[Misc] Retirement

[Ding Dong !]

Spend a lot of my time now doing calcs on the pensions & savings I have trying to work out when I can potentially retire. And am hoping to do this in 18 months or so when i turn 59 or certainly wind down.

Seen a nice rise of circa £40K in the past 14 months for one of my pensions due to the rapid rise in the North American fund unit price that has gone from 2.79p to 3.54p in that time.

Mans a nutter but hey if my crypto and pensions keep rising in the way they are..............Go Trump !!!!!

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Spend a lot of my time now doing calcs on the pensions & savings I have trying to work out when I can potentially retire. And am hoping to do this in 18 months or so when i turn 59 or certainly wind down.

Seen a nice rise of circa £40K in the past 14 months for one of my pensions due to the rapid rise in the North American fund unit price that has gone from 2.79p to 3.54p in that time.

Mans a nutter but hey if my crypto and pensions keep rising in the way they are..............Go Trump !!!!!

I retired at 59 mate and that was three years ago. Lessons I've learnt:

You spend less than you think you will (other than trips / holidays, which you can turn on or off as finances dictate)

It's NEVER to early to retire

We always think we need to work but, equally, we sometimes enjoy it and it pays well, than keep doing it.

Only you know what you want to do, people around you say what they would do, but they're not you, go with what you REALLY want

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

So people worry about having nothing to do in retirement. To be honest I sometimes enjoy “nothing to do” so much that I do it for longer, it’s great.

 

[dstanman]

So people worry about having nothing to do in retirement. To be honest I sometimes enjoy “nothing to do” so much that I do it for longer, it’s great.

Just more time to read Northstandchat

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I am one week away from the first of three "big" adventures, this one sees my Wife & I fly to Delhi, before travelling by train to Shimla on the Shatabdi Express, taking in three days of trail walking in The Himalayas, then it's back on a train back to Delhi for a sightseeing tour. Day 7 sees us go to Agra and The Taj Mahal, followed by a train to Ranthambhore, and a jungle safari. We then move to Jaipur by rail, taking in the Amber Fort and the City of Jaipur before flying to Mumbai. Then we jump on a ship and sail down Southern Asia for two weeks. Far removed from our normal couple of weeks in Majorca, so very excited and really apprehensive. I suppose retirement was supposed to be about new adventures and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone and this feels that it is.

We are reasonably prepared for the potential ailments of such a trip and very excited.

 

[dazzer6666]

I am one week away from the first of three "big" adventures, this one sees my Wife & I fly to Delhi, before travelling by train to Shimla on the Shatabdi Express, taking in three days of trail walking in The Himalayas, then it's back on a train back to Delhi for a sightseeing tour. Day 7 sees us go to Agra and The Taj Mahal, followed by a train to Ranthambhore, and a jungle safari. We then move to Jaipur by rail, taking in the Amber Fort and the City of Jaipur before flying to Mumbai. Then we jump on a ship and sail down Southern Asia for two weeks. Far removed from our normal couple of weeks in Majorca, so very excited and really apprehensive. I suppose retirement was supposed to be about new adventures and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone and this feels that it is.

We are reasonably prepared for the potential ailments of such a trip and very excited.

Similar to what we’ve been doing the last 2-3 years (different locations so far but longer, more adventurous holidays to new places)……bloody loving it. Driving Mrs nuts with planning the trips while we’re on current trips

 

[METALMICKY]

I am one week away from the first of three "big" adventures, this one sees my Wife & I fly to Delhi, before travelling by train to Shimla on the Shatabdi Express, taking in three days of trail walking in The Himalayas, then it's back on a train back to Delhi for a sightseeing tour. Day 7 sees us go to Agra and The Taj Mahal, followed by a train to Ranthambhore, and a jungle safari. We then move to Jaipur by rail, taking in the Amber Fort and the City of Jaipur before flying to Mumbai. Then we jump on a ship and sail down Southern Asia for two weeks. Far removed from our normal couple of weeks in Majorca, so very excited and really apprehensive. I suppose retirement was supposed to be about new adventures and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone and this feels that it is.

We are reasonably prepared for the potential ailments of such a trip and very excited.

Immodium is your friend!

 

[The Mole]

I am one week away from the first of three "big" adventures, this one sees my Wife & I fly to Delhi, before travelling by train to Shimla on the Shatabdi Express, taking in three days of trail walking in The Himalayas, then it's back on a train back to Delhi for a sightseeing tour. Day 7 sees us go to Agra and The Taj Mahal, followed by a train to Ranthambhore, and a jungle safari. We then move to Jaipur by rail, taking in the Amber Fort and the City of Jaipur before flying to Mumbai. Then we jump on a ship and sail down Southern Asia for two weeks. Far removed from our normal couple of weeks in Majorca, so very excited and really apprehensive. I suppose retirement was supposed to be about new adventures and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone and this feels that it is.

We are reasonably prepared for the potential ailments of such a trip and very excited.

Best advice for eating in India is to go to the busy places where the locals go. Fast turnaround in food means there’s less standing around for ages. Also eating with your hands is actually more hygienic- there are wash stations so you end up washing your hands a lot.
india assaults your senses but embrace it and you will love it. Sounds like a good trip you’ve got planned. By all accounts Ranthanbore is a bit mad compared to other safaris. Indians don’t understand that big cat’s don’t like noise. But there is no sight like a tiger in the wild.
shimla will probably be quite chilly. Everything is closed on a Monday!
we’re going back to India over Christmas- tiger reserve - Hydrabad and then Goa to meet up with friends we made last time we were there.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Similar to what we’ve been doing the last 2-3 years (different locations so far but longer, more adventurous holidays to new places)……bloody loving it. Driving Mrs nuts with planning the trips while we’re on current trips

100% the same, I've started planning the Blossom Tour of Japan, think that's May '25, and a South American trip in Oct '25

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Immodium is your friend!

We've started taking some stomach supplement now, to help build some immunity but am also well tooled up on the pharmaceutical front!

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Best advice for eating in India is to go to the busy places where the locals go. Fast turnaround in food means there’s less standing around for ages. Also eating with your hands is actually more hygienic- there are wash stations so you end up washing your hands a lot.
india assaults your senses but embrace it and you will love it. Sounds like a good trip you’ve got planned. By all accounts Ranthanbore is a bit mad compared to other safaris. Indians don’t understand that big cat’s don’t like noise. But there is no sight like a tiger in the wild.
shimla will probably be quite chilly. Everything is closed on a Monday!
we’re going back to India over Christmas- tiger reserve - Hydrabad and then Goa to meet up with friends we made last time we were there.

Yes, many of the stages are trains with Hotel breakfast and Dinner and a packed lunch for the train. But we have a couple of days in Jaipur and Mumbai so plan to be far more adventurous on the catering front

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Greetings from a very smogy Delhi, it’s 4.30 a.m. and we’re up for a 14 hour journey to The Himalayas …..

 

[Professor Plum]

Greetings from a very smogy Delhi, it’s 4.30 a.m. and we’re up for a 14 hour journey to The Himalayas …..

I spent about 6 months backpacking round India, Nepal and Bangladesh in my 20s. It changed my life for the better. On the catering/sickness front it’s largely a case of being sensible. Eating meat and fish/seafood will always be a risk in India. Eating veg can also be a risk as you don’t know how clean the water was used to wash them. Use some common sense to minimise risk but expect to get a bout of the shits at some point. Getting the runs is not always about bad food or bad hygiene. It can simply be your body reacting to food and spices it’s never experienced before.

My advice is to not overlook the simple stuff that’s likely to be safest to eat, especially when travelling. Nothing worse than the shits en route to your next destination. Railway station restaurants will sell eggs and tomatoes on toast with coffee. Much safer than a mysterious meat curry. If you want something more exotic, I used to love masala dosa — mashed potatoes in a pancake served with one or two spicy sauces. Pretty safe choices.

But there’s every chance you’ll avoid the lurghy. I suspect you can get bottled water there these days. I used to have to rely on dubious tap water. Or the delicious Limca.

Have a great time. I've often said that you don’t always appreciate India until after you get back home when you suddenly think, "What on Earth just happened?"

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I spent about 6 months backpacking round India, Nepal and Bangladesh in my 20s. It changed my life for the better. On the catering/sickness front it’s largely a case of being sensible. Eating meat and fish/seafood will always be a risk in India. Eating veg can also be a risk as you don’t know how clean the water was used to wash them. Use some common sense to minimise risk but expect to get a bout of the shits at some point. Getting the runs is not always about bad food or bad hygiene. It can simply be your body reacting to food and spices it’s never experienced before.

My advice is to not overlook the simple stuff that’s likely to be safest to eat, especially when travelling. Nothing worse than the shits en route to your next destination. Railway station restaurants will sell eggs and tomatoes on toast with coffee. Much safer than a mysterious meat curry. If you want something more exotic, I used to love masala dosa — mashed potatoes in a pancake served with one or two spicy sauces. Pretty safe choices.

But there’s every chance you’ll avoid the lurghy. I suspect you can get bottled water there these days. I used to have to rely on dubious tap water. Or the delicious Limca.

Have a great time. I've often said that you don’t always appreciate India until after you get back home when you suddenly think, "What on Earth just happened?"

Thank you, the only problem was finding this hell hole in Shimla, Northern India. So far we’re loving it and the people are wonderful.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I am one week away from the first of three "big" adventures, this one sees my Wife & I fly to Delhi, before travelling by train to Shimla on the Shatabdi Express, taking in three days of trail walking in The Himalayas, then it's back on a train back to Delhi for a sightseeing tour. Day 7 sees us go to Agra and The Taj Mahal, followed by a train to Ranthambhore, and a jungle safari. We then move to Jaipur by rail, taking in the Amber Fort and the City of Jaipur before flying to Mumbai. Then we jump on a ship and sail down Southern Asia for two weeks. Far removed from our normal couple of weeks in Majorca, so very excited and really apprehensive. I suppose retirement was supposed to be about new adventures and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone and this feels that it is.

We are reasonably prepared for the potential ailments of such a trip and very excited.

Sounds like an amazing trip - my brother-in-law is in India at the moment - doing a 'self-guided' tour.

He's sent us (fantatic) pictures from Agra, Varanai, Haidwar, Rishikesh, Amristsar, Delhi, Jaipur, Srinagar, Rajastan, Pushkar, Jodhpur and

Enjoy.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Just back from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore. As a pretty much two weeks, all-inc, in Majorca type of guy this was fantastic.

The people were wonderful, facilities, at times, eye-opening (&watering) and just a cultural overload.

I’ve never been more tired on holiday, up a 5 sometimes to do safaris, not back until 9 / 10 pm sometimes, having missed lunch or dinner, but absolutely bloody awesome.

Where next …

Similar trip but in South America.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

Just back from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore. As a pretty much two weeks, all-inc, in Majorca type of guy this was fantastic.

The people were wonderful, facilities, at times, eye-opening (&watering) and just a cultural overload.

I’ve never been more tired on holiday, up a 5 sometimes to do safaris, not back until 9 / 10 pm sometimes, having missed lunch or dinner, but absolutely bloody awesome.

Where next …

Similar trip but in South America.

If it’s not a personal question (which it is!), how long were you away for and what was your budget? Asking for a friend….

 

[albionalba]

Just back from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore.

Glad you had an amazing time. Sounds like an incredible retirement trip. Any favourites? How do you rank SE Asia countries vs Malaysian peninsula countries? I can never reconcile that huge poverty and caste-system prejudice gap in India for a supposedly 'tiger' nation. But maybe just more visible in the streets than the way that Singapore busses in poorly treated workers from Malaysia and it isn't easy to see.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

If it’s not a personal question (which it is!), how long were you away for and what was your budget? Asking for a friend….

The trip was just over four weeks, but included guided trips, day safaris, train journeys and some meals. The first part toured India and the second part was an all inc cruise with day tours.

The package was just over £11k and we spent probably another £2k on food, drinks and non included tours.