Little_prince Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 (edited) 'I miss my family but it's worth it': Banker swaps £75,000-a-year job for a bamboo hut on remote island in Laos... and says he's never been happierJon Watkinson used to be a City banker earning £75k a year He used to dread waking up and hating commuting with 'grey ghosts' At the age of 27, he gave up job and home to travel South East Asia Visited island of Don Det in Mekong River, Laos and decided to stay Had to build his own bamboo hut to live in and hunts for food Loves his new life and his trust in humanity 'has been restored by locals' Only thing he misses about the UK is friends and family he left behind By LUCY WATERLOW FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 11:53 GMT, 19 July 2015 | UPDATED: 11:12 GMT, 20 July 2015 A banker who used to earn more than £75,000 a year and live in a plush apartment in London gave it all up at the age of 27 to find a more peaceful way of life on a remote island. Jon Watkinson, now 31, bought a one-way ticket to Bangkok four years ago and, after travelling around South East Asia, chose to settle on the island of Don Det in the middle of the Mekong River in Southern Laos. Now he says he couldn't be happier with his simple existence, which includes hunting for his own food, washing in the river and living without modern technology. +6 All change: Former banker Jon Watkinson gave up a life in London for a hut on a remote island in Laos +6 Simple life: Mr Watkinson, pictured with Ben Fogle, now lives in a bamboo hut in the Mekong River The only thing he misses about his old life is the friends and family he left behind - but he believes the separation is well worth it. 'My family are very supportive. I miss them but they supported me in this. It's a sacrifice for my way of life,' he said. Raised in East Anglia, Mr Watkinson started working in finance at the age of 19 and became a high flying banker in the City of London. But after less than a decade of city life, he became increasingly unhappy with his career and felt trapped in the rat race. Mr Watkinson, who appears on Channel 5 documentary New Lives in the Wild, says: 'Monday to Friday I dreaded waking up. 'I got on the Tube and looked at all the grey ghosts who had lost the will to live... I knew I needed a change of direction. +6 Hands on: Mr Watkinson's new live involves hunting for food or growing his own 'The epiphany moment came when I looked around at work at everyone typing into their computers. 'I didn't see what we were producing. We were just producing emails and nothing of any value. 'I thought I have never built or made anything or had tangible results in my hands, I thought that's what I want to do.' Mr Watkinson quit his job and London home, sold 'everything I had' and decided to go travelling. After he reached Don Det, which has a population of about 400 people, he decided to stay as he loved the laidback environment and welcoming locals. 'I found this place where I thought I could put roots down and do something different. I love it here, I am indebted to this country as it has given me back my trust in humanity which I lost in the UK,' he said. Don Det is a tranquil, rural community surrounded by natural beauty and little else. When Jon decided to make it his home, he had to build his own one-bed hut out of bamboo. +6 Dinner time: Mr Watkinson gets his meals by fishing in the Mekong River He admits it wasn't an easy task given his lack of previous experience - and the roof leaked for a while. But he was grateful at the way the locals helped him out after they saw him 'sweating and trying something when I didn't know what I was doing'. He added: 'The children here know how to control buffalo and use a machete. When I came here, the locals looked at me like I was a baby because I didn't know how to do anything other than use a laptop or a mobile phone - for here those skills are pointless.' Mr Watkinson now lives without a TV or telephone, although he does have electricity as he says a fridge and an electric fan are a must for surviving the humidity. He said: 'I need electricity to keep cool. I get water from a well and then keep it cold in the fridge. 'Electricity is my biggest expense at £15 a month - my living costs are way less than when living in England.' +6 Helping out: Mr Fogle with some of the villagers who live on Don Det - 400 people live there in total +6 Remote: The second episode sees Mr Fogle meet Barbara Walker, 61, who lives in the Australian Outback With no local shops or supermarkets on hand, he has to hunt and fish for his own food - with frogs often on the menu. He goes for a daily 7km run around with island accompanied by local dogs. 'It's a hangover from my office days when running was the best thing in my day,' he said. He admits having a love life is 'tough' as there are 'strict rules' in the area on having a girlfriend. When entering a relationship, couples are expected to marry. Mr Watkinson admits any woman who wants to be with him will have to embrace his way of living. 'I envision my future here, no doubt,' he said. 'I would need to be with someone who could commit to the lifestyle.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3165600/I-miss-family-s-worth-Banker-swaps-75-000-year-job-bamboo-hut-remote-island-Laos-says-s-never-happier.html#ixzz3gUbYMFtj Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook 75K per annum considered high flying banker in London? market must be really really bad sia.... that's barely a bank teller/counter wiper pay in MCF. LOL but to be able to give up everything and live in the wild is really amazing... i doubt i could even last a week. Edited July 21, 2015 by Ragingbull ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evillusion Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 Might as well gives up his 'bankers' joblah......where got banker earns 75000 pounds per annum wan. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nzy Twincharged July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 75K per annum considered high flying banker in London? market must be really really bad sia.... that's barely a bank teller/counter wiper pay in MCF. LOL but to be able to give up everything and live in the wild is really amazing... i doubt i could even last a week. But convert to sgd and its $160k a year. Not much but more than average already. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingenius Turbocharged July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 Shouldnt family be the most important thing not to forsake ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckduck Turbocharged July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 (edited) singies do this = poor useless no life unambitious go kill yooursself AM do this = adventurous, amazing, indiana jones, hero worship, GCP magnet Edited July 21, 2015 by Duckduck 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mockngbrd Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 he go piak corpse? 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wt_know Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 (edited) cannot convert like that la ... $75k pound in UK is very low for a "banker" based on UK high living cost with VAT and income tax ! might as well convert to Laos Lao kip (approx $948 millions LK) ... lol But convert to sgd and its $160k a year. Not much but more than average already. Edited July 21, 2015 by Wt_know 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman888 Moderator July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 still it is not easy to leave the comfort zone and go for the extreme living condition 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrocarbon Turbocharged July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 singies do this = poor useless no life unambitious go kill yooursself AM do this = adventurous, amazing, indiana jones, hero worship, GCP magnet Maybe his family think of him in the same way sinkies think of us when we do it, and it's just the AMDK mentality that's quite prevalent now that makes one think that when an ang mo does it, it's good? If we just stop caring so much about what others think about us, it might just be a better for our mental health overall. And, like some bros mentioned, 75K GBP isn't a huge salary for a banker in UK.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ender Hypersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 (edited) He thinks he is Harrison Ford in the movie Witness. Edited July 21, 2015 by Ender 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoverofCar 6th Gear July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 he go piak corpse? After reading the piak piak corpse thread....this was my immediate reaction too.... [laugh] 75K per annum considered high flying banker in London? market must be really really bad sia.... that's barely a bank teller/counter wiper pay in MCF. LOL but to be able to give up everything and live in the wild is really amazing... i doubt i could even last a week. High flyer? In MCF....he will be considered as low income group..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toothiewabbit Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 Looks Brokeback Mountain types ya? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kangadrool Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 I googled liao. The median payscale for a private banker in UK is 51K pa. So, he earns 70K+, must be high fryer. But, "bankers" many kind lah, those selling credit cards also call themselves banker. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustank Hypersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 Mi6 sleeper ops lah 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wt_know Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 singapore $2500 banker wear branded watch from mon to sun liao ... I googled liao. The median payscale for a private banker in UK is 51K pa. So, he earns 70K+, must be high fryer. But, "bankers" many kind lah, those selling credit cards also call themselves banker. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little_prince Supersonic July 21, 2015 Author Share July 21, 2015 (edited) I googled liao. The median payscale for a private banker in UK is 51K pa. So, he earns 70K+, must be high fryer. But, "bankers" many kind lah, those selling credit cards also call themselves banker. that's like bank teller salary in sg lol But convert to sgd and its $160k a year. Not much but more than average already. you might as well deduct income tax. he might have less disposable income than some fresh grads lor Edited July 21, 2015 by Little_prince Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koko 4th Gear July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 this banker said he earns 75k pound... maybe this is after their 40% income tax... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kangadrool Supersonic July 21, 2015 Share July 21, 2015 you may be right since many countries have income tax deducted upfront every month instead of year end. this banker said he earns 75k pound... maybe this is after their 40% income tax... ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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