retiring overseas?

[BV]

I have been thinking about living in the Greek Islands for a while now.

Great idea, it's a magical part of the world.
I'm going there in July/August (will also be driving through Switzerland and italy).

Long term I think it will be hard for us to live overseas permanently
but I'm planning to maintain a holiday place in Greece and 1 in Sweden and will be spending some time in both countries.

 

[Samantha]

Bali is looking good

We have just returned from Bali and after checking out the villas for rent and sale, which we were happy with, we will be making more serious enquiries about making the move in the future.

I am interested to hear more about Taiwan. That sounds promising also.

Is there anyone on the forum living the dream overseas now or semi-retired? Can you describe the hoops you had to go through to make it a reality. It always sound easy but I am sure that is not the case or wouldn't more people be doing it?

 

[Amadio]

No , I wouldn't live anywhere else but Australia. I love this country. Being out of it for so long made me appreciate what we have here.

 

[shuggy]

Have you seen the results of some of those Thailand cosmetic jobs?

I'd say most of them are better than the botch jobs you get done in oz for a price multiple of 6-8. The cosmetic surgeons in Thailand are very skilled and experienced because they have done so many jobs: 2-3 customers a day compared to a surgeon in Oz who probably gets 1-2 customers a week.
The majority of surgeons (90%+) in Thailand have trained and worked in the US and UK for more than 10-15 years and speak excellent English.
Shows like 'Today Tonight' and 'A Current Affair' like to occasionally run these scare campaigns because they receive kickbacks from surgeons in Oz who lose a lot of biz o'seas due to their high fees.

gg1965, you have a special way of looking at life if you're considering early-semi retirement before you qualify for the aged pension but you're not alone and it's quite common now, especially for single people who have invested successfully when they were younger.

I also 'retired' when i was 35 and live in SE Asia because i love the culture and i can live VERY well on a modest income of AU$40k pa. My best mates over here are all in their mid-late 30's and also 'retired' with most of them living on rental income. There are a few Aussies but most of my mates are English, American and Scandinavian.

It does take some balls to move country and retire when you're at the peak of your life and you'll undoubtedly get some grief from your friends and family because you're not working 38 hours a week like you're supposed to but if you can afford to do it, i recommend you go for it.
You only live once, hey?

 

[shuggy]

Do you think eve I could get a girlfriend in Thailand?
Cheap beer sounds attractive, too.

My favourite bar sells my beer for AU$1.30 a stubbie and my other favourite bar sells my preferred spirit (Jack & soda with ice) for AU$2 a glass.
If i want to have a drink at home i walk to my local 7-Eleven (open 24/7) which is 40 metres away and buy my beer for AU$1 a stubbie. It takes a bit of discipline to have alcohol free days but i manage due to my hobbies.

 

[shuggy]

Is there anyone on the forum living the dream overseas now or semi-retired? Can you describe the hoops you had to go through to make it a reality. It always sound easy but I am sure that is not the case or wouldn't more people be doing it?

The biggest hoop was deciding to make the leap.
2nd biggest was getting rid of all the crap i'd collected over the years.
3rd biggest is visa issues.

 

[BV]

3rd biggest is visa issues.

shuggy
can you get around this issue if you already have a partner?

 

[lizzie]

sounds a nice life if you like staying put. unfortunately i love to travel and $40k/yr just won't cut it.

looks like i'm staying in oz for a while longer to build up the funds.

 

[gg1965]

I am interested to hear more about Taiwan. That sounds promising also.

Is there anyone on the forum living the dream overseas now or semi-retired? Can you describe the hoops you had to go through to make it a reality. It always sound easy but I am sure that is not the case or wouldn't more people be doing it?

I may be a bit biased towards Taiwan as i have previously lived there for a few years, and plus i have Taiwanese wife (who still has her Taiwanese citizenship - which therefore gives me household residential status). Even more on the plus side, we already own outright a 3 bedroom apartment in Taipei itself.

But i wouldn't like to retire to Taipei. Too crowded, too hectic and too polluted. I'd much prefer the scenic East Coast of Taiwan and preferably around the area of the regional city Hualien. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hualien)

This city sits on the Pacific ocean and the mountains backing it are incredible for biking, hiking and it is a semi tropical environment - so everything is lush and green. Taiwan does not have the surfing or beach going culture that we have so it is safe to say that the beaches are not crowded. Having said that, their it is deep water on this side of Taiwan and so the beaches are very steep too - but there are some beauty sports too. Fishing is very good.

As per Thailand, beer is cheap, food is cheap, 7-11s are everywhere, bars are everywhere, lifestyle is easy but you are only 3 hours by tilt train to Taipei and 45 minutes by plane. Net is cheap, real etsate is cheap and there are 2 universities in the area as well as teacher college so you can pick up part time teaching english if your heart desires.

Hualien is the marble capital of the world and this is where most of the Asian marble comes from. the Asian Grand Canyon (called Taroko Gorge) is close by and many tourists fly into Hualien, go on a tour of the gorge and then fly back. Some, like me, stay a while and get to know the place really well.

So this is where i would like to park my bones while receiving income from my positive geared properties here in Australia. Possibly open a bar that looks out onto the Pacific and just listen to music all day. Sounds good to me.


g

 

[Sunfish]

Found a map:

Taiwan

I'm more interested in fishing than hiking but I assume there would be big swells so you would something more like a game boat than a tinnie.

 

[gg1965]

Found a map:

Taiwan

I'm more interested in fishing than hiking but I assume there would be big swells so you would something more like a game boat than a tinnie.

there are a lot of trawlers there that venture out for weeks at a time. plus, japanese trawlers/boats venture down the east coast of taiwan too. fishing is a big industry in this part of the world. in fact, there is even a fishing museum there (whch is housed in an old fishing warehouse type of thing).

Dunno about having a tinnie, but you can do rock fishing though.


g

 

[Francesco]

Do you think eve I could get a girlfriend in Thailand?
Cheap beer sounds attractive, too.

I should think that you will have no problems if you frequent real estate companies to buy residential properties for investments and breeze through retail outlets buying up doodahs without a care in the world.

 

[Rob Williams]

I should think that you will have no problems if you frequent real estate companies to buy residential properties for investments and breeze through retail outlets buying up doodahs without a care in the world.

Oorah! I was born for that.

 

[willair]

Do you think even I could get a girlfriend in Thailand?
Cheap beer sounds attractive, too.

Rob i don't think you would have a problem,a few of my mates went over and never came back,one owns a few bars,backpackers but he married into a good family...willair..

 

[Y33]

gg1965,

Basically doing what you wrote in Japan.

Ausprop, have you considered those who have families overseas and choose to spend time with them whilst they can. Not everyone is into booze and cheap drinks. I have defended my country when called to do so and are very patriotic.

 

[travelbug]

Do you think even I could get a girlfriend in Thailand?
Cheap beer sounds attractive, too.

Don't sell yourself short Rob.

I have friends (acquaintances really) who live in Bali.

One is on a Pommy pension. Lives like a king. He has a house and ladies that cook and clean for him and a driver who takes him to the beach every afternoon for drinks etc. After a few years he got bored though and now does some fantastic charity work in remote villages.

Another retired early and bought a boutique hotel. He has a Balinese girlfriend and relaxes at the beach bar every afternoon with a few Bintangs (local beer). He loves his lifestyle and would never change it.

There are many expats in Bali. Google expats Bali for loads of info. The good thing about Bali is that it's close to Australia so easy for family to visit or for you to return to visit family.

Rob- The Balinese girls are really lovely. My hubby has his Balinese girlfriend picked out if I ever leave him. I'm not to sure she'd be to keen on the arrangement though.

 

[Pa1nter]

Do you think even I could get a girlfriend in Thailand?
Cheap beer sounds attractive, too.

Rob,
I know from your tone you are just dying to go to an Asian country

Make friends with a Philippa and travel with them to their country,
Use them for a tour guide.

You will never want to come home

6 course meals with 6 other people costs less that sixty Australian dollars.
Tanduay Rhum is the traditional 100 proof rum,sells for about $1.50 per liter.

I believe $1000 plus airfare will see you living like a king for an easy month.

The ladies are nice to,not easy,just nice

 

[shuggy]

shuggy
can you get around this issue if you already have a partner?

BV, yes having a partner native to the country makes life a lot easier for visas and buying property and businesses. I'm single so haven't done much research into it but i have friends who own bars and guesthouses and they have either set up companys or done it through their partners' name with a usufruct or 30 year lease.

 

[shuggy]

sounds a nice life if you like staying put. unfortunately i love to travel and $40k/yr just won't cut it.

looks like i'm staying in oz for a while longer to build up the funds.

I probably spend about 6-7 mths of the year at 'home' with the rest of the time spent travelling as i get itchy feet staying in the one place too long. Last year i went twice to Hong Kong, Malaysia & Cambodia and once to the Philippines, Singapore, Prague, Turkey and 5 different Greek islands.
Most of the trips were for scuba diving and/or to visit friends but i also do a lot of 2-3 night getaways to nearby islands with my mates and our partners. I'm in Oz now for 2 weeks as i always come back to see my mates for the annual get together on Australia Day. Flights are very cheap these days so travelling isn't an issue.

My original plan was to stay in Oz and continue working 38hrs a week for another 10 years until i'd built up more funds and retire at 45 but i realised i was procrastinating and making excuses not to make the leap. I figured i'd never reach a magical figure that i was happy with as things change all the time. A good friend of mine from England managed to do it when he was 24 years old and has been here 5 years now although he still does a bit of SEO work on the side.

I now live on approx AU$3,000 a month and the average wage here is AU$280 a month which means i'm on about 10.7 times the avearage wage. To put it in perspective that would be like living in Oz on AU$660,000 pa or AU$1,800 a day (10.7 times the average wage = about 10.7 x $62k).
Living in Oz on an annual income of $40k a year would be pretty ordinary but over here i'm very wealthy and don't have to worry about my finances as much.

 

[blaster]

Do you think even I could get a girlfriend in Thailand?
Cheap beer sounds attractive, too.

Robbo , maaaate , a good lookin bloke like you you'd be beating them off.

But eh , your so right about the age thing in doing it while your young . We did , because all the oldies use to say to me when I was a kid, do it while your young which I agreed with . No grey nomads BS for this black duck.

We've been, seen and conquered , had our fun and for a bloody long time. Sure we're about 20 yrs later than everyone else in settling down but mate , right at this point they're all getting bord, disillusioned and frustrated or divorced but us , all we wanna do now is settle down and watch our daughter grow up , fuss over grand kids later and watch the sunrise , it's a nice feeling.

Cheers

PS , my main decision is whether to buy a holiday house in Nth Qld or, Broom - what say you people ? Then again , maybe that one needs a new thread !