Yep 100% overpopulated & the weather is shit, expensive? i disagree on that one.

Your age will always be an issue unless you have loads of money, i got in just in the nick of time, they want you to work & pay taxes for said amount of years, thus why there is a cutoff date (age wise).

In all honesty Ted you should have been doing this ten years ago, with your skills they would have rolled out the red carpet.

Mezo.

Can I put in a plug for an island nation down the bottom of the world-'Stralia! The centre can get a bit hot but most people live on the coast or a short way inland from the coast. It has the tropical climate in the north, cooler temps on an island not far off the mainland called 'Tassie" and moderate temperatures along the coast. Budgie smugglers (better known as swimming costumes for the male of the species) are recommended as summers are long and the beaches beckon. Females -bring your costumes also. The cost of living is moderate by European standards except for house ownership-quite expensive! Exotic animals abound such as the Hairy-nosed wombat, the Tasmanian devil, the numbat, the kangaroo, potaroo (I know what you're thinking but we do have them), echidna and the Platypus (one of only two egg-laying marsupials in the world) for all you animal buffs!
Road rules are usually quick to adapt to for most. Some motorists however see the STOP sign as merely a suggestion but that behaviour is frowned upon by the rest of the motoring community. Playing in the middle of the road is also frowned upon but now and again we see a snake or two catching a few rays on the road, with the usual result forthcoming unfortunately. Stay upright folks.

You say that, but I come from a North European country, and I have done enough counter-cyclical travel to realize that I need seasons. I can't live somewhere like Singapore, where the weather is damn near static year-round. I need winter for the same reasons that soil needs crop rotation.

That's part of what I like about NZ - it's got the advantages of Australia (a language I speak, excellent variety of nature, sane approaches to things like healthcare and education) without the disadvantages (nothing is particularly poisonous, there are places to legitimately enjoy winter/spring/fall, and the national self-image seems to be significantly less full of itself).

This is a solid scenario. We all have dreams, but unless all the right pieces fall into place they are only fantasies.
There are two stages to retirement.
1. An active stage where you have the cash and hopefully the health to fulfil your fantasies, on average in the UK thats around seven years after retirement.

2. Your health starts to decline and this impacts on all aspects of your life. On average in the UK retirement lasts for 18 years (According to HSBC Planing for retirement) 7 years you have money after that..well who knows.

You have to be strategic and plan. You have to be realistic and not rely on the state to look after you, this post war scenario is rapidly diminished.

A. Establish some clear goals, both short and long term
B. Benchmark yourself
C. Establish a comprehensive financial plan
D. Implement the plan
E. Keep your plan under review

Keep your eye on the financial pulse!
I think Mark's statements are the most viable scenario, but others circumstances vary-so enjoy yourself while you can!
Kind regards
James

During my trip I was able to get a superficial picture of guys who did start a new life far away.

I did meet many lonely wolfes during my journeys. Who did start their retirees live early in their 50ties - in cheaper countrys.

Many, or say better most of them was in a situation who just looks good in the first view. They life somewhere, where others are doing holidays. But everywhere where I did stay some weeks - those view change quickly.

Alcohol or drug abuse, bitterness, not able to deep dive into local culture, womens who just join them because of money, lonelyness.. The locals didnt have any respect pretty quickly, if you are regulary drunk. Those wolfes did try to stay with tourists, to get accompany - what ends with party and shallow talks, who dont makes them happy.

Those who seams to have a good life, they was married, kids and did was involved in a local busines, means they had something to do, they had a mission.

Guess that is not different to living at home. To be unemployed extended - most of us can not handle well.

If you are not happy at home, do you think living in another country will makes things better?

Surfy

__________________
About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, especially by the septic tank. I have met several expats who gave up their citizenship and lived to regret it.

I do no know about any paradise.
Most people are probably happy where they are.
But is also about to dare taking that step.
To whatever it is.
Long distace travellers have already taken the step out of their know comfort zone. When going travelling. So maybe it is easeir for them/us.

=

Many have remained there in their context and wished that they would have dared to take the step out into the unknown, dare life, but remained there in their context even though they wanted to move on, because the unknown scared and they knew what they had, even though they were tired of it and did not develop. Of course, there are those who remain and are well, it is not those I want to highlight, but those who knew they would have had more to give over there. If they only had taken the step… ..

Then there are those who have dared to take the step out of their comfortable contexts, even though they were afraid when they went out into deep water. But after a while they have realized that they actually fixed the new, that they developed even though it was difficult in the beginning.

The story is in the bible

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”They said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,”he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt. And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down

Whoever wrote that passage in the bible must have been a motorcycle rider. The concept still holds true today- as soon as I put on the rainsuit, the rain stops.

Thats excactly what I have done. Traveled, fall in love with this country (my paradise), prepared myself for emigrating and settled down here.


Where is the best country? That depends on each traveller. For me it is Iceland, for Backofbeyond and Mark Manley it is definitely not Iceland


Erik_G talks about taking that step and he is right: it is a huge step, also depending on ones situation of course.



Grumpy geezer talks about the grass being greener on the other side. That´s true. There is good and bad everywhere, everything has its advantages and disadvantages.


AnTyx said: The fundamental problem is that wherever you move, you're bringing with yourself the things that you moved away from.
And Surfi said: If you are not happy at home, do you think living in another country will makes things better?


I would say to this: yes you take yourself with you but if you can change the things which make you unhappy at home or leave them behind, then you can build up a new live without those problems.
Of course this depends on the kind of problems or the reasons which make you unhappy.


It can also be that one isn´t unhappy but just want to move somewhere else. For me I can say, I had my share of problems and I had to take a big decision, it was hard and it was a lot of work to move, but it turned out well for me. I felt it was not just moving and continue with life, it was building up a new life.


Best regards,
Rögnvaldur

I have no intention of staying anywhere, in the sense of stopping travelling, however I've reached the point where I feel that my current home base is just that - a base from which we'll travel frequently (Covid-19 permitting, which looks a long way off right now).

Colombia has one major advantage over most places - you can change ecosystems/climates very easily. From Bogotá we can be hiking in the páramo in an hour, or be lazing by a pool an hour in a different direction. We can be on the Pacific Coast, the Caribbean Coast, the Amazon or Orinoco, or in the near-perfect climate of the Eje Cafetero within the same country. Bogotá itself has a climate in which you can go out for a walk every day of the year, in comfort - not too hot, not too cold.

That won't stop us from spending weeks, months, or a couple of years in other places - Iceland, Bhutan, Singapore, Japan...