Our children - who made their first trip to Europe the same time I made mine! - think it's wonderful that we plan to spend at least part of our retirement somewhere in Europe - Ireland, England, France? - because they will have a place to stay, and bring whatever grandchildren might be around by then. Right now, we are looking down the road to having the younger one (now 15) into college and our being old enough and unscheduled enough to be able to do Elderhostel programs. Not wishing our lives away, just wishing for more flexibility and fewer obligations.

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Speaking from almost 20 years of retirement experience, I can tell you that it is more important to retire to "what" than to "where." The person who thinks of a beach, or golf, or fishing as "retirement living" is making a key mistake. To vegetate is to die. Very slowly. Instead, life is to be lived filled with activity. And not necessarily for profit. Volunteer your services, your time, your acquired wisdom. You know a lot more about life than you think you do. The helping hand you extend will help you more than you may think. Yes, a foreign shore is beguiling. Rarely do these adventures return the pleasure that they did when they were destinations, not residences. <BR>Expatriates can live well, certainly. But all have a past. And as we grow older, the deeper roots of our younger years call us homeward. You must sink new roots. A repotted plant can flourish. A plant that remains unstimulated will always be stunted. If you doubt me, listen in on conversations of expats; they always talk of home. As the poet said, we look before and after, and we pine for what is not; our sincerest laughter is with sadness fraught. Retire to do. Retire to be. Do not retire to become a breathing vegetable.

You have some very good points Al, I define profit a little wider as (Any increase in happyness) not just tied to money and things. I love So Cal but most of my family is in New England, where I'm origionally frome. At least in retirement, if it is to stormey or cold, I will have tghe choice of not going out. I have a library of books that I have yet to read and of course one book often leads me to another. I also have my model railroad (untouched for several years now) to play with. You know that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. <BR>

Well...Judy...I've actually thought of this one before. I'd love to retire to Santa Margherita Ligure in Italy. I love this area and found the train system in this part of Italy terrific. Beautiful villages, relaxing atmosphere, and fantastic food. I think I could be quite happy there.

Thank you for all your replies. <BR>I am so glad to hear those who have been enjoying your retirement. <BR>AL:what a say!yes,I do agree with you about sharing experience or wisdom(don't know if I had any?),that's the reason I have been involved in local library systems fo years. <BR>For me, as long as it is some place on/by water,plus new places to travel, new books to read,I would be perfectly content.

We have a 28 ft. motorhome that we love traveling in. We plan on moving on up to a larger one (with slideouts) and touring around the USA-stopping where we want to and for how long we want to. <BR>Fish, relax, ride bikes, meet new friends, see beautiful sights we never have time for now. No schedules!! Really want to see the states of Washington, Montana, and the New England states, especially. But, we plan to see most of the states and be gone for about 2 years. And, living in Ireland for a few years would be great too-and do more European travel from there as well. I'm not asking for much-am I!!! <BR>Patti

Art! You have a model railroad? Fun. But you don't need to wait for retirement to use it... no. We have our HO gauge layout right in the living room where it can't get forgotten. <BR> <BR>I think I'd like to retire in southern England where I feel more at home than any place including my home. But maybe Al's right and it would be different if it really happened.

Hello, Judy. <BR>My husband and I have debated this ever since we first went to Europe. We are looking to buy a small cottage in a small town near the ocean in Europe. We always pick up the real estate sections of the paper when traveling. <BR>We actually have made our choice on locale and plan to purchase our property within the next year or two. <BR>We have a large, 100+ plus year old home here that requires a great deal of upkeep. We will keep this as our base and live in this beautiful state during the summers and escape for 4 to 5 months each winter. <BR>I am already planning the cottage...small with a porch out front. It will be decorated with light, cool colors. I want the traditional shuttered windows and wrougth iron window boxes. I will have some lovely painted tiles, stucco walls, beamed ceilings... <BR>Do you think I will be able to play my opera without all the neighbors raising their eyebrows? <BR>Ciao! Thanks for the great topic. <BR>Gloria <BR>

<BR>Patti:Years ago, when I first read "Travel with Chalres", I dreamed about doing the same as you.Now,My goal is barging along all the waterways in Europe.I have been boating in Lake Ontario for several years,My skill of navigation is OK, but engines still beyond me. <BR>Gloria:I have been doing the same things as you:checking out property price in Europe for a while. I even found some cottages in Cornwall(Spring time is so glorious there) exactly as your description and very good prices too.

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What an interesting thread! I will probably work at my current job for another 5 - 10 years (unless situations change - who knows?) For various reasons, I've been thinking a lot lately about where we'll go when we retire, and we may actually end up keeping our house here in Toronto. A friend was telling me today about a woman who always wanted to return to Australia when she retired. Well, she discovered that her home is in Toronto, not Australia so she's kept her house here, but spends her winters in Australia near family. Sounds like the best of both worlds. <BR> <BR>We love to travel and see other countries, but we also love to come home. I look out the window at the amazing garden that my husband has created and I just can't imagine being somewhere else right at this minute. However, come the winter when the view isn't quite as appealing, I love to be away. I want choice when I retire.

Hi Judy, What an appropriate thread for me! We just got back to Atlanta today from Florida. Our quest was to find a great place to retire next year. We did it it! We bought a waterfront lot on a canal, in Cape Coral, Florida. We are going to build a house and it should be done next April. <BR>We are both water nuts, and he has always wanted a boat. I am so thrilled! Judy, if you want, I can e-mail you details if you want them. <BR>As to our adult children, they are all nicely tucked in, and it is our turn. <BR> Most importantly, BA and Virgin and Lufthansa are all very big there. My Europe trips are very important to me &lt;g&gt;. <BR>An interesting fact, 25% of the people moving to Cape Coral are Germans, and they even have a German Cultural Center there. Might even have Germans neighbors.....cool! <BR>Judy :-)

Galloway Dumfries area of Scotland. It is filled with friendly folks, and the weather is certainly more temperate than where I live, but not warm. I couldn't do Florida or the SW of America, too darn hot for me. If I could I would move there.

Without a doubt a Greek Island! <BR> <BR>Otherwise Florida. Living in the sunless NW & looking forward to becoming a 30 yr old snow bird!

<BR>Susan: Yes. Toronto is at its best in Spring time!It seems everyone here has gardening fever. The rare tulips I got from Keukenhof Gardens last Spring are in full bloom now, they are so unbelievabllye lovely. <BR>Judy:-) :So happy for you to find your idea spot.Thank you for the offer,I would love to have some details,you could e-mail to the address above.

When I retire I intend to stay put right here in the DC suburbs. I would love a weekend place in the Williamsburg or Hampton Roads (Virginia) area. I have been thinking about it more and more after repeated trips down there because my kids were enrolled at William & Mary (One graduated, so there is just one there now). <BR> <BR>With two homes I could continue to home exchange and even do nonsimultaneous exchanges (where you do not travel to each other's homes at the exact same time) and finally get to swap in places like Australia, where arranging a simultaneous exchange is impossible.

I'd like to retire for 6 months of the year to Paris if I could speak the language. The other half I'd spend right here in northern California.

My hopes are to retire in less than five years. As much as I enjoy (most of) what I do, I would prefer the freedom retirement allows. Many times even my weekends are not really mine to do as I choose. <BR> <BR>If money is not a problem my first choice of locations to retire would be right where I am in Southern California. I've been here 16 years now and I am happy here with friends and family close by. But I still would like to spend a month or two every year visiting Europe, especially Greece. I think it would lovely to be able to rent a small place for a month or so on Mykonos or Santorini. Mostly, I would like the benefit of time so I can observe and savour the atmosphere without feeling that I'm so pressed for time that I have to "do" something every day.

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