In northern Thailand, in the shadow of Chiang Mai’s medieval walls, you’ll find the North Gate jazz club. That’s where I met Todd and Lauren from Wisconsin—two travelers in their 50’s enjoying the freedom of an early retirement.
We sat at a sidewalk table with a view of the stage enjoying the tropical night and cold Singha beers. Todd told me all about their adventures in other parts of Thailand…the markets of Bangkok, time spent in the hill villages of the north. Lauren was excited about their plans to explore Vietnam and other countries in the region. They didn’t call themselves “roving retirees” but they could have.
They were using the very same secrets we reveal to help anybody with a case of wanderlust retire one country at a time.
Nowadays taking to the road and exploring the world is easier than ever. And it can actually be cheaper than staying home.
With the right techniques, you can follow your whim and travel in jet-set style—whether for the sake of the journey or in the interest of scouting out options for a longer-term retirement abroad. And those options are plentiful…
In this issue, IL Editor Glynna Prentice investigates the bargain real estate on offer in the heart of Flamenco country, southern Spain. Meanwhile, Kirsten Raccuia discovers the First World lifestyle at developing-world prices in the Philippines’ “Queen City of the South.”
Closer to home, IL Nicaragua Correspondent Bonnie Hayman explores an undiscovered mountain retreat where a couple can easily live on $1,200 a month and the weather is spring-like year round. And expat Bill Riordan explains how he turned a passion for photography into an adventure-funding income in the world’s most popular retirement haven—Cuenca, Ecuador.
—Eoin Bassett, Editorial Director
I ’d never seen a festival like it in my life, and I’d been living in Southeast Asia for 16 years: the massive procession of people winding its way through the streets, bearing aloft colorful offerings of fruit, flowers, and food, following a glowing chariot to the temple where they unburden themselves. Many of them adorn their bodies with ornate but painful-looking piercings and shave their heads as a sign of devotion.
Mike and Alice Olson were born, raised, and married in Fargo, North Dakota. They raised their children there. But there came a time when they’d had enough and wanted to leave the harsh North Dakota winters behind. “We wanted to live in a place that was warm…and peaceful,” they say.
The glittering, cerulean Mediterranean. Not a bad view every morning as you enjoy coffee and croissants from your terrace. Life is good. Sunny days. Freshcaught seafood. Crashing waves your lullaby every night…or for those drowsy, afternoon, after-lunch siestas. And salt-scented breezes keeping things cool.
Back in 2001, my wife and I decided to leave the cold climate of Nebraska behind and embark on an epic adventure to find our perfect retirement destination. We traveled to several different countries in search of our dream home, creating incredible memories in the process and opening our eyes to the immense possibilities that living abroad has to offer. On our travels, we enjoyed new food, new locations, made new friends, and lived the kind of happy, healthy retirement few could dream of just a few short decades ago.
In this issue: Many expats dream of traveling the world in their retirement, but mistakenly believe that an epic, worldwide adventure is beyond their budget. In this month’s issue we reveal the secrets of a roving retirement.