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We Retired Early to Travel Full-Time—Here’s What We Got Wrong

Scott and Liza Redefined

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A little over a year ago, we retired early, sold the house we had lived in for 18 years, and left the United States to travel full-time. Twelve months later, the carry-on and backpack are still with us — but some of our original ideas about retirement have changed. New to our story? Start from the beginning: We Sold Our House to Retire Early and Move...

What's Inside This Episode

A year without work schedules or a house to maintain gave us a different kind of control over our time. It also introduced a completely new list of things to manage — from visas and insurance to finding the right apartment for a three-month stay.

There were smaller adjustments we never gave much thought to before we left. Finding familiar products in another country. Figuring out laundry in every new apartment. Packing everything we own back into two small bags. Even dealing with a replacement credit card when we're thousands of miles away from the address where it was delivered.

We spent part of the year slow traveling through France, mixed in shorter stays and cruises, and learned that the amount of time we spend somewhere can change the experience as much as the destination itself.

Now we're planning year two, and we're reconsidering how long we stay, how far ahead we plan, and how much room we leave to change direction along the way.

After one year of full-time travel, retirement doesn't look quite the way we pictured it when we left.

#fulltimetravel #earlyretirement #slowtravel #retirementabroad #lifeafter50 #over50travel #livingabroad #retirementtravel

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CHAPTERS
00:00 — One Year of Full-Time Travel — Was It Worth It?
01:06 — The Best Part of Retiring Early
04:18 — What No One Tells You About Full-Time Travel
11:37 — What Surprised Us After a Year
16:05 — What We'd Do Differently Knowing This Now
23:19 — How We're Changing Year Two
26:13 — Would We Make the Same Choice Again?

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Disclaimers
This video is for entertainment only and doesn’t constitute professional advice.
© All photographs and video clips are owned by Scott & Liza Redefined. Please don’t use or repost without permission.

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20 Comments

@ScottandLizaRedefined Creator 1 month ago Pinned

What's the one thing you think you'd genuinely not miss if you left it all behind tomorrow?
Here's the one packing rule that's kept us sane for a year → https://youtu.be/OpbZl2pTLq4?list=PL4kGiHocVcChh4Cbx6aVYLS9_7KdsRlC4

@Susalinllc 1 month ago

Thank you for being so open and honest about both the good and the bad. It’s so refreshing to hear about real people living in the real world and experiencing real life not just the “happy life” we constantly see on social media, which is often a facade.

@Google-Earth123 3 weeks ago

Recently retired UK 64 year old and also love travelling which I’ve done during most of my career and seem many parts of the world that most people won’t visit.

I’ve learnt that for me it’s nice to go away but even nicer to come back home.

I find it draining when I go away and after a while start to look forward to returning to my home routine when I get back.

@lori-annemorrison5443 1 month ago

I also am a full time traveler. I have only just learned that contact lens solution is not considered a part of your liquid in carry-on luggage. I always pack it separately in its own clear plastic bag. It is classified as medical. I always pull it out and let the security employees know before it gets x-rayed. This just helps not get pulled aside for secondary inspection.

@MitchelMD 2 weeks ago

Your comments on flexibility are so essential. Release control, as every city / country has its own unique operating system.

@kathyn91 2 weeks ago (edited)

Thank you for mentioning the not-so-glamorous side of full-time travel and for sharing your insights. More realistic videos like these are very helpful. My husband and I thought about full-time travel and after researching it we decided it wasn’t for us. Best wishes on your next adventure!

@JulieMcCarthy-ir6cx 1 month ago

Like your down to earth attitude - subscribed

@Tino.1 1 month ago

Another great video Scott and Liza. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

@ActressNikiHart 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing you insights and what you’ve learned along the way. This is incredibly helpful!

@sat0sh139 3 weeks ago

Sounds great!❤
Can't wait to get out there!

@EarlyRetirementDiaries 1 month ago

i can't believe a year has already gone by! i remember seeing your first video pop up. congratulations. ours begins in January and ive learned so much from channels like yours. Can't wait. 🌈

@EmptyNestersontheWing 1 month ago

Love your down-to-earth style, sharing joys/ challenges! Very inspiring! 🌻 and appreciate not having big musical intro/ background, more relaxing to listen to! 👍 Enjoy!!

@traceydemeo9654 1 month ago

First time I have watched your video- GREAT information here- Thank you. My retired husband and I are hoping to have a similar adventure as you starting next year. It feels scary and exciting at the same time. Good luck with your next year of adventures and I hope to see more of your video's that display all of your chosen destinations while learning and crossing places off of your bucket list. Safe travels!

@TheLivingGreeceProject 1 month ago

Probably the pressure to see and do everything. The more time we spend traveling, the more we value staying put long enough to develop little routines — returning to the same café, shopping in the same village, getting to recognize a few faces. Those often become the things we remember most.

@saltcaycindi1 1 month ago

So glad to see ya’ll. I was a tad worried with all that heat over there. Have fun! You are lucky to have each other for back up! 2 week countdown for me. Yes, not as fun alone but I can’t wait!! 🎉

@carolineevans1759 4 weeks ago

Glad to know we’re not the only ones who sometimes get things wrong despite lots of research and the toiletries conundrum 😄

@jodiehebert8285 2 weeks ago

Wow, you guys are so flexible! I’ve been 5 months in France in same apartment and still really miss my clothes dryer, cookware, and general kitchen stuff. Even though it’s well equipped here it’s still not same level. And, an ice-maker, I may invest in. I already bought microwave and a few pots and bowls that were missing here etc. This was also an Air Bnb that was not used to more than a month or two at time, so not set up for longer-term. We travel monthly from here, and it is exhausting to plan constantly and looks like I’m going to miss my nieces wedding in November. 😑. I have to admit my home state of Louisiana does have better food than France. It’s more spicy and ethnically diverse, just like the people. Miss that the most!

@wackthegood8884 1 month ago

Like you, Lisa, I love both travelling and planning travel. I love researching where to go, where to stay, what to do, the different transport options—the whole thing! These days, it’s possible to plan the entire travel experience down to the tiniest detail, which means we can be all the more surprised when an apartment isn’t quite as we expected or travel plans go awry! But when I was travelling in my late teens and twenties, there was no internet or mobile phones, and a lot more had to be improvised. And I always managed to sort it out. 😊 So I love reminding myself that we are resourceful, and that unexpected changes and hitches can still happen, even in these days when it seems we can plan every little thing. As you say, staying flexible is the key—and remembering that we are resourceful beings who can adapt and thrive wherever we go. Good luck with Year 2! ❤