For retired expats What do you do for excitement

[Lucky Bones]

13 hours ago, charmonman said:

Read, listen to music, play music, watch TV/movies, monitor investments, cook, eat, learn something new, have a nap, play a computer game, and many other things.

There’s always something to do other than sitting on your butt and staring into space.

 

Also, day drinking is a thing too.

Yup, got it in one.

Last sentence.????????

[newnative]

     Plenty to keep me busy, along with my partner.   Usually swim at least once and sometimes twice a day in our pool.  Several times a week we go to the gym.  We enjoy movies and travel.  Usually go to Bangkok once a month for a week.   I also like to read and we both enjoy home renovation projects.  Looking forward to doing more international travel now that things are opening up.  

[jerrymahoney]

Some on here seem to get their excitement when they can put someone on their ignore list with a pompous "There you go -- welcome to my ignore list!!"

 

However, to me, John Barrymore had it better with his "I  close the iron door on you!" from Twentieth Century.

 

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

What's excitement?

 

Something that, judging by the responses, most posters in here have never experienced.

[nigelforbes]

House repairs/DIY/improvements plus we have large gardens where there's always something needs doing - a guy's gotta have projects. Some time researching my investments, helping my wife with her business, catching up with overseas friends, managing finances and admin stuff, a pleasant lunch out, somewhere different in the mountains, afternoon nap maybe, shopping with my wife, meet up with friends, nothing. Retirement is what you make it and what you want it to be.  

[jerrymahoney]

4 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

afternoon nap maybe,

How do you handle such excitement?

[nigelforbes]

2 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

How do you handle such excitement?

I pace myself, I have access to beta blockers too if need be.

[Orinoco]

Exercise twice a day 2x 40 minutes sessions.

Surf porno 4 hours.

Service the wife 3.5 minutes.

Drink at home 4 hours ( no bars here) not sure if that good or bad.

Watch TV on the net ( re-runs of Benidorm at present ) well funny.

Play acoustic guitar about an hour a day.

Fix stuff around home,  always something.

Making BBQ stand today, cutting ,welding, grinding, swearing.

That's a typical day, unless we are going out, some place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Orinoco

[Elkski]

13 hours ago, dingdongrb said:

Wake up, pack the bong, and get baked all day long!

Is it better to pack a big bowl or small one hitters?  I ask because we always theorized that that last steam hit was da best.  

 

Wow 200km a week on a bike if on the road you lucky to live till the next day.  

Swimming each afternoon in the ocean sounds nice.   

No one mentioned fishing?  

 

2 massages each afternoon?   Hmmm.  1 to relax and 1 for therapy?  Which order is best?  

[Boomer6969]

Getting extensions of stay, making 90  days reports,  filling in life certificates..

 

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Boomer6969

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

Something that, judging by the responses, most posters in here have never experienced.

I never liked roller coasters.

[jerrymahoney]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I never liked roller coasters.

I once stayed in a house near Universal theme park in Orlando, FL. A roommate said he bought an annual pass so he could ride the roller coaster. He asked me if I had ever been on the roller coaster. I said no. 

 

He asked: Why -- are you afraid of heights? I said I don't know -- (but) I have a pilot's license.

[dingdongrb]

9 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

I once stayed in a house near Universal theme park in Orlando, FL. A roommate said he bought an annual pass so he could ride the roller coaster. He asked me if I had ever been on the roller coaster. I said no. 

 

He asked: Why -- are you afraid of heights? I said I don't know -- (but) I have a pilot's license.

Cedar Point = Roller Coaster capital of the world!

[VocalNeal]

Best to find a hobby/pastime before retiring????

[jimn]

18 hours ago, Inala said:

Good answer...and how I feel. Have you retired already?

Yes I retired at 56 in 2013. I bought a house just outside Pattaya with my Thai wife and we spend 7 months a year here. We both return to the UK every May for 4 to 5 months to see my lads and grandchildren. I did not sell my house in the UK like so many do. I am confident I made the right decision as I am with the relationship with my wife who I have been with since 2011 and married since 2014. At 30 years old she is young enough to keep me young and we do many activities that I detailed in my original post together. Best decision I ever made. Dont whatever you do be persuaded to go and live in a Thai village.

[jerrymahoney]

10 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

Cedar Point = Roller Coaster capital of the world!

Thanks -- Next time I'm in Ohio I'll check it out.

[1FinickyOne]

On 12/6/2022 at 9:46 PM, JimTripper said:

When retired focus on what other people are doing or where they are going ????

like be a stalker?

[1FinickyOne]

6 minutes ago, jimn said:

Dont whatever you do be persuaded to go and live in a Thai village.

I lived in a village for near 20 years.. loved it. 

[1FinickyOne]

42 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I never liked roller coasters.

Sure. The ups are ok but on the downs you open your mouth screaming and all the bugs get in...

 

I don't know why, I swallowed a fly... 

[jimn]

2 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

I lived in a village for near 20 years.. loved it. 

Thers always 1 Finicky one lol. Not for me I am afraid. When we go visiting the family I always go to the local hotel resort to sleep. Then go back to the village and relax on a recliner reading a book whilst she does the family thing and we are ready to go back to civilsation. An overnight visit is enough for me, I dont know how people can live there. Nothing to do  its so boring.

[it is what it is]

3 minutes ago, jimn said:

Thers always 1 Finicky one lol. Not for me I am afraid. When we go visiting the family I always go to the local hotel resort to sleep. Then go back to the village and relax on a recliner reading a book whilst she does the family thing and we are ready to go back to civilsation. An overnight visit is enough for me, I dont know how people can live there. Nothing to do  its so boring.

 

horses for courses, though i could never live in a small village, especially if i didn;t speak the language - what do you do all day?! - but clearly suits some people. if i were to settle down with a thai, and this is highl, highly improbable, we'd live in bangkok or near the sea.

[Hummin]

Live normal boring healthy life most and hit the roads for holidays. Important to me to live like I was going to work every day, with training and taking care of farm.

[jerrymahoney]

7 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

if i were to settle down with a thai, and this is highl, highly improbable, we'd live in bangkok or near the sea.

I agreed to settle down with a Thai as long as it was with a 25 meter salt water pool less than 200 meters from my front door.

[bendejo]

What do you do for excitement

 

avoid it

 

 

[MRToMRT]

9 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

go to the temple and bring some offerings then back home

At first I thought you was saying you was stealin the offerings.

[Crazy Noobie]

Everyone comes to Thailand for different reasons. Look at what your hobbies are, as you can do them here too. As for myself, I am retired and my son attends the local University. We both are into motorcycles, as we use to dirt bike riding a lot in America. We have four bikes, MT09, KTM, and two Honda dirt bikes. There is a big riding community here, so there are always runs and so on going on. When I am out riding, then I spend a certain amount of time handling my investments, as I Day Trade in the Stock Market (USA) and in Crypto. Go out to dinner with friends, home BarBQ's and so on. I am actually more active here then what I was in America and I am 100% happy. So to answer your question, just figure out all of the things you enjoy to do and then do it. 

[digger70]

I don't know what you like but you shouldn't have to ask us Old timers.

I know what I am doing ,that's more than enough ,at times there are just not enough hrs in a day  but I have my lazy days as well then I don't do as much.  ????

[1FinickyOne]

56 minutes ago, jimn said:

Thers always 1 Finicky one lol. Not for me I am afraid. When we go visiting the family I always go to the local hotel resort to sleep. Then go back to the village and relax on a recliner reading a book whilst she does the family thing and we are ready to go back to civilsation. An overnight visit is enough for me, I dont know how people can live there. Nothing to do  its so boring.

you are comparing a visit w/living there... my home is there, my bed is there, my recliner is there, my computer is there... my friends and family are there... We were raising a kid who I would pick up at school every day... lunch w/friends in town, afternoon nap and foot massage simultaneously... and since there was not much English spoken, I can now speak Thai w/relative fluidity.. not boring at all... 

 

If I visited for a day or two, I might have been bored too...

[1FinickyOne]

17 hours ago, robert888d said:

I am bored to death here now.

Swing low sweet chariot

[hotandsticky]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

What's excitement?

 

 

 

Indeed.

 

For the OP  -  forget excitement.  Concentrate first on contentment, IMO that is the most important thing when adapting to expat life (it also applies to any form of retirement).

 

Contentment is about the 'boring days', the ordinary days, and being comfortable with yourself is the key to enjoying this (final) stage of your life. 

 

Contentment is the base from which you can add excitement - or whatever else you need to enrich your life.

 

Those who simply look for excitement will be disappointed fairly quickly  -  expat life is not a one month holiday.