Retire There with Gil & Gene

In 2011, Alison Armstrong and Don Read, of Vancouver, Canada, wanted to retire and travel the world. Finances were preventing them from living their dream. That May, Don had a premonition that selling the couple's condo would allow them to blow past their financial roadblock.   A series of unplanned events allowed the couple to realize their wishes. By September, they had sold their condo and most of their possessions and began travelling. They had no plan of when, or if, they would finish traveling or where they would end up settling down. For six years they travelled the world and wrote about it in their blog, Adventures in Wonderland - a pilgrimage of the heart. In 2017, Alison needed hip replacement so the couple felt it was time to stay in one place for a while. They landed back in Vancouver, where all their friends were and they were able to secure a really reasonably priced apartment. Travelling is still part of their lives, but Vancouver was now their home base. Find out more about Alison and Don’s adventure away from, and back to, Vancouver, on Episode 34 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Russell Blake sold his real estate development company in 2002, he could have moved anywhere, but ended up in Mexico and has never looked back. He started writing suspense and thriller novels but was unable to find a publisher. In 2011, he started self-publishing and sold his books on Amazon. His idea was to write and publish books quickly, and at one point he released 25 thrillers in 30 months. This led him to become a New York Times bestselling author.  What brings Russell to our podcast is not a novel but a non-fiction book. In 2020, he released Retirement Secrets of Mexico, which focuses on eight select retirement locations. These are places that are not, for the most part, brimming with expats. Russell notes the book is “a description of places where one can live an exceptional life with modern infrastructure and conveniences, eating and drinking well, without having to worry about safety, comfort or health care quality.” Today, Russell lives in the city of Colima. On Episode 33 of Retire There with Gil & Gene, he talks about Colima and other jewels of Mexico.  Russell’s book on Mexico is Retirement Secrets of Mexico: https://www.amazon.com/Retirement-Secrets-Mexico-Russell-Blake/dp/B08M8CRLPP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=retirement+secrets+of+mexico&qid=1621668439&s=books&sr=1-1Russell’s highly rated Argentinian steakhouse and pizza restaurant in Colima is Russell Blake’s Mendoza Grill: http://mendozagrill.com/?fbclid=IwAR3Ca4O03OJ4JhFaU1rlICmggaWncbf_S8DdTkcyoS-KRcUtcX4gAUdeCicFor the Colima residential golf community development Russell is involved with and to check out amenities and model homes: http://elencantoaltozano.com/ Russell’s website is https://russellblake.com/For an intriguing 2021 interview of Russell from WorldClassPerformer.com: https://worldclassperformer.com/short-life-lessons-from-russell-blake/?fbclid=IwAR0NCxILlRyJYRYyl6nA_vdI3nLZXa5uX8eTBoI3UnDXGeBupOzSehOu1SAThe Wall Street Journal published an article in 2014 on Russell’s writing career, titled Fast-Paced Best Seller: Author Russell Blake Thrives on Volumes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303640604579298604044404682 Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rhode Island is the new Florida! says Warwick, Rhode Island resident Colleen Kelly Mellor, and her life partner Paul Wesley Gates. These two visited various popular retirement destinations before falling in love with Asheville, North Carolina. For 9 years, they enjoyed winters in Asheville and summers in Warwick, but a fluke accident on a mountain road and the crisis that followed forced them to reconsider their lives. On Episode 32 of Retire There with Gil & Gene, find out what led the couple from Warwick to Asheville and back to Warwick!Colleen’s compelling, humorous and informative 2018 book about her retirement experience is Boomerrrang… the amazing journey of two New England boomers… How they chose their dream retirement home... And why they left…    https://www.amazon.com/Boomerrrang-Amazing-Journey-England-Retirement-ebook/dp/B079VR7PV6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=boomerrrang&qid=1620546741&s=books&sr=1-1Colleen also wrote two children’s books, Grandpa and the Truck and Grandpa and the Truck 2, both available at https://grandpaandthetruck.com/Colleen’s TED Talk is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztTKso7IPM8&ab_channel=TEDxTalksColleen’s website is https://www.colleenkellymellor.com/Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Would you like to live in a place where the old and the new co-exist gracefully side-by-side? If your answer is yes, check out the beautiful and tranquil city of Cuenca, Ecuador. An Ecuadorian city with no shortage of expats. To guide us there, we have the man who, literally, wrote the book on relocating to Cuenca. On Episode 31 of Retire There with Gil and Gene, Terry Dean Roberts provides an honest depiction of what it is like to move to and live in Cuenca.  Terry’s book is Relating to Ecuador - Eyes Wide Open, updated in 2019. https://www.amazon.com/Relocating-Ecuador-Bulleted-Available-12-12-15-ebook/dp/B0127X4ALM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=relocating+to+ecuador&qid=1620487620&s=books&sr=1-1For Terry’s advice on working from anywhere, see https://makingalivingyourway.com/Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Would you like to live near the beach in a place with a small town feel with plenty to do?   Dania Beach is that place, with a nice beach, a long pier, antique shops, and one of the largest jai alai frontons in the United States. And for more entertainment and dining options, Dania Beach is nestled between the larger locals of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. On Episode 30 of Retire There with Gil and Gene, find out how Rosemary Palladino and Marianne Brennick stumbled upon Dania Beach, Florida. cQuFNagJbrl4GVEGjWUyView Dania Beach Pier and Beach WebCam: https://daniabeachfl.gov/1640/BeachPier-WebCamLearn about Dania Beach’s jai alai fronton, visit: https://www.casinodaniabeach.com/jai-alai/Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Life coach Margaret Nash and her husband Luis were searching for a place to live with a thriving art scene and plenty of hippies. They landed in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a place which combines old-world charm with a modern and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Hear about Margaret’s circuitous journey to San Miguel, on Episode 29 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.As a life coach, one focus of Margaret’s is helping people locate places they will be happy living in. To find out more about Margaret’s life coaching practice visit: http://www.margaretnashcoach.com/. You can find her blog at: http://www.margaretnashcoach.com/blog/ Margaret Nash has authored 6 books. Her latest book, published in 2021, is Renegade Coach’s Guide to a Business Success Formula Hidden in Ancient Writings, it is available at: https://www.amazon.com/Renegade-Business-Success-Formula-Writings-ebook/dp/B0919G8NY6/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=margaret+nash&qid=1619262790&s=books&sr=1-7Her Hippie at Heart Self-Help Series include:1. Rebellious Aging: A Self-Help Guide for the Old Hippie at Heart https://www.amazon.com/Rebellious-Aging-Self-help-Guide-Hippie-ebook/dp/B00UM9YHHG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=margaret+nash&qid=1619263033&s=books&sr=1-1 2.  Drop the Drama!: How to Get along With Everybody, All the Time https://www.amazon.com/Drop-Drama-Everybody-Hippie-Self-Help-ebook/dp/B07CY5ZBJ6/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=margaret+nash&qid=1619263033&s=books&sr=1-3 3. The Retirement Rebel: How to get your life to work, when you don't have to https://www.amazon.com/Retirement-Rebel-Hippie-Heart-Self-Help-ebook/dp/B07D6TWXP8/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=margaret+nash&qid=1619263033&s=books&sr=1-2 4.  Artful Assertiveness Skills For Women https://www.amazon.com/Artful-Assertiveness-Skills-Hippie-Self-Help-ebook/dp/B076H15NBZ/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=margaret+nash&qid=1619263033&s=books&sr=1-4 5. Follow the Trail of Your Spirit: A Fun, Sparky, Quasi-Shamanic, Somewhat Serious Guide to Life Purpose https://www.amazon.com/Follow-Trail-Spirit-Step-Step-ebook/dp/B07T8CCRV7/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=margaret+nash&qid=1619263033&s=books&sr=1-5  Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Denise and Bill liked living in western Massachusetts but were getting tired of the cold and snowy winters. They wanted to move to a warmer climate but knew they would miss family and friends in the Northeast. The solution - they  became snowbirds and now spend winters in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville provides year-round golfing, which is Bill’s joy, and many diverse restaurants to enjoy. Find out more about Greenville on Episode 28 of Retire There with Gil and Gene.Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From 2015 to 2017, Neill Kramer took extended vacations in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Bali. He enjoyed all of the Asian areas, but Bali stood out - he felt it was the place to be. Convinced, he purchased a villa there during a visit in 2017. Find out what led Neill to move to and open a hotel in the magical land of Bali on Episode 27 of Retire There with Gil and Gene.Neill’s highly rated hotel is the Ohana Retreat Bali. For more information about the hotel, or to make a reservation, go to: https://www.ohanaretreatbali.com/. The Ohana Retreat Bali blog is available at: https://www.ohanaretreatbali.com/category/news/.Neill’s book about Bali is titled Retire In Bali: Retire for $1,500 a Month. It was published in 2020 and is available at https://www.amazon.com/Retire-Bali-500-USD-month/dp/B08KJ66FG9/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=retire+in+bali&qid=1618027785&s=books&sr=1-2. Read Neill's Retire in Bali blog at: https://retire.substack.com/. Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ken and Bina Cline enjoy hiking and travel immensely. They searched for a retirement location to serve as a launchpad for travel to other parts of Europe and beyond. They landed in Tavira, a fishing town with a year-round comfortable climate in a southern region of Portugal known as the Algarve. It is no wonder that Tavira has become a popular retirement destination for Americans and even more so for Europeans. The couple consider themselves “global nomads” — living mostly outside the U.S. — since 2015.  Learn more about Tavira on episode 26 of Retire There with Gil and Gene.Ken has authored three travel books:Sauntering to Santiago:  Camino de Santiago for Slow Walkers (2019), which is about a 200-mile walk which Ken and Bina undertook in 2018 from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RHQX2PX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Tracking the Queen of Sheba: A Travel Memoir of Yemen (2016), tells of Ken’s adventures accompanying an archaeological expedition to the wilds of eastern Yemen in 1984. https://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Queen-Sheba-Travel-Memoir/dp/0997941510/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Village on the Nile: A Travel Memoir of Upper Egypt (2017), describes Ken’s  experiences living in an Egyptian village in 1983. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076QKM1T2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1Bina blogs of the couple’s adventures in “Two Clines Traveling” at https://twoclinestraveling.wordpress.com.For people beginning research on Portugal as a place to live, the Clines recommend  juliedawnfox.com as a good place to start. Julie is an English expat who has lived many years in Portugal and provides excellent information for expats and casual travelers alike.A go-to source for Americans wishing to seek residency in Portugal is a Facebook page called “Americans & FriendsPT.” https://www.facebook.com/groups/americansandfriendsPT/ The Clines consider this a “gold mine” of information about applying for a residency visa and other important documents. They used it extensively in working through all the paperwork required. The Clines suggest that once someone has definitely committed to Portugal, they also might consider Amy Kraushaar’s expacity.com. This is a fee-based site that features webinars about living in Portugal and navigating the ins and outs of buying a house, dealing with paying taxes, using the healthcare system, best places to live, and more. Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you looking for a less congested town with year-round warmth and wonderful restaurants? Look no further than Stuart, Florida, known as “The Sailfish Capital of the World.” Our guest, Diane Gusch was not seeking to retire in Florida, but once she found the quaint town of Stuart, she couldn’t think of living anywhere else.This, the 25th episode of Retire There with Gil and Gene, was released on March 27, 2021, their 25th wedding anniversary! Do you believe in destiny? Support the Show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.