Not Close Enough
A 514-day self-managed trip on a lean budget, combining logistics, admin, and a curated photo archive.
A 514-day self-managed trip on a lean budget, combining logistics, admin, and a curated photo archive.
Route and budget planning starting from €4,000 initial funds.
New Zealand setup in under a week, plus three jobs completed during the trip.
Annapurna Circuit, 12 days, Thorong La Pass at 5,416m.
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Key Points
- •514 days: 8 April 2024 to 3 September 2025
- •Initial budget: €4,000
- •NZ setup: <1 week (banking, admin, job search)
- •3 temporary jobs completed in NZ
- •Annapurna Circuit: 12 days, Thorong La 5,416m
- •Photo archive: 15,000+ shots, ~1,000 edited
Context
Dates: 8 April 2024 to 3 September 2025. A 514-day self-managed trip built on a lean budget, combining logistics, admin, and an editorial photo archive as output.
My Role
Planner, operator, and owner of execution. Logistics, budgeting, admin, and documentation.
What I Did
- •Built and updated the route plan and budget, making trade-offs based on cost, time, and risk.
- •Bought a car in Europe for €3,000 and sold it for €2,750, closing the full operation.
- •Set up in New Zealand in under a week: banking, admin, and job search.
- •Completed three temporary jobs in New Zealand, including packing and warehouse logistics supplying restaurants around Queenstown.
- •Managed a van buy/sell cycle in New Zealand.
- •Handled real incidents on the road, including supporting others through a motorbike accident.
- •Negotiated costs when possible, including a trek discount in exchange for photographic content.
- •Built a reliable photo backup system while moving and working, using external drives and a structured catalogue.
Results
Thorong La Pass at 5,416m. Photo archive of 15,000+ shots, with ~1,000 edited and catalogued for publishing. Scope: Europe by car (France, Italy, Slovenia, Adriatic coast to Northern Greece, back to Barcelona). Then Dubai. Nepal with the 12-day Annapurna Circuit. Thailand. New Zealand with a long work phase. Hong Kong. Japan. Return.
Key Learning
Complex operations require constant re-planning. Budget discipline and execution reliability matter more than perfect plans.
Employer Value
I can plan complex operations, keep budgets under control, make hard decisions, and execute reliably in changing conditions. I work comfortably in multicultural environments and can run documentation and systems in parallel with delivery.