I thought you were going to try a few different places over the next few years. I think this is really important, even if you love the first place you try.
Spending winter 6 months overseas in early retirement
- Thread starter mtk
- Start date
I thought you were going to try a few different places over the next few years. I think this is really important, even if you love the first place you try.
Quite right - I mean where to go first...
I'm now browsing all airline fares months ahead and constantly referring to travelzoo.com which has great deals from U.K. and many other countries.
In meantime now off to lesser Canaries -Gomera, La Palma whicvh I've never visited -with side-trip to Senegal. Bye!
I'm now browsing all airline fares months ahead and constantly referring to travelzoo.com which has great deals from U.K. and many other countries.
In meantime now off to lesser Canaries -Gomera, La Palma whicvh I've never visited -with side-trip to Senegal. Bye!
Hi Old Nick,
Best of luck in your quest. I find as I get older I dont want the treck getting to England to avail of the cheaper flights. I find in Tenerife Aer Lingus serves them well also Ryanair provide a good service. I think, looking to the future, if business slacks off that Ryanair might curtail their flights more quickly than Aer Lingus. I think there will be enough travelling to keep Aer Lingus going.
The journey from, where I live to the apartment in Tenerife, takes 7. 1/2 hours. It seems a lot of time but allowing for check in time and travel that is what it takes.
We go out around end of October, come back early December for Christmas and return to Canaries end of January to early April. That is flexible and changes from year to year depending on our commitments here.
The fares are good at these times generally we pay less than €300 each, all charges included. We book when the reductions are available. The fares are expensive if you want to travel July & August no matter how early you book. We would miss our on our friends and activities here if we stayed any longer.
Dont forget that in your time away you will have little maintenance and financial bits to do, that will occupy you too, as well as having a good time.
This site is a source of meeting with like minded people and making more friends too.
So meeting people need not be much of an issue.
Regards Browtal.
Best of luck in your quest. I find as I get older I dont want the treck getting to England to avail of the cheaper flights. I find in Tenerife Aer Lingus serves them well also Ryanair provide a good service. I think, looking to the future, if business slacks off that Ryanair might curtail their flights more quickly than Aer Lingus. I think there will be enough travelling to keep Aer Lingus going.
The journey from, where I live to the apartment in Tenerife, takes 7. 1/2 hours. It seems a lot of time but allowing for check in time and travel that is what it takes.
We go out around end of October, come back early December for Christmas and return to Canaries end of January to early April. That is flexible and changes from year to year depending on our commitments here.
The fares are good at these times generally we pay less than €300 each, all charges included. We book when the reductions are available. The fares are expensive if you want to travel July & August no matter how early you book. We would miss our on our friends and activities here if we stayed any longer.
Dont forget that in your time away you will have little maintenance and financial bits to do, that will occupy you too, as well as having a good time.
This site is a source of meeting with like minded people and making more friends too.
So meeting people need not be much of an issue.
Regards Browtal.
L
lightswitch
Guest
Good Luck Old Nick, be sure to post back with your reviews
I think if I spent 7.5 hours travelling I would need to be away for 6 months or certainly do as Browtal does and break the 6 months in two with 3 months either side of Christmas. The €300 each airfares I think would be too expensive so I would be looking for somewhere with prices less than €100 return all in.
For me this would mean having two lives. One in France for 3 months on this side of Christmas and one in Spain on the other side of Christmas. There are lovely apartments to rent in both places for about €300 per week and cheaper for longer stays.
I would also be bargaining hard for a two bedroomed apartment so it would be available for family members to join us for a week here and there over the winter.
There would have to be good transport links so that I could sample the local Menu del Dia's in the local villages.
A good plan Fox, especially doing the France thing pre-Xmas as Jan-March can often be very chilly along the Riviera,so it does make more sense to do south Spain in those months( which even in C del Sol can be miserable on ,say, a dozen days a month in Jan/feb)
your point about journey time is also good. However,when Browtal says 7.5 hrs she means door-to-door.
Even going to C.del Sol would mean for those who live,say, an hour from the main Irish airports about six hours door-to-door if ,say, you were going to Marbella.
Naturally, living next to an Irish airport and staying close to the foreign airport would save an hour, and avoiding luggage -difficult for a long stay trip- would slash another 20-30 mins on check-in and baggage halls.
P.S. those € 100 return fares to south European destinations are getting increasingly difficult to find -and if you have luggage, almost impossible.
your point about journey time is also good. However,when Browtal says 7.5 hrs she means door-to-door.
Even going to C.del Sol would mean for those who live,say, an hour from the main Irish airports about six hours door-to-door if ,say, you were going to Marbella.
Naturally, living next to an Irish airport and staying close to the foreign airport would save an hour, and avoiding luggage -difficult for a long stay trip- would slash another 20-30 mins on check-in and baggage halls.
P.S. those € 100 return fares to south European destinations are getting increasingly difficult to find -and if you have luggage, almost impossible.
It seems unusual to me that anyone contemplating a winter stay of a month or more isn't prepared to strike further afield to guarantee hot weather rather than the traditional holiday destinations closer to home whether the weather is getting increasingly unpredictable.
Having spent a few years looking at property to buy in the US, France and Italy my wife and I decided against it and that when retirement looms we'd like to be more flexible.
Winters in the US, Barbados, S.Africa, Australia and Thailand are all on the cards - and rather than being in a single place for the entire stay we plan to explore the rest of the country while we're there.
We also plan to invest in a large second-hand RV and spend at least one year travelling the entire US continent from Alaska to Key West.
Air travel outside school holidays still represent excellent value for money and the Internet is awash with discounted travel options.
Frankly the idea of spending the winter months in a retirement environment necking cheap booze and swapping day-old copies of the Irish Daily Mail with other pensioners appals us.
Having spent a few years looking at property to buy in the US, France and Italy my wife and I decided against it and that when retirement looms we'd like to be more flexible.
Winters in the US, Barbados, S.Africa, Australia and Thailand are all on the cards - and rather than being in a single place for the entire stay we plan to explore the rest of the country while we're there.
We also plan to invest in a large second-hand RV and spend at least one year travelling the entire US continent from Alaska to Key West.
Air travel outside school holidays still represent excellent value for money and the Internet is awash with discounted travel options.
Frankly the idea of spending the winter months in a retirement environment necking cheap booze and swapping day-old copies of the Irish Daily Mail with other pensioners appals us.
You have a point wahaay. To stay in one place without seeing what's around would be a pity.
But as regards staying in Spain/France -when you are a pensioner,and maybe not the fittest, a relatively civilised environment with free good medical facilities (and they are quite good in France and Spain)is quite important.
And there's alot alot of different things to see in Europe
I own a nice large house in Florida, but I'd rather rent in the Nice France area and use that as base to tour. Within a days drive or amazingly efficient rail I can be in seven countries from Spain to Austria, chatting in my bad French, Spanish ,Italian and German and enjoying the cuisine of those countries rather than eating burgers in have-a-nice-day-land. And thats besides the wonderful architecture, museums, art galleries and scenery.
Each to their own - the USA is fine but my goodness the roads can be long and boring. And,as for staying a year in RV camps - well, as I say, each to their own.............
(I accept that my comments above are as hyperbolic as your last line)
But as regards staying in Spain/France -when you are a pensioner,and maybe not the fittest, a relatively civilised environment with free good medical facilities (and they are quite good in France and Spain)is quite important.
And there's alot alot of different things to see in Europe
I own a nice large house in Florida, but I'd rather rent in the Nice France area and use that as base to tour. Within a days drive or amazingly efficient rail I can be in seven countries from Spain to Austria, chatting in my bad French, Spanish ,Italian and German and enjoying the cuisine of those countries rather than eating burgers in have-a-nice-day-land. And thats besides the wonderful architecture, museums, art galleries and scenery.
Each to their own - the USA is fine but my goodness the roads can be long and boring. And,as for staying a year in RV camps - well, as I say, each to their own.............
(I accept that my comments above are as hyperbolic as your last line)
Don't get me wrong, oldnick - if mobility and illness is a problem then yes the South of France is as good a place as any to spend the winter although they can be fairly atrocious there too and the French are notoriously insular.
Spain in winter - and most parts of it in summer - is my idea of hell on earth.
I know what you mean about Florida as well - a never-ending procession of strip malls and fast food joints.No doubt you can't give away the house now with the market the way it is.
But if you are still willing to travel there's so much other good stuff out there.
O.K. fair points. Having driven from Boston to Florida and Seattle to San Diego ,yes, I confirm there were great things to do and see. Never done the little bit between the oceans ,though.
But regarding Spain - if you let me take your wife to Spain for a week in Winter I'm sure she'll tell you how impressed she was .
And in Summer, northern Spain -whether Catalonia or the Biscay coast from Basque country to Galicia has great scenery, nice towns and bearable weather.
And you're right about that damn Florida house.
But regarding Spain - if you let me take your wife to Spain for a week in Winter I'm sure she'll tell you how impressed she was .
And in Summer, northern Spain -whether Catalonia or the Biscay coast from Basque country to Galicia has great scenery, nice towns and bearable weather.
And you're right about that damn Florida house.
Just browsed through this whole thread again (after a bottle of vino late last night of course) and perhaps my mind is not at its sharpest at this early hour. I think the thread is throwing up all kinds of scenarios; I'm not criticizing, this is a good thing.
Why not ask somebody who actually did the "six months retirement" thing? I retired some years ago (in my early 50s) and went to Spain where we spent some time walking, reading, thinking, touring, eating, drinking, inviting friends to visit occasionally, writing, lazying (probably wrong spelling) etc. However, life dictated otherwise and I returned to fulltime work a year later. (sin scéal eile).
I was not interested in travelling USA's Route 66 or "finding myself" in Cambodia. God knows what I would have found or what bikers I would have panicked!
I can't help getting the feeling the original writer knows well what he wants, but he just can't see it (I could have thrown in the Morning Ireland Gem, "He can't see the elephant in the room"). Anyway, I jest.
But, just to "chill" as they say, I think the retiree elect should visit some european sun resort and consider the options available. This is no big deal, and is done by thousands of Brits every year and they soon discover how to increase their quality of life and often stay on in the chosen resort.
There is the whole "retirement thing" also. Often the family of the person retiring cannot come to grips that Dad has opted for the easy life, changed the Beamer for a Fiesta and no longer wants to visit the hospitality tent in Lansdowne Road etc.
Life is all about choices and decisions and you can laze about in our rain or experience the good life in the sun. There are reasons to do nothing but I know what I'm doing next time I retire.
Why not ask somebody who actually did the "six months retirement" thing? I retired some years ago (in my early 50s) and went to Spain where we spent some time walking, reading, thinking, touring, eating, drinking, inviting friends to visit occasionally, writing, lazying (probably wrong spelling) etc. However, life dictated otherwise and I returned to fulltime work a year later. (sin scéal eile).
I was not interested in travelling USA's Route 66 or "finding myself" in Cambodia. God knows what I would have found or what bikers I would have panicked!
I can't help getting the feeling the original writer knows well what he wants, but he just can't see it (I could have thrown in the Morning Ireland Gem, "He can't see the elephant in the room"). Anyway, I jest.
But, just to "chill" as they say, I think the retiree elect should visit some european sun resort and consider the options available. This is no big deal, and is done by thousands of Brits every year and they soon discover how to increase their quality of life and often stay on in the chosen resort.
There is the whole "retirement thing" also. Often the family of the person retiring cannot come to grips that Dad has opted for the easy life, changed the Beamer for a Fiesta and no longer wants to visit the hospitality tent in Lansdowne Road etc.
Life is all about choices and decisions and you can laze about in our rain or experience the good life in the sun. There are reasons to do nothing but I know what I'm doing next time I retire.
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PyritePete
Registered User
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- 380
All the best with your retirement Oldnick.
Cheers mate -and to all others who said the same..
,..I must admit that in searching itineraries I've found prices have jumped somewhast since last year. i vaguely knew this, but one never really studies until it comes to one's own trips. Curse !
And I was thinking of paying for a young attractive travelling companion to carry my bags etc ,but I'll have to forget that
,..I must admit that in searching itineraries I've found prices have jumped somewhast since last year. i vaguely knew this, but one never really studies until it comes to one's own trips. Curse !
And I was thinking of paying for a young attractive travelling companion to carry my bags etc ,but I'll have to forget that
I'd have to say the south of France is an obvious choice for well known reasons: 2 hours flight to Dublin, developed country, close to Italy/Alps.
Its not that expensive if you go to about an hour from Nice airport into the countryside. Prices really fall.
Having said that, when I retire (sooner, rather than later), it'll be Mexico...
Its not that expensive if you go to about an hour from Nice airport into the countryside. Prices really fall.
Having said that, when I retire (sooner, rather than later), it'll be Mexico...
A
andrewgray
Guest
I have a friends who retired 2 or 3 years ago, they decided to travel around the world while bought a property on the nice-secluded area in their nearby residence. So when they come home from their travel, they have a quiet and nice house to enjoy.
Enjoy your retirements day.
Cheers
Enjoy your retirements day.
Cheers
Bronco Lane
Registered User
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- 536
I have noticed that the cost of renting overseas property in the current recession has dropped with bargains to be had. To counteract this flight prices to some destinations have increased dramatically. Has anyone tried the living abroad scenarion since this thread was first started?
I have spent several winters in the south of Spain. The longest stretch was seven months October - April. The shortest off season stretch was three months.
The cost of living is cheaper there (much cheaper). Then there is the Spanish red wine - excellent. You can purchase it for 40 cents a bottle, but perhaps you are better off spending €2.00 for better quality.
Wintering in Spain is big among the Brits and slow enough to catch on in Ireland. Off season rents work out at around €500 per month for a 2 bedroom apartment in a decent location.
October, November, half of December are warm enough for shorts and tee shirts but from mid December to mid March the nights can be every bit as cold as Ireland but the daylight hours are warmer.
It is important that your destination is a working town/village all year round and has a decent supermarket, a medical centre, a local bus service, open restaurants, bars, shops etc that will be open in the off season.
It is handy to have a choice of airports also for easy access back to Ireland if necessary.
You need English speaking television also and Irish radio facilities so that you can keep abreast of what's happening in Ireland.
We found that the time flew and it was great that our daughters and son could visit from time to time. One other thing you have to decide whether you want to bring your car or not. The drive is two days each way and is a trying operation. The up side is that a car is handy for long-stay. But, if you dont need a car, then so much the better.
I have no hesitation in recommending wintering abroad.
The cost of living is cheaper there (much cheaper). Then there is the Spanish red wine - excellent. You can purchase it for 40 cents a bottle, but perhaps you are better off spending €2.00 for better quality.
Wintering in Spain is big among the Brits and slow enough to catch on in Ireland. Off season rents work out at around €500 per month for a 2 bedroom apartment in a decent location.
October, November, half of December are warm enough for shorts and tee shirts but from mid December to mid March the nights can be every bit as cold as Ireland but the daylight hours are warmer.
It is important that your destination is a working town/village all year round and has a decent supermarket, a medical centre, a local bus service, open restaurants, bars, shops etc that will be open in the off season.
It is handy to have a choice of airports also for easy access back to Ireland if necessary.
You need English speaking television also and Irish radio facilities so that you can keep abreast of what's happening in Ireland.
We found that the time flew and it was great that our daughters and son could visit from time to time. One other thing you have to decide whether you want to bring your car or not. The drive is two days each way and is a trying operation. The up side is that a car is handy for long-stay. But, if you dont need a car, then so much the better.
I have no hesitation in recommending wintering abroad.
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Temperatures in Tenerife, Canary Islands are excellent all year round.
The most unreliable time is February. Temperatures can drop to day time 18 deg and at night 12deg. One of the advantages is that a heater heats up a room very quickly since the day time temperatures are not too low and the ground temps. are not too low.
From last week in Feb. the weather becomes warmer around 22deg day and 18 night.
The rest of the year the temperatures are no lower than 24 day and 18 night. The cost of living is excellent. Medical care is free from the doctor, no choice of doctor, and you pay a small amount for medication.
Property rentals are better than other years in Tenerife due to the closure of North African destinations. Monthy rental in good location would be about €750 and you pay bills.
Property prices have dropped and sales are much slower than before. Nevertheless good locations, sea front, are always better sellers and hold their value.
Browtal
The most unreliable time is February. Temperatures can drop to day time 18 deg and at night 12deg. One of the advantages is that a heater heats up a room very quickly since the day time temperatures are not too low and the ground temps. are not too low.
From last week in Feb. the weather becomes warmer around 22deg day and 18 night.
The rest of the year the temperatures are no lower than 24 day and 18 night. The cost of living is excellent. Medical care is free from the doctor, no choice of doctor, and you pay a small amount for medication.
Property rentals are better than other years in Tenerife due to the closure of North African destinations. Monthy rental in good location would be about €750 and you pay bills.
Property prices have dropped and sales are much slower than before. Nevertheless good locations, sea front, are always better sellers and hold their value.
Browtal