel like this journey is still going on.
After all, I'm already starting to want to go onthe next trip.
"A 40-Year-Old Woman's European Rail Journey"has been posted for almost a year now. Thank you to everyone who has accompanied me on this long-running series.
It ended up being quite a long series, but from here on, I would like to slowly post about my leisurely rail trips to places like Taiwan, Uzbekistan, and the Shikoku Pilgrimage, so I hope for your continued support.
🚊You can read all the episodes of the European rail journey series in this magazine. For those who love trains, and for those who don't💐↓