Where do YOU want to retire?

[Gordon_4]

I’ve been giving some thought to this question, mainly out of boredom, and more and more I keep finding my thoughts drift to the Shetland Islands, off the coast of Scotland.

I won’t lie I’d need to take a couple of holidays there first at different times of the year to see what the climate is like, figure out if I can hack it as it were.

So what about it fellow Escapists, what part of the Earth do you want to spend your twilight years?

 

[Hawki]

I don't particuarly care where. I doubt retirement is going to be an option for me.

Let's assume I can retire at the age of 70. For me, I'd turn 70 in the year 2059. I'm extremely skeptical that the world of 2050 and onwards (heck, earlier) is going to be a pleasant world to live in. I'm probably going to live long enough to see the shit really hit the fan, but die before the fan stops spinning and we're all left in the shit. And in spite of all that, I'll likely be one of the lucky ones.

 

[Fat Hippo]

In my theoretical optimal retirement plan, I'd be somewhat migratory, since I like neither extreme heat nor cold. So it'd be somewhere either warm or temperate for the winter, e.g. somewhere on the Mediterranean, and somewhere further up north, e.g. Scandinavia, for the summer. Obviously such a thing is too decadent unless I hit it big and shit hasn't hit the fan in 40 years or whatever the retirement age will be then.

It's been too long since I've lived outside of Europe to really imagine retiring on another continent. Whether I'd rather live somewhere urban or rural is another tricky question. Right now I'm definitely more inclined towards an urban life, but these things can change with age. My apartment for the last few years has been in a fairly quiet quarter of an already calm city, but I feel that has struck a good balance for me. It has the advantages of a city life, such as public transportation and shopping/drinking/eating options, but is still not all that hectic. And it's also just a very pretty city. I'd never want to live in an asphalt wasteland.

 

[Chimpzy]

I haven't given it any thought honestly, because A) it may no longer exist for regular joe's before I reach what is now the retirement age, and B) I might not reach that age.

 

[SupahEwok]

Some place in mountains, that is near the coast, and outside but not too far from a major metropolitan area. Potential candidates are Scotland, New Zealand, NW US, Japan; Glorious Nippon is at the bottom since I'm not particularly interested in learning Japanese now or ever.

But as others here say, who knows if the standard vision of investment funded retirement will still be a reality for us normals by that time.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Like many others, haven't even thought about it. It sounds like a pipe dream to me at this point. Maybe I'll edit this if I come up with something. Might stick around the coast like I'm at now, or maybe not, I dunno

 

[Neuromancer]

I don't plan to retire. From work, perhaps, yes, but I have no real retirement plan otherwise. I don't care about living some other place, and I mostly care about staying around people I care about. So I'm fine where I am.

 

[Tiger King]

I'm not sure I will live that long. I've known a few people that almost crossed the finishing line only to get cancer and pass away. the saddest example was someone a bit older than myself who I went to school with. He said he wasn't feeling well at work and went home before dying in his sleep. he was kind of a big guy but only 35!

I think I would probably go back to the uk. once retired I wouldn't be getting health insurance from an employer anymore so that's a factor. Although maybe the us may have changed it's stance on 'evil socialist' healthcare by then? There's also Expat dysphoria I've been told about which sounds bothersome.

Could just stay here also. California isn't so bad.

 

[JoJo]

I like the idea of sailing around the Mediterranean in a small boat in the summer. Good food, good weather, peace and quiet, what's not to like?

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Iceland has always been a bit of a pipe dream for me. I probably have an extremely idealized view of it but to me it always seemed like this beautiful little island where people are decent and nothing bad ever happens. And the summers aren't as hot. It's not really a realistic dream, I could probably never learn the language, for one, but you know, as a fantasy it's nice.

 

[gorfias]

My aunt's husband outlived her and moved to Florida. For $67 cash, he bought a new 2 bedroom condo in a complex with 6 pools. $400 a month condo fee. Even with a modest income, he's golden. Not a bad plan.

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

I'm perfectly fine living in this general area in the future. Dunno, unless I become super rich or something unlikely like that, I don't have a particular desire to go anywhere to retire. It just seems like I'd be living a similar life just in a different location, I don't see the appeal unless I'm suddenly living in a castle or something wildly different

 

[Worgen]

Some place with high speed internet and outside of a flood plain.

 

[Baffle]

In Westworld, as a calm and quiet bartender that no one notices and no one abuses. I definitely never catch a stray bullet. I just do my day of bar mopping and listening to sob stories, then I go home to the missus and we both power down. In my dreams I'm an astronaut before realising the horror of empty space, so I decide to roll around in kittens instead. Then I power back up and go back to the bar. Sometimes I sneak into the music machine thing and change it to Fuck the Police.

 

[Tiger King]

In Westworld, as a calm and quiet bartender that no one notices and no one abuses. I definitely never catch a stray bullet. I just do my day of bar mopping and listening to sob stories, then I go home to the missus and we both power down. In my dreams I'm an astronaut before realising the horror of empty space, so I decide to roll around in kittens instead. Then I power back up and go back to the bar. Sometimes I sneak into the music machine thing and change it to Fuck the Police.

but I saw that episode where a bunch of rich guys was drinking at the tavern and one of them randomly blasted an ai and went 'whooo! yeah! now that's a vacation!'.
would you have npc lines? like every time someone talks to you you say 'hey there pardner, what'll it be?'.

sounds risky boss.

 

[Izanagi009]

I'm tempted to say if i have the money and infrastructural requirements in place, Singapore could be nice.

Warm and well established infrastructure, plus i've basically been there almost every year of my life for around a month a year. The main issues would be getting a visa to stay there long term and also issues with cultural differences.

If not Singapore, then maybe wherever my children or grand children are. I feel having them near could would be beneficial for my mental and physical health

 

[Agema]

I’ve been giving some thought to this question, mainly out of boredom, and more and more I keep finding my thoughts drift to the Shetland Islands, off the coast of Scotland.

I won’t lie I’d need to take a couple of holidays there first at different times of the year to see what the climate is like, figure out if I can hack it as it were.

So what about it fellow Escapists, what part of the Earth do you want to spend your twilight years?

I frequently find myself thinking how much I'd like to "get away". And ever since my twenties, that's meant sodding off to somewhere like a cottage on its own far away from everywhere - somewhere like the Scottish highlands, Yorkshire dales, etc. where I can just wander the countryside, cook meals, cut wood for my log fire, etc. and basically ignore much of the world. Just want an internet connection and car for necessities, really.

The problem is, I like the idea of that now, but I don't think I'd be enjoying that so much at 60+ when I'm more infirm, which is when I'd be able to retire. And at this point, I'm not sure what I would want from retirement. Potentially still easy access to that sort of countryside I'd like, but from a town/city with facilities.

 

[Hades]

I wouldn't mind retiring to either Prague or Edinburgh. Good bears, colorful bars and beautiful architecture.

 

[Fieldy409]

I dunno I guess I'd want to go on a hobby farm, I don't care where exactly just somewhere that land is cheap.

But maybe that's too much work , and I'd want the polar opposite and live in one of those little retirement houses with doctors to make sure I'm not dieing.. Small so its easy to clean and with people looking after me.

 

[Baffle]

... cut wood for my log fire ...

The problem is, I like the idea of that now, but I don't think I'd be enjoying that so much at 60+ when I'm more infirm, which is when I'd be able to retire. And at this point, I'm not sure what I would want from retirement. Potentially still easy access to that sort of countryside I'd like, but from a town/city with facilities.

I've had a wood burner for 6 or 7 years. I will be changing back to gas after the coming winter.

It's not so much the chopping, though that is a pain after a while, but you've got to store that stuff all year round, and even about 3 cubic metres worth will only do you a cold winter unless you use the heating a fair bit too. Even then you've got to spend an age reducing scrap to kindling etc. It's fine if you've got a lot of time on your hands, but a bit of a PITA otherwise.

It used to be okay when I was doing the place up because I had so much scrap wood, but once you start paying for logs, it's pretty pricy.