Welcome to The Nomadic Pensioner — a blog about building a nomadic retirement through freedom, travel, and purpose. This is where I share how a modest income, smart tools like TopCashback and NordVPN, and a warm-climate mindset began shaping a new kind of retirement.
Retirement in the UK isn’t what it used to be. This is the story of how I took control — and began my journey into nomadic retirement.
The more I looked around, the more I realised: I might never get the retirement I thought I was working toward. The official UK State Pension Age page helped me realise I was waiting for a system that wasn’t built for me.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands.
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Why I Started This
Retirement doesn’t have to mean stopping.
For me, it means moving — toward better weather, simpler routines, and a life I don’t need to escape from.
I launched this blog to document how anyone over 50 can build a nomadic retirement step by step — even while still working — by combining digital income, flexible travel, and thoughtful planning.
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s still possible to live differently later in life — this space is for you.
Where It Began
I didn’t wake up retired. I began with short trips during annual leave — always heading south, toward sun, sea, and quiet streets.
These weren’t just holidays. They were tests — for budget travel, mobile work setups, off-season timing, and solo rhythms.
Malta Was The Spark.
On day one, after a seamless arrival in Gżira, I found a bench by the marina. That quiet waterfront became my ritual — morning coffee, evening reflections, boats swaying gently as the sun dipped behind the skyline. It grounded the whole trip.
But the turning point came later.
A few days in, while scouting local real estate, I stopped in front of a townhouse with a red door, crimson shutters, and a wooden balcony that had clearly seen decades of sunrises. I sat down opposite it — on an old stone bench shaded by trees, beside a red British phone box.
I didn’t know then that this little corner was a local landmark, known as “Three Trees.” All I knew was that something about that moment — the silence, the setting, the idea of belonging — brought everything into focus.
Cyprus Wasn’t The Dream — But It Was The Reality Check.
It reminded me that retiring abroad isn’t about good weather or a postcard-perfect beach. It’s about how a place makes you feel on ordinary days.
I walked the streets tourists skip, checked price points, imagined daily routines — and felt the absence of connection.
That clarity helped me build my Retirement Try-Out List — places I’d explore with purpose, not just pass through.
Idyllic side street in Larnace just as the sun starts to set
Malta lit the spark.
Cyprus refined the strategy.
This blog was born to track what came next — and to share the reality of building a nomadic retirement, one country at a time.
Evolving the Plan — and Looking Further
What started as short, strategic escapes within Europe soon opened up a bigger question: What if I didn’t just travel? What if I actually lived differently — somewhere far beyond the usual ideas of retirement?
The answer wasn’t instant. But Cyprus, for all its beauty, made one thing clear — the goal wasn’t just to move somewhere warm, it was to move with intent.
That’s when Vietnam entered the equation.
Not as a holiday. As a longer stay. A deeper test. A true dive into affordability, culture, and slow-paced daily life — to see what retirement might feel like when the costs are lower, the rewards are richer, and the seasons shift in your favour. It’s no longer just about trips.
It’s about trying out a new version of retirement — one country at a time.
What This Blog Offers for Nomadic Retirement
This isn’t a gap-year blog or a luxury retirement fantasy. It’s a working model of nomadic retirement: real trips, real costs, and real freedom.
You’ll find:
- 🌍 Honest travel reports across Europe and Asia
- 🚉 Practical guides for flights, trains, buses and ferries
- 💳 Reviews of tools that simplify digital nomad life
- 🧳 Advice for solo travel after 50
- 💡 Ideas for reducing costs without reducing comfort
- 📌 Focus on warm climates, seasonal slow travel, and semi-retired flexibility
💸 Turn Your Spending into Travel Money
Earn cashback on everyday purchases — from travel bookings to groceries.
👉 Join TopCashback Free
💳 Travel Smarter with Wise
Hold 40+ currencies, spend worldwide with real exchange rates, and save on fees.
👉 Open Your Wise Account Today
Everything here is tested, experienced, and written from the perspective of someone easing toward retirement — not rushing, but not waiting forever either.
🎯 Find & Book the Best Tours
From skip-the-line tickets to day trips and guided tours — all in one place.
👉 Find my recommendations in the travel shop.
What’s Next
🇻🇳 Vietnam trip: booked for November 2025
🪰 Tools and travel hacks: already live on the Best Travel Resources page
💬 Future blog posts: Malta, Cyprus, Vietnam planning tips
📬 Email list: launching soon
This is just the start.
What Nomadic Retirement Means to Me Now
Looking back, nomadic retirement isn’t just about movement. It’s about flexibility, peace of mind, and having full control over my time and money.
It means never waiting for permission to enjoy life. That freedom is worth more than any pension scheme could promise.
Start Here
Begin with the trips that shaped the path:
Or head straight to the Best Travel Resources page to explore the tools I actually use — including flight search, money transfer, and solo travel platforms.
Some of the tools mentioned above — like Wisecard, 12Go Asia, and NordPass — are services I personally use and recommend.
Stay Connected — Join the Journey
If this blog resonates with you — whether you’re planning your own nomadic retirement or simply exploring the idea — you’re not alone.
New posts are added regularly, including trip reports, travel tips, personal updates, and honest reflections from the road. You’ll also get practical insights into budgeting, planning longer stays, and testing locations before committing.
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