Slow Travel in (early) retirement is how Earth Vagabonds roll

By / March 8, 2025

Hello! We are Ellen and Theo (Ellie & Tedly) – and we are experts at budget slow travel in early retirement. Our dream lifestyle has been a reality since 2015 when we began to wander the planet full time.

We haven’t stopped since then! Not even during the pandemic, when we stayed in the Philippines and did some humanitarian work during those crazy years.

Visit our destinations list

If you’re wondering how to retire early and slow travel the world — on a budget — visit this page. Otherwise, keep reading for an overview of who we are, and to get the general gist of what we do.

Vagabond: (n) A person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. (adj) Having no settled home.

Theo & Ellen, Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, late 2024.

More about Earth Vagabonds

Ellen quit her career at 43 years old. Theo retired at 52.

Early retirement was an intentional decision. It took years of planning, saving and investing, and wise spending. It also took a shove from the universe.

As we got closer to the time for a decision about early retirement, Ellen’s company laid her off. So, after some months of debate, we looked at that life-changing event as a shove from the Universe to live our dream of budget slow travel in early retirement.

Life is Now is our mantra.

If you long to leap into this rewarding but unconventional lifestyle of budget slow travel through FIRE (financial independence retire early), we have a great pep talk just for you.

If you want to learn more about why we believe our budget slow travel lifestyle is a dream come true, keep reading here!

ellen and theo in xcalak, mexico by the sea in 2016, one of their early stops during slow travel in retirement
Ellen and Theo in Xcalak, Mexico, in 2016.

Our early retirement dream

We always loved international travel. While working, we looked forward to global wandering.

This dream motivated us to set goals and make lifestyle decisions that allowed for more savings. Frugal choices led to financial freedom before traditional retirement age.

We lived below our means, put money into retirement accounts, made other investments, didn’t have children, and we didn’t buy junk we didn’t need.

Do you want to retire early and travel the world? Check out this page on exactly how we did it.

Is this long-term, budget slow travel lifestyle in retirement the right fit for you? Check out this page on how you can test it.

Worried about boredom? Fulfillment? Keep reading!

Kyoto, Japan, 2024

Giving back

We usually stay in one place for a month (or two or three) at a time. Sometimes, opportunities pop up to give back to the communities where we’re visiting.

We often don’t publish the details, out of respect for the dignity of those we help. However, we do share our work when it is out in the open and it’s obvious what we are doing, as with our disabled young friend in Pokhara, Nepal, or at a refugee camp in Greece.

Our greatest, and longest, commitment was during the first two years of the pandemic. We were in a rural area of the Philippines a short ferry ride away from the famous Boracay Island – the crown jewel of that country’s beach tourism.

We used our unspent travel budget to help local Filipinos survive without tourism, and we brought water, electricity, and jobs to mountaintop village. Today we call the indigenous Ati tribe friends for life.

Ati men carry supplies up the mountain footpath to Kurong Village in June 2020.
Ati men carry supplies up to Kurong Village atop a small mountain in June 2020.
Visit our special page about our Ati friends.

This particular self-appointed volunteer experience – in conjunction with kind overseas donors – changed our perspective on the world — and on travel. Sure – lazy beach days and active adventures are nice, but even we can get bored without ‘working’. Also: faith without works is dead.

We believe in human unity, and in giving back.

Time for hobbies

This website is a hobby. We each write a bit about our experiences to share with others – and to keep a record of our travels. So we write more, and we read more. Ellen has time for meditation and daily exercise. Theo has time to learn options trading and drink more beer.

Whatever it is you want to explore more outside of the ‘working world’ is totally possible when you have ample time in a budget slow travel lifestyle.

Medical challenges during slow travel in retirement

theo in bed with dengue fever in india
Travel health care emergency: when Theo got dengue fever in India.

Health care is one of the reasons people delay slow travel in retirement, and we totally understand that. But we believe it shouldn’t hold people back — especially Americans who are used to outrageous prices and unfair insurance coverage.

This site shares personal experiences with medical experiences during our travels to prove health care can be affordable – and high quality – in countries around the world. From mosquito viruses to broken bones, a snake bite to breast cancer — we’ve experienced a lot of various health care in many nations.

Ellen was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer following a routine mammogram in Croatia during our third year in early retirement. She had a double mastectomy in Zagreb — without reconstruction — in 2018.

She now travels the world as a fabulous “flattie” – with no evidence of disease since the surgery. We kept traveling because it makes us happy, and this is the lifestyle we always wanted.

Ellen and Theo in Auroville, India, 2024. Read what it’s like to ‘concentrate’ in the Matrimandir.

We also have much experience with mundane health issues, like eyeglasses and dental visits and preventative care in several countries around the world. Most of our medical care experiences have been excellent – and affordable.

Our most recent health care issue was a visit to a Malaysian emergency room for a freak snakebite. Ellen was lucky – the bite wasn’t from a dangerous snake, and the emergency room visit was only $74!

Emergency room in Port Dickson Hospital, Malaysia. Read more >>

For a ton of information we handle health care during budget slow travel in early retirement, please see our free guide to health care without travel health insurance. (The information will also be helpful for those with insurance.)

Don’t forget: this site uses only experiential information — there is no AI here (although AI steals from us). And we don’t run ads, we don’t use sponsors or affiliates, and we rarely accept guest posts (and only from people we personally know).

To anyone on the fence about traveling the world now or later, we say do it now. The clock stops for no one and we live for today (with a plan for tomorrow) because – again we say – Life is Now.

Afraid of health care overseas? Don’t be!

Our special guide on global health care shows you:

  • 7 easy steps to find the right doctors and hospitals
  • Specific price examples for various medical services
  • What to know about medical visas
  • And more!

We go without travel health insurance, but many of the principles apply to those with coverage.

Free: Global Health Care Guide

Budget slow travel in retirement is affordable

We enjoy showing people that nonstop travel can be a real possibility. It truly can be ‘endless, if you spend less’. Our travel adventure is going on ten years now!

The proof is in the numbers — we share our monthly and yearly budget breakdowns from our slow travel in early retirement. Budgets are relative, but ours is $2,000 a month in developing nations, and $2,500 to $3,000 in developed countries. Often, we spend part of the year in each category for a mix of monthly outflows.

You will find money-saving techniques in places all over the globe on this website through our direct experience — whether you are retired, or early retired. As 2025 gets underway, a recent example is our grocery price comparison in East Asia (Japan, Korea, and Taiwan).

Grocery receipts from East Asia. Read more >>

We invite you to explore this site, which we keep as a hobby – and as a record of where in the world we’ve been so we don’t forget as the years and destinations pile up.

Contact us anytime.

Maybe one day we will see you out here somewhere on this fantastic planet Earth.

See what it costs to retire early and travel the world!

Check out our popular monthly budget breakdowns.

Budget breakdowns
how to retire early and travel the world
A long boat in Thailand sails across the sea at sunset against mountains - how to retire early and travel the world

since 2015:

  • 4 continents
  • 30 countries
  • 100+ cities and villages
  • Hundreds of apartment rentals & hotel rooms
  • Countless beautiful friends
  • Endless unbelievable experiences

This is an independent blog!

No AI – though AI steals from us. No sponsors, no affiliates, no ads.

No guest posts — unless we personally know the person.

Honest reviews and opinions based on independent experiences.

We aren’t trying to sell you a damn thing.

theo and ellen look at the himalayas from a small village in nepal
Theo and Ellen in Hyjangkot, Nepal, March 2023.

vagabond

Vagabond: (n) A person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. (adj) Having no settled home.

slow travel

Long-term stays; use buses and trains with infrequent flights; the faster you go the less you see.

early retirement

Stay on budget
Financial freedom
Active learning
Global citizenry

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More posts:

Zapotec ruins in Oaxaca, Mexico, an Earth Vagabonds destination during slow travel in retirement.
Zapotec ruins in Oaxaca, Mexico.

🙂

15 thoughts on “Slow Travel in (early) retirement is how Earth Vagabonds roll”

  1. Satish Iyengar

    Hello Ellie,
    I am Satish from India, Got to know about you from Karen. It is certainly a pleasure to know about you. Looking forward to see you in India.
    All the best for your future trips and may all the desires be fulfilled.
    God Bless you with good health and wealth so that you can travel the Globe.
    Thanks
    Satish

    1. Ellie Mae

      Hello Satish! It’s a pleasure to virtually meet you. I look forward to the day we meet in person. We will get to India eventually. I’ve always wanted to see your country!

  2. Kristie Villanueva

    Ellen, I just can’t believe that I am your 1,900th follower! I am so incredibly MOVED bye this blog, I have always admired you and this just amplified it the the 100th power!! I am glued to this site and I am truly in awe of your courage, inner peace and LOVE. Thank you and Tedly for sharing your incredible journey on this beautiful and fascinating planet! I am looking forward to seeing where you will land next!

  3. karen

    Glad I found this – you guys are my role models! I say (probably too often) my dream job is retirement. Not because I hate my work, but because I crave the freedom of not being tied to it.

  4. Chuck Burton

    Ellie. I answered your question about finding protein powder in Mazatlan and the health food store at Plaza Zaragoza. Anyway, I sent you a Facebook message, but you may not have gotten it. I am a lifetime “vagabundo” backpacking around the world since I graduated college in 1971. I am arriving at my condo in Maz on November 3rd for the winter. If you guys are still around, I would be happy to show you the best non-tourist places and secret beaches. Cheers, Chuck

    1. Ellie Mae

      Wow – thanks Chuck! I did not see your message. I’ll send you a friend request so future messages aren’t missed. We will still be here when you arrive. Safe trip!

  5. Robert

    Guys – Nice job! My hat is off to you! I can relate – at 48, I too gave up the yolk of the “real world” 24-7 rat race a year and 1/2 ago and moved overseas. You are spot on! :))

  6. Allan Hildebrandt

    Love your blog. Inspirational! My wife and I have been full time for the past couple of years as a travel nurse and now plan on doing as you do. Travel slow and easy, enjoy the sights and local flavor. We plan to go to Mexico as well as tour the US. Hope to see you on the road, how cool would that be ?

    1. Ellie Mae

      Thank you Allan! It would be great to see you out here! I’ve met some awesome people on our travels. Good luck to you and your wife!

  7. Samantha

    Love your blog! So beautifully written! Very inspiring to someone like myself who hopes to someday reside in Mexico. Thank you for sharing your life!

  8. Encore Voyage

    Wow, wow, wow! I have stumbled upon a gem of a blog! I can’t even begin to tell you how I wish I had had your guts at your young age (or seemingly young, compared to us!) Congratulations on following your heart and your spirit! As Jeremy and I trek along our Encore Voyage, we are learning precisely the things you seem to have already discovered! We find ourselves thinking, “If only we had known then what we know now.” I have enjoyed catching up to you and will follow along eagerly!

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