Retiring to Europe (Portugal)

[BritManToo]

38 minutes ago, Nowisee said:

Easy enough to fly to Europe to explore part time life there.  
  

Was thinking of this but decided @63 I probably don't have enough life left to make another big move worthwhile.

Will either jump locally if forced by immigration, or return to the UK if forced by health.

My pal just died in UK hospital aged 59 after a 6/12 month stay with only a few days out (bone cancer).

 

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

On 6/9/2019 at 6:53 AM, guzzi850m2 said:

Not very environmental friendly

Neither is air travel.  How long does it take you to paddle to Thailand?

[simon43]

 I confess I have not think of Andorre, I am surprised that it's so cheap, for a country near France and Spain 

 

Some things are reasonable value and some are not.  A modern, well-built apartment for a single person (say 55 square metres) can be rented for about $400 per month.  Larger apartments for families are rather expensive to rent, houses can be very expensive to rent, and it's very expensive to purchase property or land.

 

So for me (single), the accommodation costs are cheap.

 

There are few taxes to pay, the main contribution being to the government pension and social fund, which is a fixed amount per month, regardless of age or pre-existing conditions.  If you're over 60 years old or nearing the 65 years old retirement age, there are ways to minimise your contribution, get a lump sum reimbursed or even opt out of contributions completely (once you hit 65 years old).

 

Food is as expensive or as cheap as you want.  Nowadays I model myself on a large fluffy rabbit... so I eat mainly vegetables, greens and fruit = cheap.

 

If I have to think of a disadvantage, then that is the lack of a nearby airport - the nearest being a few hour's drive away in France and Spain. There is a small airport at La Seu, just across the border with Spain, but it's mainly used by private planes - I don't think there are any schedule services.

 

When I was younger and lived in Andorra, I enjoyed the 'racetrack' drive down the mountain switchback road into France.  There are actually two adjacent roads, one for down traffic and one for up traffic.  So one could speed blindly around the mountain corners, safe in the knowledge that you wouldn't hit anything coming 'up'.  (That wouldn't work in Thailand, I'm sure).

 

In the Pyrenees region, Andorran drivers have a reputation for driving like crazy...

 

[Jingthing]

47 minutes ago, DonDoRondo said:

After 7 years in CM I'm out in August.  Portugal sounds attractive.  Could anyone talk about the 

process of getting a long stay visa / residence permit?  USA citizen.  Can you enter on a tourist

visa and convert to long stay or does one need to return to the homeland and apply at the 

local consulate?

You start in your home country.

Not sure if the Portuguese embassy in Thailand would work but you could ask. 

 

Do you seek retirement status? If so, for a start you'll need a pension of about 1250 USD monthly (the last time I checked) based on current exchange rates. As you're non-EU you'll need to have private health insurance as well. Note how much lower the financial requirement is compared to Thailand!

 

Have you been to Portugal? This is a case where I'd say you really want to visit first. I spent about a month there driving all around their rather small country. I know it sounds odd but for some reason I found the sound of Portuguese unpleasant and depressing. It sounds like Russian. Comparing that to the much more joyful Brazilian version. I was really happy to get on the plane out. But it is a great place. Lisbon is fantastic, the coasts are fantastic, and the food is fantastic. 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Jingthing

[GalaxyMan]

37 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

...sound of Portuguese unpleasant and depressing. It sounds like Russian. Comparing that to the much more joyful Brazilian version. Lisbon is fantastic, the coasts are fantastic, and the food is fantastic. 

It does sound like Russian, though nowhere near as ugly. ???? The Brazilian Portuguese only uses a single verb form throughout, no conjugating, like Thai. Much easier to learn. I far prefer Porto to Lisbon. The food in the Algarve is about as good as food gets, especially if you like seafood. Can't say enough about their wines.

[simon43]

I'm stuck between deciding on Luang Prabang (Laos) or Andorra.  The main negative about Andorra for me right now is that 40% of my current online teaching is in the mornings (Chinese time).  That equates to midnight hours in Andorra...

 

I might possibly move to Laos until I stop working and then move to Andorra, or move soon to Andorra and split my work between my online teaching in China and local in-class teaching at one of the international schools.

 

Whatever location I decide, staying in Thailand is not on my list because of the visa $$ requirements.

[tlandtday]

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I'm stuck between deciding on Luang Prabang (Laos) or Andorra.  The main negative about Andorra for me right now is that 40% of my current online teaching is in the mornings (Chinese time).  That equates to midnight hours in Andorra...

 

I might possibly move to Laos until I stop working and then move to Andorra, or move soon to Andorra and split my work between my online teaching in China and local in-class teaching at one of the international schools.

 

Whatever location I decide, staying in Thailand is not on my list because of the visa $$ requirements.

what about siam reap?

[simon43]

19 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

what about siam reap?

Yes, that's another option.  My preference for Luang Prabang is because I used to live there (and enjoyed living there), and it is a UNESCO-protected town which tends to limit the 'destruction' of the town by building of high-rises and cheap resorts for Chinese hoards....

[marcusarelus]

8 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Yes, that's another option.  My preference for Luang Prabang is because I used to live there (and enjoyed living there), and it is a UNESCO-protected town which tends to limit the 'destruction' of the town by building of high-rises and cheap resorts for Chinese hoards....

I always like the Dave Van Ronk song about Luang Prabang.  ????

[GalaxyMan]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

Yes, that's another option.  My preference for Luang Prabang is because I used to live there (and enjoyed living there), and it is a UNESCO-protected town which tends to limit the 'destruction' of the town by building of high-rises and cheap resorts for Chinese hoards....

No longer. I was there last year and the Chinese are buying out all of the Thais along the main street. The prices were 3x what they were anywhere else in Laos. The market was a lot of cheap tin Chinese crap that they were insisting was pure silver/gold.

[simon43]

2 hours ago, GalaxyMan said:

No longer. I was there last year and the Chinese are buying out all of the Thais along the main street. The prices were 3x what they were anywhere else in Laos. The market was a lot of cheap tin Chinese crap that they were insisting was pure silver/gold.

They may buy the buildings, but they can't build new - it is UNESCO protected and I'm sure the Lao government will not allow anything that threatens that status.

 

Pretty though it is, I never shop in the night market - tourist junk. I previously used LP as a base for riding off-road along the hilltop trails, or swimming in the waterfalls.  I ate delicious local village food just outside LP and found 'available' women at a nearby location - I'd have to kill you before I reveal where....

[Chazar]

I  keep  a  few  acres of land I bought years ago in Portugal for the "what if scenario" of  Thailand.

Portugal also includes islands  such as Madeira where the climate is  very mild all year round and unlike the more southern Canaries is not dry.

[Mike Teavee]

Interestingly, Portugal tops the list of Friendliest Countries in the World to visit...

 

Surprise: The only European country to crack the Top 10 is also No. 1 on the list.

Portugal famously borders on Spain, a better-known destination that lands at number 17 on the list of friendliest countries. The destination offers distinctive cuisine, historic culture, stunning islands and coastal destinations, and thriving cities.

Add to that strong a tradition of neighborliness — “people look after each other here,” noted one survey respondent — and you’d be foolish not to visit. https://www.farandwide.com/s/friendliest-countries-world-aa0ee1b2420147d7?utm_campaign=friendliestcountries-97eaea3766a84b4c&utm_source=tab&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=thaivisacom

 

Vietnam (9), Colombia (8) & Cambodia (4) all come in the top 10 while Thailand (20) comes behind Myanmar (18) & Philippines (11)... 

[balo]

18 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I know it sounds odd but for some reason I found the sound of Portuguese unpleasant and depressing. It sounds like Russian. Comparing that to the much more joyful Brazilian version.

You must have been at the wrong places, nothing depressive about Portugal, just ask Ronaldo.

 

[grifbel]

Portuguese language from Portugal is much more pleasing than the awful ear-grating Brazilian Portuguese which has a very lazy sounding twang to it,

[GalaxyMan]

1 hour ago, grifbel said:

Portuguese language from Portugal is much more pleasing than the awful ear-grating Brazilian Portuguese which has a very lazy sounding twang to it,

The Brazilian dialect is far more liquid sounding, definitely sexier.

[Jingthing]

Portuguese language from Portugal is much more pleasing than the awful ear-grating Brazilian Portuguese which has a very lazy sounding twang to it,

It's a matter of personal taste.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[tlandtday]

22 hours ago, GalaxyMan said:

No longer. I was there last year and the Chinese are buying out all of the Thais along the main street. The prices were 3x what they were anywhere else in Laos. The market was a lot of cheap tin Chinese crap that they were insisting was pure silver/gold.

The high speed rail line designed to indirectly colonize Laos will fly right by this lovely city and it will be no more... 

[tlandtday]

7 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Interestingly, Portugal tops the list of Friendliest Countries in the World to visit...

 

Surprise: The only European country to crack the Top 10 is also No. 1 on the list.

Portugal famously borders on Spain, a better-known destination that lands at number 17 on the list of friendliest countries. The destination offers distinctive cuisine, historic culture, stunning islands and coastal destinations, and thriving cities.

Add to that strong a tradition of neighborliness — “people look after each other here,” noted one survey respondent — and you’d be foolish not to visit. https://www.farandwide.com/s/friendliest-countries-world-aa0ee1b2420147d7?utm_campaign=friendliestcountries-97eaea3766a84b4c&utm_source=tab&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=thaivisacom

 

Vietnam (9), Colombia (8) & Cambodia (4) all come in the top 10 while Thailand (20) comes behind Myanmar (18) & Philippines (11)... 

Way to go thailand had the golden egg and smashed it.

[simon43]

Quote

 

The high speed rail line designed to indirectly colonize Laos will fly right by this lovely city and it will be no more... 
 

 

 

You're probably right to some extent.  I can't see the heart of the old city being destroyed by ugly new buildings or tour buses, because both are banned and there's no way that the Lao authorities would want LP to lose its UNESCO status.

 

But hoards of Chinese tourists are already coming.....

 

Coming back onto the OP's topic (Europe and Portugal), I mentioned that the primary reason why I probably will not move directly back to live in EU right now is simply the timezone difference with Asia, which screws up some of my current online teaching of Chinese students.  If I move to LP now, I can continue to save a little in the bank, which will then help once I'm 65 and receive an almost-negligible UK pension (I started work in the UK at 26 and left at age 43..).

 

So right now, my plan is to relocate soon to LP, continue my teaching and then retire to Andorra in about 5 years from now. 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2019 by simon43

[youreavinalaff]

34 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

You're probably right to some extent.  I can't see the heart of the old city being destroyed by ugly new buildings or tour buses, because both are banned and there's no way that the Lao authorities would want LP to lose its UNESCO status.

 

But hoards of Chinese tourists are already coming.....

 

Coming back onto the OP's topic (Europe and Portugal), I mentioned that the primary reason why I probably will not move directly back to live in EU right now is simply the timezone difference with Asia, which screws up some of my current online teaching of Chinese students.  If I move to LP now, I can continue to save a little in the bank, which will then help once I'm 65 and receive an almost-negligible UK pension (I started work in the UK at 26 and left at age 43..).

 

So right now, my plan is to relocate soon to LP, continue my teaching and then retire to Andorra in about 5 years from now. 

 

 

Why don't you pay back dated National Insurance payments to boost your pension? 

[simon43]

7 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Why don't you pay back dated National Insurance payments to boost your pension? 

Because I don't trust them to pay out!  The UK is screwed with so many leaches claiming this and that.  If I paid in to top up my meager pension, they would probably find some excuse not to pay me a penny.

[youreavinalaff]

48 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Because I don't trust them to pay out!  The UK is screwed with so many leaches claiming this and that.  If I paid in to top up my meager pension, they would probably find some excuse not to pay me a penny.

And if you really believe that, then I truly feel sorry for you.

[myjawe]

Just moved to north of Thailand to then wonder if Laos or Andorra could be better, 5555+

cannot stop laughing 5555+

 

 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, myjawe said:

Just moved to north of Thailand to then wonder if Laos or Andorra could be better, 5555+

cannot stop laughing 5555+

 

 

Why?

[simon43]

21 minutes ago, myjawe said:

Just moved to north of Thailand to then wonder if Laos or Andorra could be better, 5555+

cannot stop laughing 5555+

 

 

A confusing post.  I have previously lived and worked in both countries.  They both offer what I seek ==> a relatively low cost of living, rural/natural sights and past-times.  

 

So pray explain why you are laughing.

[Orton Rd]

2 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

And if you really believe that, then I truly feel sorry for you.

History has proved him right, sadly.

[myjawe]

12 hours ago, simon43 said:

A confusing post.  I have previously lived and worked in both countries.  They both offer what I seek ==> a relatively low cost of living, rural/natural sights and past-times.  

 

So pray explain why you are laughing.

 

I laugh because some people never feel ridiculous to talk about their ridiculous life online ❤️

 

 

[simon43]

18 minutes ago, myjawe said:

 

I laugh because some people never feel ridiculous to talk about their ridiculous life online ❤️

 

 

Still I'm confused.  Why do you say that my life is ridiculous?  Because I previously lived in Andorra and Laos?  Either talk facts or stop trolling.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Still I'm confused.  Why do you say that my life is ridiculous?  Because I previously lived in Andorra and Laos?  Either talk facts or stop trolling.

Just put the troll on ignore.

Your life looks fine to me, if I were 10 years younger I'd be buying a farmhouse in France, but I don't think I have long enough left to make it worthwhile.