So where is the grass greener to retire to?

[anna]

Most of ex pats dont really want to fit in anywhere though, and go somewhere just to complain that it isnt as good or differences to the UK!

I moved to pt over a year and a half ago.

Algarve seems to be the place for most who retire here, and it is now a mini England with better weather.

Would love a wee cottage near Loch Lomond with my own land, with a few chickens and grow my own organic veg...... bliss!

[timwilky]

I quite fancy a land that time has forgotten, simple ways and a slow pace of life. Yup Yorkshire, if only I can find a nice cottage in my price range near Askrigg. I would be happy doing my missionary work and encouraging the inbreeds to spend.

Originally Posted by tigersaw

Following on from a previous 'would you go' thread, I'm wondering where people find to be their Eden.

I personally know of people who have sold up and emigrated to Cyprus and Spain, but both came back. I have a friend who moved to the US of A a fair few years ago, carries a green card, but talks of wanting to come back here.
My parents spent a few months in New Zealand picking their retirement property, but could not bring themselves to sign on the line.

Reading some of the ex-pat websites, its all moans and groans in OZ, Spain, Portugal.

Personally I've always liked the look of France, read a few survival guides and the property is still stunningly cheap despite the relative 80% rise in the last 5 years. However, I only know one couple who have moved there, but not in the 'sell up and burn bridges' way.

I understand money doesn't go half as far as you expect, culture shock, health care issues, (you dont automatically get free health care in the EEC since 2007), climate etc.

So who here knows someone who has uppped sticks, moved abroad and not returned or regretted it, and where to?

Not out to offend anyone, but...

Do you read this forum? There are a lot of moans and groans, particularly during the winter months. It seems to be your national pastime to be whining about something.

I'd suggest you ignore the ex-pat web sites, avoid the ex-pats and make your own way.

[dizzyblonde]

From friends experiences living abroad, the word 'retire' is the problem. Retired people go out to countries they fancy living in to live out their days in the sun, only to find, they can't speak the lingo, expect everything to be English, think everything will be cheap, rose tinted etc etc.
Then they all wake up when the money they had dries up and then have to come back. They then realise they can't sell the property they bought for vast premium that they expect, just so they can afford something on their return, get desperate and have to sell it for peanuts just to get home....which is what we're kind of cashing in on.
Jeanette and family have lived in the Charente Maritime dept of France for six years now, and its been super hard work for all concerned, but they'd never come back here as the life they have over there, although tough in many ways, is much slower, more simple, but with better standards.
We are considering moving to France at a working age, as she has, as it really does work out much better in the end.

Both Spain and Cyprus are littered with Southern sounding touts who badger you into 'eeeer are you English' all day long, praying on naive holiday makers. Absolutely diabolical, and would drive me nuts if I was to live in either places, the French ignore you, unless you are 'in' which suits me just fine

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by timwilky

I quite fancy a land that time has forgotten, simple ways and a slow pace of life. Yup Yorkshire, if only I can find a nice cottage in my price range near Askrigg. I would be happy doing my missionary work and encouraging the inbreeds to spend.

You'll not get past border control - your eyebrows don't meet in the middle.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by Bri w

You'll not get past border control - your eyebrows don't meet in the middle.

Hmmm but then they might let him through, if his eyes are close enough together

I never understood why people want to retire to Spain until I went to Mallorca...

Barbados is becoming full of rich people, tragic.

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

From friends experiences living abroad, the word 'retire' is the problem. Retired people go out to countries they fancy living in to live out their days in the sun, only to find, they can't speak the lingo, expect everything to be English, think everything will be cheap, rose tinted etc etc.

I'll be one of those retiree's.

What we don't want is 'little England' somewhere warm. The idea of an apartment on a complex just doesn't appeal.

We've sort of got by on holiday Italian up until 2 years back when we started classes. I would still struggle ringing the electricity people but we're getting there.

As we have done for years we would shop where the locals shop, and eat and drink where the locals drink - its miles cheaper, e.g. 2 coffee's in Piazza Navona, 16Euro, 2 coffee's and 2 pastries in a cafe in the 'burbs 3.4Euro.

For less than half the released equity we could buy a small farm, and do as the locals do, i.e. join the local co-operative and let a local farmer harvest it for a small cut to us to top up the pension, not that the top up would be needed.

Your right, the biggest danger is thinking you will enjoy the days just like your holidays. Rose tinted glasses.

Grass is most definitely greener in New Zealand!

Only thing which people may have trouble with is being so far away from friends and family. (which admittedly does suck)