TOPIC:

Pete, I met many Brits retired in Thailand, Cambodia, and in general in South East Asia. It can be great if you know what you are doing, or you might end up broke and disappointed if not dead by suicide after money runs low. There is a lot of happy life there even if you're married and move there with your wife. Same Central and South America. The whole Canada except the very small geographically small pocket around Vancouver, is encased in cold and snow, even more since the 'global warming' lol
The high temperatures start at -10 C, but it's an average of -20 - 30 C. There rest, I already stated that it's way better on a postcard than in reality. I could write a book about it and how Canada has changed over the past 30 years. Vancouver - just past 15 years to see what's the truth. But I've been censored already on my short post regarding this already, so I want go there. Of course, I stand by everything I said. I left and never came back as well, then here I am again. That's how life works, fate not choice. And to a degree it's always a mix of the good and the bad. No experience with Tasmania or New Zealand, and a limited stay in Australia, and I regret I didn't follow up on the opportunity I had to stay there.
I think we come from quite a different 'climate' than in North America, be it USA or Canada. Europe has always been a place of rich often very messy history and cultural diversity. Each small region on this small in comparison to North America continent has quite different traditions and stories of survival. I think that's why North America, and Canada, had been very good option - far away from the drama, 'free' and a land of opportunities. But it has changed drastically. I've met many raised and born in Vancouver around the world who left and nave came back. Unless you are established or come with a big bag full of cash, it's a very hard place to make it. And these days it's still not enough, and no amount of cash will buy you rich culture. So yeah, kudos to your sister! I'll be on my way once my life gets sorted out.

I'd like to say that I totally relate to your rage Pete, and thanks for sharing! And just to make it crystal clear - it's not against a country, the country is innocent. It's against the people who unscrupulously run it, and quite a healthy thing to express as a concerned citizen - or the 'democracy' is dead indeed, and a free thinking discouraged.

Definition of a UK government.

Let people into the political parties who are absolutely clueless and inexperienced.
Express opinions and actions which do not work and never could.
Loose and waste millions of tax payers money due to above.
Gain a massive annual income and pension.
Fiddle your Expense claims at the cost of the tax payer.
Allow terrorists to arrive and stay in the country........then massacre you and your family.
Blame everyone else when things don't work and go wrong and look very surprised.
Put up taxes to cover the cost of their inabilities........so WE the working public pay for it.
Retire early, wealthy and move to warm safe country where nobody recognizes you.
Allow the next shower of idiots in to do it all again.............

Welcome to the UK.

Pete F

Pete,
You have just described the Finnish politicians too. And our country is way colder than yours! Anyway, it is good to know that we will meet this summer riding our 1300s and drink a few pints in the evening.
All hope is not lost.

Pete, I wish the Brexit situation was managed badly, at least it was being managed! I can't see any evidence of any sort of constructive thought, from anyone! I find it incredible that all parties keep b*tching at each other about how the other's solution is flawed, but singularly fail to bring a viable alternative to the table. And I am not that up on my NI history, but I fail to see how people would start fighting again over their political views by the introduction of an economic border.... but happy to be educated on that front.

Latest: Theresa May writes to her party to ask if they could please band together in the interest of the country... seriously?!?! WTF were they doing before then?? She hereby acknowledges that they usually all act in their own self-interest! .... not that that is a surprise of course...

It also still rankles me that as a European national, having lived, worked and paid my taxes here for the last 30 years, I was not allowed to vote on the Brexit issue! What happened to no taxation without representation eh? Anyway.....

I can't wait to retire and spend my day in the sun. I am lucky enough to have married a Malaysian and there they have a scheme called 'Malaysia My Second Home' where expats can bring in a certain (low-ish) amount of money and then can simply live in Malaysia. Nice weather, great and inexpensive food, good hub to explore SE Asia from. Not sure about the biking as it is very hot there, but some of the roads outside the major cities are great, and I do know the biking scene in Singapore (only a few hours riding) is very active.

Paul

The write ups about the UK, Finland etc. describe current Canada very well. As icing on the cake, we have a trust baby part time high school drama teacher as our prime minister, a journalist as foreign affairs minister, and so on. People repeat they are clueless, and I wholeheartedly agree. But it's just a small part of the truth and very deceptive. I think it's all intentional and what they do very deliberate. I'm talking about here - the liberal government. Total neglect of the country and total commitment to look good to the outside world. A gimmick, a magic trick to look good. By Canadian official statistics one in five children in Canada live below the poverty line, the government gives away billions to support injustice and poverty of children and women everywhere from Myanmar to African countries. Pays a 'sorry' 10.4 million dollars to a terrorist, blocks pipelines and prosperity enforcing carbon tax on local Canadian oil and spending the money on exporting oil from abroad. Thus supporting oil extraction elsewhere where industry standards are lower and no emissions control at all. Makes no sense at all, except someone is getting rich!

The whole EU idea is still very confusing to me. We had USSR and a big movement to break it up as it was against democracy, independence of nations, and so on. After the Soviet Union broke up, they invented European Union! Similar - no borders, centralized government, and so on. Europe - where unlike the USSR, countries with very different cultures, and very violent at even recent times wars and invasions! Lots of it still unresolved, as lost artwork and why Germany ended up with so much wealth after loosing the WW2. And after loosing it, Germany is at the top now of EU telling all others what to do? Bizarre. Why to use army if you can do it another way? haha Spain, France, complied 70 years ago, and now claim to have the same levels of privilege as other nations which sacrificed most? Polish organized a bloody uprising when other were complicit, like Norway, on on top of that now being smeared by Israel as Nazi collaborators? When Poland was the one and only country where basically Jews had 'Israel', when the king of Poland invited all Jews to live in Poland and gave them equal rights as Poles, protection and citizenship. It's all about money these day, and nothing has changed.

Paul, I had a good hunch, didn't I? Good direction with Malaysia. I certainly don't want to be judged as a dick bragging about his worldly travels, but traveling is my number one passion and I love talking about it. Sorry KZ1300, you fall even behind cooking, lol It's also great for education and perspective. Malaysia, besides having a foot in the door because of wife, is another great choice. Actually, a really good one. Where would you settle? Actually, there are many good roads there to ride a bike! And the country is very diverse in a good way. Penang is great for Indian, Chinese and Malay mix. Great food and all English. Melaca tropical and great durian fruit, which I am a big aficionado of! And a stone throw away from Sumatra. You want islands - Kuala Besut to hop on a ferry and be on an island for diving. Great to invest in 'bird hotels' as well if you have some capital. Practically Your wife will know what I'm talking about. Kuala Terrenganu - fantastic to visit during Ramadan for food in the park by the sea. Ipoh - caves and, well, I will keep it to myself If you don't like heat - Cameron Highlands. Grow strawberries on the hills and enjoy the cool fresh air when it comes. Fantastic windy roads to ride a bike.