KEY POINTS:
It is a question asked all too often - what price a life?
In the case of divorcee Ian Usher the answer appeared simple if relatively unsubstantial: £192,000 (NZ$514,457).
Having put everything he had acquired during his 44-year-existence to date - house, car, access to friends even a trial run at his job as a rug salesman - up for sale on eBay, Mr Usher had been looking forward to spending the money on an exciting new future living out his wildest fantasies.
But now his hopes of living the dream, plans which included a spot of nude skydiving and driving a car off a jetty to raise money for charity, have been put on hold after his buyer and all the other top bidders who logged on to the internet auction site pulled out of the deal.
Speaking yesterday, the British expat now living in Perth, north-east Australia, said he was deeply disappointed with the way things had turned out though he said he believed everyone who bid had been genuine, either running into cash or visa difficulties which prevented them taking up the extraordinary offer.
"It has not gone very well at all. None of the highest five or six bidders were able to go ahead and complete the sale," he explained.
"I think what happened was that people had put relatively low bids in, not expecting to win," he said.
"I am very surprised I am the only person out there with a bit of adventure. It is a bit of a shame, but never mind."
The plan to sell his life made headlines around the world although the publicity did not help drive up the value of his life sufficiently to his liking and he was forced to admit after bidding closed that he had been underwhelmed by the price.
But he insisted the latest setback was not going to deter him selling up. Although this time he is going to go through the traditional advertising route for his three-bedroom home, Mazda car, jetski and parachute gear.
The money will go towards funding his latest project, entitled 100 Goals, 100 Weeks, a global odyssey which will see him complete 100 lifelong ambitions in three years and which he hopes will raise £50,000 for bowel cancer charities in memory of his late father.
- INDEPENDENT
