I am not sure what it is in my genetic makeup that causes it to happen. It’s not that I look for a fast buck, want to have more than anyone else. I just want to have enough, and the things I want are normally a bit different to what others desire. To start with at least.
My father was always very careful and calculating, saved for everything before he bought, never overstretched himself and never really has had to worry too much about money.
My brother the same, always done fantastically, worked very hard, saved and got what he wanted, he has done particularly well through it. Even my children seem to have a better grasp on financial reality than I, they are all carful people.
So quite where did I go wrong. When I see something I want I don’t want to wait for it I want it now. I can always see the vision of what the thing (for want of a better word) has the potential to turn into, create or help me achieve and it will only be to the detriment of all if I should have to wait.
Now I am in a situation where I need somewhere to live, as I am working away from home for a while. Most people would probably go out and rent themselves a nicely furnished modest town house for easy access to work and close or in town for a social life. But to me that is a waste, why rent an average place where there is no real long term benefit. When you leave it, you have nothing to show but a wallet as empty as a Zambian litter pickers meeting.
For those who know me, alarm bells will be ringing at such volume as to deafen Beethoven. You see I have a bit of a history of being stitched up like a kipper when it comes to land deals. I have lost so much money and land that I probably could have retired by now if I had taken better advice. But never mind that is water under the bridge now.
Now talking of water and bridges, I have found a piece of land no more than 20 minutes slow drive to work which I think would be perfect. It has upsides and down sides. I am a great believer in concentrating on the upsides (which is why I am where I am and my brother is where he is) and giving a little less time to the downsides.(Which is where Adrian concentrates and what he is particularly good at spotting.)
Now I am going to break all habits and look at the down sides.
1) It has no electricity.
2) It is too big. (why would you want with 25-50 Acres anyway?)
3) It has no running water. (Well it does but that is another twist)
4) It is over a mile from the nearest dirt road.
5) You are thinking of buying it from a chief. (last time you did that you lost a house a borehole, 100acres of land and a fantastic dream along with about £100,000.00)
6) It has no house.
7) Your neighbours are Crocodiles, Hippos Elephants, Lions, Bush pigs millions of birds, Fish, Billions of insects and a village of locals about three miles away. (So you will probably get eaten if you live there.)
OK. Now the bit that I listen to:-
1) No electric bills, no power cuts or overhead power lines. (I will use solar and wind) Only need Fridge, freezer, lights and low power usage sockets.
2) It has enough room to build a main House and if we feel like it later some lodges to bring in extra income. All this without being crowded or spoiling the environment.
3) It DOES have running water (About 400 billion litres per second) it’s just in the river, and that forms the southern boundary all 500 metres of it. Oh yes and that river just happens to be the great Zambezi. So solar or wind pump up to a settling tank, gravity feeding through 1 micron filter then finally U.V. filter for drinking water. But direct to grey water system.
4) I can build my own road. It might get a little sticky in the rainy season but we can always make a plan and if the worst comes to the worst, I can go to work by Boat.
5) Ok so we got burned before. This time after hearing the deal from the chief, I will personally go to the minister of lands and check that it is all above board and legal.
6) Ok yes you have a point here, But building is very cheap here and if I spend on building what I would spend on Rent, the house would be paid for in a year.
7) That’s why the place is so special, where else in the world can you live with all this and still be in work in 20 minutes.
8) I have the opportunity of owning a place in a setting virtually unrivalled in the world. Even if I moved, it would be the holiday place to die for, you can rent it out. It’s two hour’s drive from the country’s international airport. (One, if you use the local Mini Busses. And you thought the Lions were dangerous) It lies totally secluded apart from that which is natural, in beautiful virgin bush. When the sun rises in the morning it comes up over the river, dancing fantastic warming colours over the surface. The calls of the wild animals go on long into the evening adding to the feeling of seclusion but not solitude.
So you see, to me there is no doubt this is the best plan going forward. I am going to pursue it and work out how much it is all going to cost. And if it does not stack up or not make good financial sense.
I will probably do it anyway because it’s just so nice. (I’m doing it again aren’t I)
Denzil Bark.
No comments:
Post a Comment