The recession, the government, Iraq, Iran, Afganistan, house prices, pensions, banks, unemployment..gosh it's all got a bit depressing hasn't it ?
I seem to come across a lot of malcontent people right now. Worried about this or that, trapped on their personal treadmills, unsure of their futures, mid life crises in full swing. Some of you will know what I mean, maybe some of you can even relate to bits of it...
Now, the reality is, we still have much to be grateful for in the western world and the level headed among us will just do what we've always done, buckle down, get on with it, adapt, make the best, enjoy what we can, do our duty to ourselves and families...and then die.
But what if we all had the chance to be real life Reggie Perrins for a year ? To opt out, take a gap year, leave life on hold for twelve months. To have the opportunity to try out retirement while we are young and fit enough to enjoy it but with the security of knowing that we can go back to "normal" next year. No loss of income involved just a twelve month, no catches break. Free time.
Some academics etc get what are known as sabbaticals. Just the above, time to reflect, to recharge but without the worry of making provision for the future or ruining a career.
If you could take the next twelve months off on full pay with no strings attached, how would you use it ?
For my own part, I'd rent my house out, arrange to educate my son personally and be outdoors in the sun as much as possible but with a purpose as yet undefined. Maybe I'd go and live somewhere I could dive or ski, maybe I'd learn another language, maybe I'd do some charitable activity in an interesting part of the world. Perhaps I'd climb mountains, take a long road trip, learn to sail..who knows ?
What would you do, what's your dream ?
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Based on how we thought the UK economy and quality of life was heading we planned to downsize in 2005 to a '3 bed semi' here. For a few reasons it took a few years to do this and be without the mortgage. So we have thought like Humph and his shoes and managed stage one of the plan.
We still hope to exit the UK and maybe rent this house for income or sell it.
Not planning on a Seaton Carew moment because of wanting our money in savings/house etc.
In reality, being without mortgage has meant money going on holidays and a few things so far. And a bit in savings of course.
The dream: not a dream.... we will live somewhere other than UK. Financially we could do tomorrow.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 17 Oct 10 at 00:20
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>> Some academics etc get what are known as sabbaticals
My PhD suffered because of a sabbatical... Not mine! Sabbatical that is.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 17 Oct 10 at 00:22
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I would buy a smallish campervan, Stick £10Ki in my current account, make sure my credit cards were clear and ready to be used and set off into Europe for a year. South in winter, north in summer.
I'd make sure SWMBO was got into secure accomodation first.
Grandkids, however , prevent such dreams ! Especially with a new one last June.
Ted
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Never done an epic trip of any description so would load up the motor bike with Mrs H and head for France. I'd love to see the Millau bridge, but definitely not after hammering south for a couple of days. I'd like to sneak up on it having taken a few weeks to get there. Armed only with a dog-eared road atlas of Europe, my schoolboy French and a load of euros, we'd potter around for months. Maybe down to Italy to see Rome or Venice for the first time. Possibly into Greece and sail the Greek islands; I don't know. But wherever I get to I would like to arrive by road, under my own steam.
Loose ends; the cats; my 14-y-o son; my 21-y-o son (who, as I found out yesterday, still can't change a Fiesta rear light bulb without assistance).
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Had a sort of gap year but been quite busy nonetheless - my original sabbatical plan involved the Grand Tour by bike but it withered in the vine - still hope to make something like that happen.
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My sabbatical started 14 years ago, and is still going! Not a dream, 40% S of France 60% uk.
Great to wake up to sun and bright blue sky when you know it is grey and drizzle in the UK.
Life may change when SWMBO gives up working:(
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Find a way of having enough self employed activity that would cover wages so I'd never have to go back to proper work again!
I've done half that goal - been made redundant so I'm not in proper work. The other half is proving more tricky...
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I think the trouble for most people ( if that's the right description ) with trying to imagine doing something like this in the middle of life is the complexity of family life. I spent the year after school teaching skiing in the winter and having saved enough of my pay, diving in the Greek islands for most of the following summer. It was maybe the best time of my life but really wouldn't be the same now. I'm a different person with a much more complex life. Notwithstanding that, as a youngster, you can still sort of fit in to society while being an irresponsible bum. As a grown up, you would be seen as rather odd. Sleeping on beaches and living on rubbish food and beer might seem a discomfort too far for these old bones too !
I suspect many of us, as indeed some early retirees find, actually wouldn't know what to do and would become bored. I'd like to think though that I wouldn't entitrely waste such an opportunity.
Maybe I'd take up Golf...mind you on second thoughts....couldn't do the clothes !
:-)
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My life de-laminated quite quickly for a variety of reasons.....The bright side is that once you reach that stage you can glue it back together in any way you want.
i had a very complicated life once - not any more...
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There's an extended road trip in us, pack the pick up to the gunnells and just go where we fancied on the day would be our thing...i'd like to see lots of other countries in my own time and going places where proper people live, not resort or tourist areas which are unnatural money making concentrations not unlike industrial areas.
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>> Notwithstanding that,
>> as a youngster, you can still sort of fit in to society while being an
>> irresponsible bum. As a grown up, you would be seen as rather odd.
They all live in Cornwall. (Dogs not listening is he?) :o}
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The same as I am doing now, but work for a 3rd world country administration making sure they are not "taken advantage" of by Oil co's. Many people dream of free time but after 36yrs of working even time, week on week off up to 5 on 5 off, free time has to be managed, otherwise one can very easily go off the rails especially if you are still being paid.
Your partner has to be with you, fully involved or independent and very strong....I am on my 2nd good lady:(, your 1 yrs sabbatical dream can become the start of a nightmare... sorry to be negative but I have seen so many instances of "idle hands" in our business.
PS golf is a good thing silly clothes are not an issue in the sunshine.
Jim
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Sabbatical - The dream ? - rtj70
