Money does buy happiness

Yeah, no.

I can't buy prowess in craftsmanship I care. I can't buy meaning of my work and life. I can't buy time spent with close friends (not mere acquitances Americans call friends).

Lack of money can ruin all these, but once I have just enough to not bother much with cost of living, I don't really care.

Not everyone wants to travel to foreign countries. Much less people make anything meaningful out of such trips. You have been to Egypt and seen pyramids? OK, so what? It's not like you are second Edward Atkinson. You probably were on an organized trip and have several photos, that's all.