2hours. BUT, much more important just over 2 hours to Pyrenees, close to Tarn Gorge, 3 hours to Verdon gorge , 4.5 hours Italy.....great roads on the way! No sand anywhere in sight
Well, obviously......."Wales"........ is out of the question Offa should have made that bloody dyke bigger Life is far to short no matter how long you live AC, if you can afford to do it, pull the pin and enjoy what you've got left. It may be irrelevant but could brexit influence your choice of where you could or want to live ?
I'm 55 and I've got 18 days left to work before I retire. The 2 things you need to know to make the right financial decision are how long will you live and what return will you get on your investments in the future and you know neither of these when you retire. My pension will cover the bills and provide a reasonable standard of living with the 25% of the pot to play around with and hopefully grow but also spend. I hate my job, it's a good one but I make far more money for the stripey Nigel tossers I work for than I get myself and I have had enough so at the first opportunity I am off. Not sure what I'll do as my other half is happy to continue working but will stay around Manchester because I'm a Manc and that's where I belong, I like travel and going abroad but have no wish at all to live abroad. My advice to anyone thinking of going is look at the finances very carefully and make sure you are realistic/cautious with your planning. If you get the money right all you have to do is concentrate on spending the time wisely and having fun doing what you want. After all you can always make some more money but you will never have anymore time left than you have today.
Next March I drop Mondays off (just before my 55th Birthday) then in the summer I drop Fridays off. I will then commit to another 5 years (not contracted to do so) and have 4 day weekends . I like the job but time is worth far more. Financially I did a good deal too as they want me to stay I will see how it goes - still have the business which is 1 to 2 hours a day too. The last 3 years has been hard on my time but the benefits of the extra effort will come soon...
The Correze is great. As you say it is just next door to us here in the Dordogne. The cost of running a bike is cheap here once you get French plates on it too. No road tax and no MOTs.
My experience of Portugal is great seafood, wine, sunshine, beautiful beaches...shit roads, mostly. That's what many other people have told me too. France, fab food, wine, cheap Chateau's but don't buy anything big, it'll only be a liability. F'ing dangerous drivers in my opinion. France, lovely country, far too good for the French. Spain, I like. I didn't expect too but amazing roads, great wine. Menu del dia (menu of the day) €8 including a glass of wine. Sunshine, good food but not as good as Italian but still good. They love bikers. Fabulous looking dark haired women... until they reach a certain age and all have the same short haircut and turn boxy. Italy, great food, wine, wild temperament, narrow roads. I'd love to live there but can be bloody expensive. Italians do know how to take large sums of money off you and make the whole process enjoyable...and I'm not just talking about Ducati's. This sodding Brexit has buggered up all my plans. The clock is ticking against all of us. My mantra is; Hurry up and enjoy yourself. I think I'm going to turn down this job/work someone wants me to do.
The area inland of Barcelona is nice...around Massis del Montseny. Great roads, just over an hour to a city, great roads in every direction and not as hot as southern Spain. Tooo hot!
I keep seeing the "early retirement" thread link appearing in my email.....couldnt wish for it sooner today as im getting it in the neck right now from my boss whoose moaining to me about the manager hes replaced....and im looking at him thinking..."what the fuck are you having a go at me about it for!"....
Cornwall and Devon nice. But the roads in and out are like a parking lot every time there is sunshine or a holiday. UK is just so busy these days. Bloody lake district, Peak district....even Tynemouth beach and Northumberland, crazy busy. Feel like your drowning in a sea of people. Spain all the way. Just come back from a week in the Sierra Nevada mountains (inland from Malaga/Almeria) and there is plenty space for everyone.
One of the reasons for Tenby....wife loves it by the sea...she's the same... " where ever we go its gotta be by the sea.... ! "
Yep - ironic....she's exactly the same....i think its the view more though....the last house we lived in was and end of terrace, which backed onto another terrace....the house were in now has a fantastic view over the valley (south facing) and its allways changing, always stuff to look at (we're right above the flightpath for bristol airport) and for that reason, id never consider anywhere that doesnt have a view....just being able to see a distance is relaxing in itself...plus, were right on the edge of Bristol so light pollution is quite minimal also for watching meteor showers, passing satellites, a few years back we caught the space station going over also...
Yes a view of the sea is great. Trouble is that in the nice weather everyone wants to go to the seaside, so for many months of the year you are in crowds of tourists. I like a view, but I like my peace and quiet too. I am halfway between the Med and the Atlantic so can get in the car or on the bike and go either way. I am north of the Pyrenees so can go south too if I want. Best of all I can stay at home on my south facing hillside in the woods on my 4 acres without disturbance from anyone. The red squirrels visit the kitchen window ledge every morning, but that is not a disturbance. I can get on my pushbike and cycle 4 kms one way or 5 kms the other way and be in a village where I can drink coffee and eat cross ants all day long if I want, and my council tax is around €430 a year for that.
