A father of six and his wife have resorted to selling their multi-million-dollar mansion in the United States (US) in order to travel full time.
In an essay he penned for Travel+Leisure Magazine, Kimanzi Constable, the man with Kenyan roots, noted that the duo had reached an age where they wanted to experience the world.
He further noted that he had suffered immense racism in his stay in Wisconsin and was looking to expand his horizon. He had also spent two years in Mombasa, the birthplace of his mother, during his childhood.
The idea to sell their home, a 4,000-square-feet house, first occurred to the two while on vacation in Europe. It was first floated by his wife and he could not resist.
The mansion had 5 bedrooms, 4 full baths, a gorgeous master suite, pool, hot tub, 2 car garage, entertaining outdoor space, and a chef's kitchen.
"We were on a Greek isles cruise when my wife floated the idea of selling everything and traveling full-time. Since it's just us now, why not see the world? In less than a minute, I was all in on the idea.
"We got back from Europe with a commitment and plan to make travel our everyday life," he stated in the essay.
When the duo returned to Wisconsin, it took them five days to sell their house and a few weeks to distribute their properties.
"It's always funny to realize how much "stuff" you've accumulated when you're moving. We had this experience selling our 4,000-square-foot house and all its possessions. It was an emotional battle as we wrestled with making such a massive life shift.
"Our home sold in five days, and we were able to sell or donate all of our material possessions in a few weeks," he added.
Their first trip came shortly after, in October 2021, and the they set off for their first destination, Puerto Rico. They lived in Florida at the time.
They then moved to Rome where they spent a month before heading to Lisbon in Portugal.
Racism Factor
Kimanzi explained that the two were free to travel noting that all their children, aged between 18 years and 26 years, were grown up.
He also noted that he had suffered racism in US and revealed that other countries were more inclusive as compared to some states in America.
"My mother is from Mombasa, Kenya, and my father is from Chicago, Illinois. I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spent two years living in Mombasa. I'm an African-American who has experienced both sides of racial tension. I've been called horrible things while also being made to feel as if I'm not 'black' enough.
"Part of our decision to move abroad was from frustration — I am a frustrated person of color who wishes circumstances were different. I'm tired of living with prejudice and constantly explaining racism," he explained.
Kimanzi is a writer and entrepreneur.
