Ah, I have the same kind of dilemma - and I'm 32 🥹
What I find most unnerving is that whatever “legal requirements” you try to plan around aren’t even guaranteed to remain stable... (see: Portugal and how they recently changed the residency path rules)
Right now, I’m French and a permanent resident in Brazil, but I spend most of my time in Asia. If at any point France or Brazil changes their rules (for taxes, residency, citizenship, or anything else), my long-term plans can suddenly fall apart. But at the same time, we still need to take those rules into account when making life-changing decisions... Arrf.
And now there’s another factor added to the equation: climate change. How are we supposed to make long-term decisions when even the livability of places may change dramatically over just 10 years?
Those are all excellent points and the instability/ability of governments to change rules is something we think about. How could we not when our own country is the worst in tearing up agreements about who is welcome in our country.
And the climate change piece is very real too. I wrote an article about that last year noting that one of the best things about being nomadic was the ability to not be locked into one place.
I am the same age as you, although I am turning 63 tomorrow. My mother was 63 when she died in 1987.
And although our day-to-day lives are quite different, Bill and I are not nomads, I share many of your same concerns.
We moved to Delaware a year ago knowing very few people. We have started to build a community of friends here but most of them are our age or older.
We do not have children, our families are either nonfunctional or spread all over the country. Were we to need an extended community for much of anything, we would be out of luck.
I honestly don’t know what the answer is. I share your concerns about the future of this country. We moved to Delaware precisely because it has been a reliably blue state for many decades and we figured that if rights were going to be eroded, it would take more time here.
I guess I don’t really have much to add that is of practical use but wanted to let you know that you are not alone in these calculations.
First off, happy birthday, Mike! I hope you have a great day. And, yeah, it makes sense that childless couples of all variety have to face these issues. Brent and I do have families, but they are small and have their own lives to deal with. It’s going to be interesting going forward, that’s for sure.
After more than a decade living full time on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua and visiting over 80 countries across our adult lives, Ron and I have landed on what feels like the perfect answer to the question every senior nomad eventually faces. We are in our 70s now, and we just made the decision to move to Merced, California, near our son Cory and our grandchildren. Cory is buying a house with our down payment and we will live there as his tenants, paying no rent. He builds equity, we have a true home base, and we are close to the family we love. We will continue to travel roughly six months out of the year, just as we did after returning from Nicaragua to our home in Tennessee. For us, this is not a compromise that feels like giving something up. It feels like arriving somewhere exactly right.
The dilemma is real for every serious nomad who ages into their later decades. Full time travel is intoxicating and in many ways it is financially sensible when you subtract the costs of maintaining a property. But as the years accumulate, the weight of perpetual motion changes. Healthcare becomes complicated without established doctors and a stable address. Emergencies, whether health or family, are harder to navigate from a moving base. And there is a quieter cost that sneaks up on you, the absence of deep roots, of neighbors who know your name, of a community that holds you.
The six months on, six months home model threads that needle beautifully, but it works best when you have built the infrastructure for it well before you need it. That means owning or securing a home base before health or finances make the decision for you, cultivating the family relationships that make an arrangement like ours possible, and being honest with yourself about how your needs are shifting. Senior nomads who wait too long to think about this often find themselves making rushed decisions under pressure. The ones who thrive are the ones who planned the landing while they were still happily in the air.
All of this makes a great deal of sense, but you do have one built-in advantage over us and other similar couples — a family around which to build that community. It’s definitely possible for us, but it’s a trickier thing.
The other issue is the matter of timing. Some folks will be hale and hearty into their 80s, so can start building that community later. Others might have health issues in their 60s and need that net in their 60s.
As I note in the article, I’m willing to gamble on waiting longer than Brent. But we’ll figure something out.
My guess is that if you can afford living in the U.S. as you age, it will serve as your base allowing a few months of travel each year. Maybe find a city where you won’t need a car. That approach would seem to address the issues you identify.
The trick is finding a place you really don’t need a car. We’re currently in Port Townsend, WA, which is quite lovely. But you still absolutely need a car.
I resonate with this so much Michael. Lisa and I are a few years behind you but not many, and we’ve already discussed this issue. You articulate the complexities so well. Whatever option you choose comes with pros and cons, like so many decisions in life. Our current plan is to eventually land back in Arizona near existing family and friends, and traveling as much as we’re able in decreasing amounts as time passes. Thanks for sharing on this important topic.
I do a lot of sums. I'm 70 this year - I survived Sepsis in 2022, so that means I need to catch up, take away 10 = 80 divided by miles to travel multiplied by number of chances to be reunited with my children = NOW is all there is.
In about 30 days I will celebrate my 72nd birthday. If I read your blog when I was ready to hit age 60 I might be a bit despondent right now, maybe seeking out a country where they have legal euthanasia. After all, we all WANT control of our lives, so why shouldn’t we be in control of our deaths?
As it is, I am glad to be celebrating #72, primarily because many of my friends I graduated with cannot do that. As a matter of fact, many friends who are much younger—as much as a decade younger—can’t blow out any more candles either. We’ve not been doing this nomad thing for a decade, but just seven years this past February. Some of the things you mention, ie, slowing down, looking for a “final spot,” and such, are conversations I’ve had with my lovely. Who is 18 months, to the day, older than me. We both live in gratitude for the health we DO have and count our good fortune regularly. 43 countries, all continents but one is nothing to sneeze at! But we talk about death, in real terms, occasionally. We carry no health insurance, take care of things as they come, and what we’ve spent is a fraction of what premiums would cost. Our Medicare is there, but a joke, and she has needed a paramedic ride twice, neither of which was fatal, though scary. On a chairlift in Romania we were up towards the top, and one of us said, “you know, if one of us had a heart attack here, we’d be screwed.” Paramedic and insurance be damned; when it’s you/ our/ my time, our ticker will run out.
Last eek we had a very real reality check when my BP crashed after a lengthy hike the day before and several days of being dehydrated. I had no idea THEN what happened, but I do now, since we’ve both been digging in (thank you AI), and understand the critical significance of potassium, magnesium, and sodium in keeping our hydration in order. Especially where we are--in Vietnam. She came THIS close to calling for an ambulance, and she went to the Dark Side and thought: heart attack, TIA, or stroke, and “what if?”
What if, indeed.
Some coconut and orange juice, some rest, and later, electrolytes and magnesium got me back on my feet, but I’m had just one gym workout since then, check my BP several times a day, do a feet elevation thing every afternoon, and even though I’ll not celebrate #72 after a two hour climb at the top of some god forsaken peak, I will celebrate with no fanfare, just a lot of thanks.
So, if you’re looking for a “death spot,” more power to you. We have ZERO plans/ intentions to return to the US, and I have no kids, no parents, and aside from some cousins, no one close to me blood wise. But we have each other. Which one of us “goes” first is in God’s hands, and hopefully the survivor will deal with it in a healthy way. I’m sure you count YOUR blessings that you have each other, as you should. Yes, we have and are slowed down, and plan to stay in Da Nang at least six months, and probably focus on SE Asia as being OUR final resting spot, though I do intend to go to Albania occasionally, since I did love it. Our quickie 2 weeks in Japan next week MAY be our last short time/ long distance jaunt, but we’ll play it by ear.
So any or all of you who may read this, just eat well, get rested, and enjoy each day. When the shit hits the fan, I know (for me) it’ll take me to a kind, gentle place, and the world will rock on without me.
First off I’m glad you recovered so quickly from that incident and that you’ve got someone you love by your side. Secondly, glad you’ve found your pace and places you feel at peace in. Keep traveling (slowly!) safely!
I'm 65, getting ready to start my nomad life. Part of the decision to do this was because a friend of mine, who was the same age as me, died suddenly. She was like my twin. We were both massage therapists and swing dancers, and if anything she was fitter than me. One day she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, sat on the floor, and never got up. I was already trying to figure out what my retirement would look like, and that just pushed me to just go out and live my life and figure it out, because tomorrow is not promised. I could see myself starting up some kind of coliving community at some point. I doubt very much I can afford to come back to this country... At least not in an area that I would want to live in. And honestly, I'm not sure I would want to anyway if the politics keep going the way they are. I also kind of feel that by being out of the country, I can give my daughter and granddaughter an escape option if it gets really bad. And honestly, part of my wanderings are to figure out where I might want to spend the rest of my life.
I'm a straight white woman, and even I don't feel safe here so I can't imagine what it's like in your shoes. I certainly would not consider coming back here until we see what happens with this regime. Maybe you could do something in Canada, just over the border? That might be a great place to start a coliving group.
For now, I'm not gonna worry about it. Maybe in 5 years time I'll start to consider what route I need to take. Yhere's so much instability everywhere that I wouldn't want to decide where I'm going to put down roots for a while.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend, Pamela. Those reminders that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed can be terribly painful, but I’m glad it’s helped you to decide what to do with the next few years of your life. And I hear you about both the cost of living in the US and the politics.
It's weird/interesting to be in the same boat in a different way, as a working expat in a country we would * like * to settle in, but currently have no legal way of doing so, after retirement, and being in a sort of limbo until the kids decide where they might want to go to university -- but that's no guarantee (I have one colleague, for instance, who has one child here (Geneva) and another who moved to Costa Rica!)...
I have lived as an expat in childhood and throughout my adult life and never felt truly bonded to the U.S., least of all right now. But my arthritic shoulder forced a decision: surgery here or in Mexico, where I have permanent residency. I chose here in Seattle because of Medicare and family and friends. They all have provided me support. I don’t have a partner so I really need them. Now, am I going to stay? At 75, the odds are good. But I may decide to rent in Mexico or British Columbia and come back for long visits! A note about family: you do have your chosen family. They are the ones who will be there for you. Or call on us, your fans! Please keep writing about this. It is an important issue for so many.
Aw, thanks, Mauri! That’s lovely of you to say. And I’m glad you found a place to have your surgery. Medicare is also a factor for us, though still a bit away. Hope you find a way to combine being here with family and still travel as much as you want.
Ah, I have the same kind of dilemma - and I'm 32 🥹
What I find most unnerving is that whatever “legal requirements” you try to plan around aren’t even guaranteed to remain stable... (see: Portugal and how they recently changed the residency path rules)
Right now, I’m French and a permanent resident in Brazil, but I spend most of my time in Asia. If at any point France or Brazil changes their rules (for taxes, residency, citizenship, or anything else), my long-term plans can suddenly fall apart. But at the same time, we still need to take those rules into account when making life-changing decisions... Arrf.
And now there’s another factor added to the equation: climate change. How are we supposed to make long-term decisions when even the livability of places may change dramatically over just 10 years?
Those are all excellent points and the instability/ability of governments to change rules is something we think about. How could we not when our own country is the worst in tearing up agreements about who is welcome in our country.
And the climate change piece is very real too. I wrote an article about that last year noting that one of the best things about being nomadic was the ability to not be locked into one place.
I am the same age as you, although I am turning 63 tomorrow. My mother was 63 when she died in 1987.
And although our day-to-day lives are quite different, Bill and I are not nomads, I share many of your same concerns.
We moved to Delaware a year ago knowing very few people. We have started to build a community of friends here but most of them are our age or older.
We do not have children, our families are either nonfunctional or spread all over the country. Were we to need an extended community for much of anything, we would be out of luck.
I honestly don’t know what the answer is. I share your concerns about the future of this country. We moved to Delaware precisely because it has been a reliably blue state for many decades and we figured that if rights were going to be eroded, it would take more time here.
I guess I don’t really have much to add that is of practical use but wanted to let you know that you are not alone in these calculations.
First off, happy birthday, Mike! I hope you have a great day. And, yeah, it makes sense that childless couples of all variety have to face these issues. Brent and I do have families, but they are small and have their own lives to deal with. It’s going to be interesting going forward, that’s for sure.
After more than a decade living full time on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua and visiting over 80 countries across our adult lives, Ron and I have landed on what feels like the perfect answer to the question every senior nomad eventually faces. We are in our 70s now, and we just made the decision to move to Merced, California, near our son Cory and our grandchildren. Cory is buying a house with our down payment and we will live there as his tenants, paying no rent. He builds equity, we have a true home base, and we are close to the family we love. We will continue to travel roughly six months out of the year, just as we did after returning from Nicaragua to our home in Tennessee. For us, this is not a compromise that feels like giving something up. It feels like arriving somewhere exactly right.
The dilemma is real for every serious nomad who ages into their later decades. Full time travel is intoxicating and in many ways it is financially sensible when you subtract the costs of maintaining a property. But as the years accumulate, the weight of perpetual motion changes. Healthcare becomes complicated without established doctors and a stable address. Emergencies, whether health or family, are harder to navigate from a moving base. And there is a quieter cost that sneaks up on you, the absence of deep roots, of neighbors who know your name, of a community that holds you.
The six months on, six months home model threads that needle beautifully, but it works best when you have built the infrastructure for it well before you need it. That means owning or securing a home base before health or finances make the decision for you, cultivating the family relationships that make an arrangement like ours possible, and being honest with yourself about how your needs are shifting. Senior nomads who wait too long to think about this often find themselves making rushed decisions under pressure. The ones who thrive are the ones who planned the landing while they were still happily in the air.
All of this makes a great deal of sense, but you do have one built-in advantage over us and other similar couples — a family around which to build that community. It’s definitely possible for us, but it’s a trickier thing.
The other issue is the matter of timing. Some folks will be hale and hearty into their 80s, so can start building that community later. Others might have health issues in their 60s and need that net in their 60s.
As I note in the article, I’m willing to gamble on waiting longer than Brent. But we’ll figure something out.
My guess is that if you can afford living in the U.S. as you age, it will serve as your base allowing a few months of travel each year. Maybe find a city where you won’t need a car. That approach would seem to address the issues you identify.
The trick is finding a place you really don’t need a car. We’re currently in Port Townsend, WA, which is quite lovely. But you still absolutely need a car.
There’s always Mississippi 🙃
No comment!
Portland works pretty well for us while in the U.S.
I resonate with this so much Michael. Lisa and I are a few years behind you but not many, and we’ve already discussed this issue. You articulate the complexities so well. Whatever option you choose comes with pros and cons, like so many decisions in life. Our current plan is to eventually land back in Arizona near existing family and friends, and traveling as much as we’re able in decreasing amounts as time passes. Thanks for sharing on this important topic.
Yeah, most of life is pros and cons that we have to figure out how to balance. Except eating dark chocolate, which is clearly all pros.
I do a lot of sums. I'm 70 this year - I survived Sepsis in 2022, so that means I need to catch up, take away 10 = 80 divided by miles to travel multiplied by number of chances to be reunited with my children = NOW is all there is.
Sepsis, scary! Glad you came through that all right and are out and about in the world!
I’ve started wondering about this too
And what’s your conclusion?
In about 30 days I will celebrate my 72nd birthday. If I read your blog when I was ready to hit age 60 I might be a bit despondent right now, maybe seeking out a country where they have legal euthanasia. After all, we all WANT control of our lives, so why shouldn’t we be in control of our deaths?
As it is, I am glad to be celebrating #72, primarily because many of my friends I graduated with cannot do that. As a matter of fact, many friends who are much younger—as much as a decade younger—can’t blow out any more candles either. We’ve not been doing this nomad thing for a decade, but just seven years this past February. Some of the things you mention, ie, slowing down, looking for a “final spot,” and such, are conversations I’ve had with my lovely. Who is 18 months, to the day, older than me. We both live in gratitude for the health we DO have and count our good fortune regularly. 43 countries, all continents but one is nothing to sneeze at! But we talk about death, in real terms, occasionally. We carry no health insurance, take care of things as they come, and what we’ve spent is a fraction of what premiums would cost. Our Medicare is there, but a joke, and she has needed a paramedic ride twice, neither of which was fatal, though scary. On a chairlift in Romania we were up towards the top, and one of us said, “you know, if one of us had a heart attack here, we’d be screwed.” Paramedic and insurance be damned; when it’s you/ our/ my time, our ticker will run out.
Last eek we had a very real reality check when my BP crashed after a lengthy hike the day before and several days of being dehydrated. I had no idea THEN what happened, but I do now, since we’ve both been digging in (thank you AI), and understand the critical significance of potassium, magnesium, and sodium in keeping our hydration in order. Especially where we are--in Vietnam. She came THIS close to calling for an ambulance, and she went to the Dark Side and thought: heart attack, TIA, or stroke, and “what if?”
What if, indeed.
Some coconut and orange juice, some rest, and later, electrolytes and magnesium got me back on my feet, but I’m had just one gym workout since then, check my BP several times a day, do a feet elevation thing every afternoon, and even though I’ll not celebrate #72 after a two hour climb at the top of some god forsaken peak, I will celebrate with no fanfare, just a lot of thanks.
So, if you’re looking for a “death spot,” more power to you. We have ZERO plans/ intentions to return to the US, and I have no kids, no parents, and aside from some cousins, no one close to me blood wise. But we have each other. Which one of us “goes” first is in God’s hands, and hopefully the survivor will deal with it in a healthy way. I’m sure you count YOUR blessings that you have each other, as you should. Yes, we have and are slowed down, and plan to stay in Da Nang at least six months, and probably focus on SE Asia as being OUR final resting spot, though I do intend to go to Albania occasionally, since I did love it. Our quickie 2 weeks in Japan next week MAY be our last short time/ long distance jaunt, but we’ll play it by ear.
So any or all of you who may read this, just eat well, get rested, and enjoy each day. When the shit hits the fan, I know (for me) it’ll take me to a kind, gentle place, and the world will rock on without me.
First off I’m glad you recovered so quickly from that incident and that you’ve got someone you love by your side. Secondly, glad you’ve found your pace and places you feel at peace in. Keep traveling (slowly!) safely!
I'm 65, getting ready to start my nomad life. Part of the decision to do this was because a friend of mine, who was the same age as me, died suddenly. She was like my twin. We were both massage therapists and swing dancers, and if anything she was fitter than me. One day she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, sat on the floor, and never got up. I was already trying to figure out what my retirement would look like, and that just pushed me to just go out and live my life and figure it out, because tomorrow is not promised. I could see myself starting up some kind of coliving community at some point. I doubt very much I can afford to come back to this country... At least not in an area that I would want to live in. And honestly, I'm not sure I would want to anyway if the politics keep going the way they are. I also kind of feel that by being out of the country, I can give my daughter and granddaughter an escape option if it gets really bad. And honestly, part of my wanderings are to figure out where I might want to spend the rest of my life.
I'm a straight white woman, and even I don't feel safe here so I can't imagine what it's like in your shoes. I certainly would not consider coming back here until we see what happens with this regime. Maybe you could do something in Canada, just over the border? That might be a great place to start a coliving group.
For now, I'm not gonna worry about it. Maybe in 5 years time I'll start to consider what route I need to take. Yhere's so much instability everywhere that I wouldn't want to decide where I'm going to put down roots for a while.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend, Pamela. Those reminders that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed can be terribly painful, but I’m glad it’s helped you to decide what to do with the next few years of your life. And I hear you about both the cost of living in the US and the politics.
It's weird/interesting to be in the same boat in a different way, as a working expat in a country we would * like * to settle in, but currently have no legal way of doing so, after retirement, and being in a sort of limbo until the kids decide where they might want to go to university -- but that's no guarantee (I have one colleague, for instance, who has one child here (Geneva) and another who moved to Costa Rica!)...
Hopefully the answer will become clear — in a positive way!
I have lived as an expat in childhood and throughout my adult life and never felt truly bonded to the U.S., least of all right now. But my arthritic shoulder forced a decision: surgery here or in Mexico, where I have permanent residency. I chose here in Seattle because of Medicare and family and friends. They all have provided me support. I don’t have a partner so I really need them. Now, am I going to stay? At 75, the odds are good. But I may decide to rent in Mexico or British Columbia and come back for long visits! A note about family: you do have your chosen family. They are the ones who will be there for you. Or call on us, your fans! Please keep writing about this. It is an important issue for so many.
Aw, thanks, Mauri! That’s lovely of you to say. And I’m glad you found a place to have your surgery. Medicare is also a factor for us, though still a bit away. Hope you find a way to combine being here with family and still travel as much as you want.