My last day of travel was meant to be spent in Auckland, where I would have a day to explore a new country and catch a flight back to San Francisco. But the thing about plans is that sometimes, something better comes along.
I made a deal with a friend, skip work and I’ll skip my flight. What made the deal even more tempting was the suggestion of visiting the Blue Mountains, a dramatic mountain range just west of Sydney.
As much as I love spending time near the ocean, the mountains always have a way of pulling me back to them, so there I was on Friday morning, watching the sunrise over Bondi Beach instead of heading to the airport, knowing that I made the right decision.
In the interest of transparency I did not mistakenly miss my flight.
No, I would never (I’m too organized.) I voluntarily chose to skip it.
In high school, I had an incredible economics professor who could actually make his lessons stick. And one of the things that stuck was the concept of sunk costs. My flight to New Zealand and accommodation was already paid for, and changing my flight would cost double the original flight. But going to New Zealand wasn’t going to give me my money back, and there was no sense in going just because it’s paid for, when I would rather stay in Australia an extra day.
It’s so easy to get caught up in money, and to forget what makes you happy. Luckily, that’s something I figured out a long time ago.
So I just booked a new flight.
Instead of wandering around cold Auckland alone for a day, I got to spend my last day of traveling riding on the back of a motorcycle through the Blue Mountains in Australia.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Anyways, if there’s anything to take away from this (there’s always a takeaway- you know the drill) it’s to not let money guide your decisions, especially when it’s already a sunk cost.
Just do whatever you want, whatever makes you happy.
As long as it made you happy! I am dying to go to both Australia and New Zealand one day.