10th anniversary of budget slow travel in early retirement

Ten years today! August 10, 2015, is the official start date of my ‘budget slow travel’ lifestyle.

The initial plan was that I’d work more years in the San Diego news business. Tedly would retire early from Cleveland, and come to California to be the ‘housewife’ and a beach bum (I lived in Mission Beach). That plan was upended when I was laid off.

I almost kept working in TV news – I didn’t decide to leave the news biz right away. My decision became official as I sat with a friend of my sister’s who had terminal cancer during a chemotherapy session. Virginia reminded me ‘you only live once’ as we talked about my future, and as she tried to accept hers. What story did I want to write for myself? What would my ending look like? Did I really need to keep working?

My Higher Power had transmitted a message through her. It set off epiphanies. My career had consumed so much time and energy. The business had become a detriment to my well-being. Would I continue that way? No. No. No. So I embraced change – yet again. I’ve made big changes a few times in this lifetime, as some of you know.

The story I wrote for myself over the last 10 years of travel adventures is pretty unbelievable with incredible experiences! Living with elephants, exploring pyramids, tracking orangutans, volcano hikes, endless beach walks and museum visits – to name a few. There have also been major challenges – like breast cancer in Croatia, and pandemic closures while in the Philippines. Either of those could have ended our travel dreams. But no. No. And No.

‘Improvise, adapt, overcome’ is a phrase used by U.S. Marines like my dad to ignite resourcefulness and inspire resilience. I take that message to heart. ‘Stand up for what you want’ is something my mom taught me – and I use this message as I go for goals, as I try to align what I want with what is moral. It’s an ongoing effort.

My personal mantra for the last 10 years: Life is Now. Right now is the best moment I will ever have – even if it’s a shitty moment. Because this moment will never happen again, the circumstances will change. It’s easier for me to embrace all changes – good and bad – when I remember everything changes – always. It won’t always be ‘bad’. It won’t always be ‘good’. But it will always change.

(Tedly celebrates his 10-year travel anniversary on December 9, 2025. We have different start dates because I went ahead of him to Tulum, Mexico, for a few months as he continued to work a little longer.)

Want to retire early and travel the world? Read how we did it.

Are you in your journey towards early retirement? Here are four steps to take right now.

Are you ready to do it materially, but having trouble emotionally? Here is a pep talk just for you.

Worried about health care if you are too young for Medicare? This health care guide might help.

Life is Now. Not later.