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myusernam said..
wow. I wouldnt have thought a seabreezer would post this. after all we are all currently or ex watersports enthusiasts and work always seems to be around the best wind or conditions etc.
i have read a little in the past about the psycology of reitirement and specifically going cruising (sailing) and casting off the trappings of society. Much like the old timer in shawshank redemption we work for so long and live in the 5/7 9 to 5 cycle that we become institutionalised. Once we get freedom we dont know what to do with it and we are so conditioned to our shackles we continue.
With respect to others in this thread who may have done I don't think theres anything sadder than this. Than not having the self awareness, or drive, or appreciation of how finite your time really is, that going back to work is the best solution. Ask yourself on your deathbed if you wish you worked a few more years. Or if you had a terminal diagnosis, would u still work? I guess if you enjoy your work that much good on you but most of us don't. Not all recreational pursuits require a lot of money. If you are that skint there's the option travelling permanently. (as in selling or renting out house or not having a lease)
I also don't believe that organised volunteering or charity is a bit like this. U can't think of or dont know friends, extended family etc that could do with some extra time or attention?
Random retirement ideas
I want to go cruising. Depends on boat size or type. But you don't need to spend a fortune. If you don't have much you can always move onto the boat or sell or rent the house. But you could even do something like buy a cheap arse small boat and sail around australia. (I saw one today for 13k)
This does require some skill. There are also people delivering boats all around the world who want unskilled crew to help. You might need to chip in for food. Help deliver a boat for a few months to another country.
buy an old boat in america and do the great loop (inland canal and river system lnking the gulf of america to the great lakes and back)
or buy an old van and hit the road
Restore an old boat, car or motorbike.
Renovate a house or your kids house. Or buy one to flip. Build an extension
Go camping lots. Fish. Explore. Do tassie in summer. Darwin in the winter. Chase mud crabs, crayfish. oysters. Fish the run off for barra or the whiting run in SA. Make it a yearly thing Dont know how to fish? learn! join a club even.
In fact if you join a fishing or sailing club or any sort of club you can get into the activity without paying lots of money.
You can yacht race for free. literally. Just be willing to help and pass beers.
Walk the birrabumb track. (months long walk from perth to albany) Even in stages. Plenty of hikes around the place.
Do watersports. Chase the seasons and conditions. I dont surf but fancy id like to spend a couple of months somewhere teaching myself. Maybe indo.
Go caravanning. Farmsitting, housesitting. Do those campervan return trips where u drive it back for free.
Go to gnarloo for the surf season. live in a tent. Or indo. Explore Australia. You don't need a huge 4wd and caravan. Do it in the car you have now and a kings swag.
Go fossicking. Do one of those shxtbox rallies. Do the car up first. Raise money for charity
Get a horse and go on a horse safari. stay in pubs.
do some woodworking. join a mens shed. turn your hand at homebrewing or making wine or hunting. Spearfishing. bowhinting. harvest deer meat or roo.
I.e. got elderly parents? hang out with them. Do jobs around their house, go over for cups of tea etc.
Got kids? help renovate their houses. Cook them a meal midweek. look after the grandkids. Take the grandkids away on andventures all school holiday and give their parents a break
Garden. Grow your own veggies. Make a chicken run. Have a crack at permaculture or self sufficiency. Maybe u can afford a hobby farm or bush block.. Rear cattle or pigs or chooks.
Make your own sourdough daily. Maybe get so good at it you give to friends or sell in the local market
Go to the gym. swim laps. get or stay fit
Mow the old lady down the streets lawn. Mow yr friends lawn who is still working and leave a curry on the stove as a surprise.
Have a standing weekly golf game with your mates. Have a standing weekly fishing day with other mates. Or mountain bike ride.
Get into hobby aviation. Yr old so it wont be such a shame if you die. Those paramotors look cool. Dont look at flysurfers xray posts.
start a youtube channel on something you are interested in.
build a camper trailer. Build a boat. Modify your house. Weld shxt. Make a hell mad max style beach buggie out of scrap. maybe build one of those little jet boats with a wrecked jet ski motor. rebuild an old standup jetski and learn that.
go on dirt bike safaris. go on epiq kyaking or canoing trips.
Bum around south east asia. International travel costs a lot to go there and back but once you are there in a cheap country u can subsist on not much. rent out your house if u have to.
get an old fridge compressor and learn how to vacuum bag and make yourself a board.
walk your dogs. breed dogs.
do a snow season somewhere. Make it more cost-neutral by working. meet people through work. (see we only think about going for two or three weeks and the cost, but if you have unlimited time you could go for five months, work at a lodge etc)
Do some work for something you might enjoy like on a pro fishing vessel for a month or two, or on a farm or out in the wilderness. . Fark i reckon I would offer to help out for free.
I was at Porcupine Gorge recently and there were some grey nomads who had parked their vans there and were working as tour guides (paid). every arvo they would have a few beers around the fire and watch the sunset etc.
Some of these are not my thing (lots are) but it doesnt even matter even if you want to learn to dance, or sew or play lawn bowls, join the bridge club or whatever.
Not everything costs a lot of money and with the freedom of time you have lots of things you can do funds permitting. If you have low funds you might still be able to do because you have time in abundance. And if you dont have enough funds well we are all there to some extent.
Excellent list!
Was recently reading there is a trend of recent retirees in Australia spending a significant portion of their savings on caravans and cars and then travelling around Australia.
I'm happy staying within my postcode, it covers most of my needs. I did a fair bit of travelling throughout my life and the grey nomad thing has little interest for me. However, I am partial to the odd short holiday in a big Asian city. Don't get me wrong, I love sleeping under the stars - as long as there are 4 or 5 of them.
I'm quite content with regional life - surfing, fishing, walking, gardening, talking sh1t with people, the slower pace and waking up each morning to an ocean view.
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8 months ago, 18 Jun 2025
