My favorite day of the week is Friday in my country town of Atenas—although since moving to Costa Rica, every day is pretty good. On Fridays, I pile all of my five dogs into the car and head early in the morning for the farmers’ market, followed by a lively off-leash hike on a forested mountain trail near town.
A perfect climate was a major requirement for Brandy and Bob Gregory when they sought their overseas retirement home eight years ago. They found their ideal weather in the highland town of Boquete, in western Panama.
In the southern U.S., summertime heat and humidity drive people indoors into the air conditioning. That means enjoying the outdoors is a no-go for much of the year. And utility costs can go through the roof.
For Ray and Michele Martin, the year-round temperate climate of Costa Rica’s Orosí Valley leaves them with no need for heating or air conditioning. Temperatures stay in the 70s F most of the time, which means that they can get out on their farm all year-round.
Tucked into a secluded nook in the ancient Bayon temple, with benevolent stone faces smiling down at me from every angle, I felt overwhelmed at finally being in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, after years of day-dreaming of a life of travel. I remember thinking I should pinch myself. But instead I soaked up all the atmosphere I could, knowing this type of adventure would shape my future for years to come. Barely a year before, I could scarcely have imagined that I’d travel right across Southeast Asia—on my Social Security money alone. One morning early in 2015, I woke at dawn to get ready for a 10-hour shift as a shuttle driver.
In the morning, I like to take in the view from my balcony: To the south, I have the majestic, snow-capped peaks of the central Apennines, to the east, a turquoise stretch of the Adriatic Sea. And in between, olive groves, green meadows, and picturesque hilltop towns.
The smell of baking bread greets me as I walk along the narrow medieval streets in the early morning. The church bell is chiming. It’s September and there are no clouds to obscure the vivid cobalt-blue, Mediterranean sky.
By 6 a.m., the vendors are already setting up on my little lane in Chiang Mai, the university city of nearly 1 million people in northern Thailand that I call home. Fruit stalls and coffee stands, with waffles and egg breakfasts, line the lane; I can eat outside on little stools or take what I want back to my condo.
“The town is overflowing with charm and beauty,” says Jack Bramy, who has found his ideal retirement spot in Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific coast. “It’s everywhere, from tiny local bistros to the narrow cobblestone streets climbing up the hillsides."
“Although I don’t live at the beach, I am close enough that I can go whenever the mood takes me. Just knowing it’s always there is amazing,” Pennie says. “I love the surf, as long as it isn’t too rough. Getting past the breakers and watching the waves roll in...so peaceful.”