There is something about being a parent that makes me want to plan for the future. Thanks to a series of job moves and finally self employment as well as G’s work history as a contractor neither of us currently have a great pension. We have savings for a rainy day, but during periods where G has been out of work we have seen how quickly they disappear. The one thing I am grateful for is our house. Even after living here only 2 years it had gone up £40’000 so it provides me with some reassurance for our future. I appreciate property values go down as well as up, but I still have more confidence that our house could support our adventures when we are older than higher risk investments.
I’ve been thinking about what we would love to do when the children have flown the nest, despite my expectation that it will be a long time off. With my youngest born in 2019 it's at least 14 years off so G and I will be in our late 50s/ early 60s before we have time and space. It's rare for children to move out for good while so young though. I moved back home after University and my Dad even moved back with his parents when my sister and I were small. We lived with my grandparents for over 10 years because as a single Dad with 2 young children the financial pressures and lack of family support nearby had become too much of a challenge. When my Dad finally came to moving out of his parent’s house he had very limited options because of London house prices, a single income in a “normal” job and retirement in the not to distant future. He ended up buying a shared ownership property, generally thought of for young people just getting on the property ladder. It’s part of the reason owning my own home has always been really important to me.
I don’t know what G and I will do when we retire, but one of the priorities for me will me to go travelling. G went to many amazing places when he was younger including Ecuador, the Galapagos islands and a road trip in America. It beats my knowledge of some of the best bars in Bruges, Brussels and Paris, although I loved those adventures at the time. Of course we can go to amazing places with our children, but I’m under no illusion how expensive it will be to travel with 3 children and how the holiday will rotate around their needs. No one is going to be happy with sulking grumpy children so I'm thinking of all the places I want to go when they are old enough to leave behind.
Some of the places on my travel wish list:
Iceland: This beautiful country seems magical with the mixture of volcanoes, snow and ice. With geysers, amazing wildlife like puffins and the chance to see the Northern Lights I know I am going to want to spend a lot of time travelling around and capturing everything on my camera. Cozy Campers is a recommended campervan rental company in Iceland and they even have winter campers making them a great option for exploring the stunning countryside in the winter months while staying warm.
A tour of Italy: I loved Rome when I visited years ago, but just like Iceland it is the countryside in Italy that appeals to me more now I am older. I would love to see the Italian Lakes and the Amalfi Coast as well as more of the Roman history. Like anyone who studied Latin at school I have a curiosity to see the home of Caecilius and Quintus, Pompeii.
Japan: I admit the biggest appeal of Japan to me is the food. I love Japanese food, and as dairy features less in their diet than many other countries it would mean I could be more adventurous. Their culture and shopping is something I would love to explore too, although I suspect I would need a whole extra suitcase for the awesome stationery finds.
Other places I am day dreaming of include a road trip around the US, going on a Safari and seeing some of the Rainforest (I love the ideas of the monkeys, less so the insects).
I’m in no rush, I am happy to wait, but it’s nice to know that we have the option to travel in the future.
***Disclosure: This is a collaborative post***
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