Early Retirement

[steveboy]

I retired in my early fifties and the problem I found was that I was spending a lot of time alone, as my friends were all still working and so weren't able to travel with me.

 

I got used to travelling alone and now I prefer it that way. Last year I invited a friend to travel to Japan and China with me. Although he's a good friend and we had a great time, sometimes I just wanted to be by myself.

 

Another problem is that now that my friends have retired, some of them don't have enough money to do things with me; others have the funds but are too cautious and are reluctant to spend. I don't know why -they can't take it with them. Thankfully, some have now loosened the purse-strings and we are enjoying life to the full.

 

But I'll still travel alone.

 

I have also discovered that traveling alone is the best way to vacation.

This comes with the realization that solitude is not loneliness, and there is no shame in being alone.

We can always share our experiences with a good company: our camera or cell phone taking pictures, videos.

Ah... the freedom to do what one pleases, without need for consensus. Often this means not planning at all but choosing among multiple desirable activities.

No disagreements, no fights, no quarrels, no giving up to please the companion, no embarrassment, no shyness.

 

Hopefully you are kind and console your friends whose obligations don't allow them to go with you and don't make them feel bad for breaking your heart.  Afterwards, allow your heart to fill with joy at the perspective of going away into the world completely free.

[vinapu]

travelling together broke many a friendships, specially when hardship on the road are involved.

 

If friend is sharing my interests I actually prefer to travel with somebody as is cheaper and entertaining. But not all friends need to be fond of everything we are. In such a case it's better to travel alone instead of dragging them along.

 

For me biggest advantage of travelling alone is time savings. I can finish my breakfast in 10 minutes and be on the road. Try that if there are 4 of you, there will be always somebody who forgot something upstairs, needs to go to toilet or orders something which did not even arrive when you finished your plate.

 

in short - your best friend is not necessarily your best travel companion

[vinapu]

 I also have a naturally frugal lifestyle.

 

that helps big time.

 

We in consumer societies are working too hard to buy stuff we don't need , for money we don't have , to impress people we don't like. This is often quoted  and still  the same mistakes is repeated over and over.

 

This is as excessive as sacrificing today hoping to be happier in the future.

 

But I guess everybody must make decision based on their priorities, advice obtained often reflects priorities of giver , not needs of receiver  

[a447a]

"Hopefully you are kind and console your friends whose obligations don't allow them to go with you and don't make them feel bad for breaking your heart. Afterwards, allow your heart to fill with joy at the perspective of going away into the world completely free."

 

Yeah, I look after my friends. I paid for my friend to travel to Japan and China with me last year. He'd just gone through a break-up with his long term partner and was feeling pretty depressed. He'd always wanted to see Japan but never had the chance because his partner wasn't interested. Needless to say, he absolutely loved Japan, and not just the gay sauna and bars we visited. And, of course, the shopping in Japan is amazing - being gay, we fit the stereotype. Lol. He came back to Australia with a huge smile on his face, so I definitely got value for money!

 

And if I want to do something that some of my friends feel they can't really afford, well I'll just pay for them so we can have a great time together, no problem. Life's too short to miss out on anything, IMHO.

[Dalewood]

I will be sixty this weekend. I can retire at 62 and at this point, I am almost sure that I will. My car will have about 90,000 miles on it---should be able to hold onto it. My mortgage, if I keep my house, that will be about $700/month-I bought a house that I could afford. I do not know if I will retire in Pattaya, but I can certainly spend about three six week visits there per year.

[Guest abang1961]

I have been travelling alone for the past 30 years or so..

Only in very rate occasion do I get the chance to travel with family members..my late parents.

 

Now in my 50s, I think I am getting to a point where I can do everything by myself...

I dont need to have "friends" as I can know new ones on the trip...

 

Another thing .. perhaps I am from Asia and had started backpacking since my teen years..

I rarely bother to stay in good hotels..just give me a clean bed (even in a THB 399 hostel) will do.

My only indulgence in Thailand..food and lots of it..

I dont need much new clothes and yes, no need for visitors....

 

From my past experiences, I am more likely the "Fish" than the "fisherman"..go the drift?

[t0oL1]

This is an enlightening post. I had read earlier estimates of what life would be like if you accepted one of those 30-40,000 bT/month teaching positions in TH and my only basis for comparison is my holidays with $100+ bar tabs nightly.

[steveboy]

This is an enlightening post. I had read earlier estimates of what life would be like if you accepted one of those 30-40,000 bT/month teaching positions in TH and my only basis for comparison is my holidays with $100+ bar tabs nightly.

 

Then those teaching jobs could pay your bar tab for ten days a month.  Your teaching five days a week could cover your pleasure of drinking during the whole weekend.

[steveboy]

We in consumer societies are working too hard to buy stuff we don't need , for money we don't have , to impress people we don't like. This is often quoted  and still  the same mistakes is repeated over and over.

This is as excessive as sacrificing today hoping to be happier in the future.

 

 

This may be an indication that we are living for others, not for ourselves.

Even in the case of sacrificing for the future, we are living for our self in the uncertain future, instead of living for our self today.

 

I'm glad to find like thinking people...

[t0oL1]

Then those teaching jobs could pay your bar tab for ten days a month.  Your teaching five days a week could cover your pleasure of drinking during the whole weekend.

Should you be lucky (?) enough to get one of those jobs and not too old to be hired there,

it would almost be worth getting up in the morning. At least something to do, hopefully

in an air conditioned school.

[Guest]

Working 5 days just to cover the weekend's drinking would be my idea of 7 days wasted, but we all have our different interests.  

 

I suppose most of us hope to retire and not have to work part time.  That's certainly my aim. 

[paulsf]

When I retired a couple of years ago, I made sure I would have enough money so I would never have to work again.

Then all my friends and family were all saying I should work part time to stay busy. I had to explain the the word "Retirement"

Is short for "never working again". Everybody says, find hobby. I did. It's called Bangkok.

[steveboy]

One of the benefits of having acquaintances that are seniors is that one gains good insight into this phase of life.  While acquaintance with the young can be a good source of sex, acquaintance with the old is a source of wisdom.

 

I have observed that when we age we slow down.  We take more time for the same task.  And it so happens that the days become shorter, and the time available gets significantly reduced.  Retired people, contrary to the belief that they get bored for lack of things to do,  often run out of time to do all what they want to do and especially,  all what they ENJOY doing.  So as we age, time becomes more precious, the one commodity that is at the top of the scale of value.

 

With this in mind, I am willing to significantly reduce my standard of living in exchange for gaining the totality of my life time for myself.  No more concern for going on the road through traffic to serve a fixed number of working hours,  no more difference between work days and weekends.  Every day I will go to the gym, go to the store and other places at off hours, free of traffic and crowds.  I will still go up early in the morning and be done with regular chores by mid-morning except cooking my meals throughout the day. All days will be stress-free and able to provide my eight hours of sleep.  I will dedicate much time to my hobbies of music, playing the piano, discussing online about religion and politics.

 

I feel fortunate to live in a time of increasing technology as I approach my senior years. A good internet connection, wide screen TV, a good desk top, excellent audio,and the world comes into my home to entertain me.   All of this is relatively inexpensive. And all of this is available in Bangkok at reasonable price, really a bargain compared with living in the US.  But if I decide to stay in the US,  I can still mix all the above with the "Bangkok hobby" mentioned by an earlier poster and make frequent trips to sin in this attractive city and other cities with gay life like KL and SG.   I enjoy traveling, and long intercontinental flights don't bother me.

 

I don't dream of having ever a problem of "staying busy".  I will never have to sit at the town's square feeding the pigeons and watching people pass by. Instead, I hope that without working I will stay so busy that I keep lamenting that the day has only 24 hours, until my last breath.