How do you feel about growing older here in Thailand?

[Saan]

I can't think of any place I'd rather grow old than here in Chiang Mai. It covers just about everything I need. I love my wife, I like the Thais and I have expat friends whose company I enjoy. There is also the weather, cost of living and still the feel of exoticness, even after 7 years, and myriad of other little things.

In my other life I played Rugby well into my middle age. As I slowed down I became a much smarter player to compensate. I have learnt to do that here. My joints are paying for all those years on a hard paddock but I am living with it. I am content and I'm happy because I'm content.

Thank you Thailand.

[kinmaew]

As Ronnie Wood said "Age doesnt matter" I take the Stones as a good example of success. Staying active and most importantly smiling and keeping positive (I know hard to do all the time). I'm only 44 but still as horny if not more as I was when I was 24. Keep healthy and fit and find something useful to do with your time and stay off the booze.

[canman]

So when is this "old enough to know better" supposed to kick in?

[Liquorice]

I don't worry about growing old.

Life is too short. My philosophy is to remind myself that today I'm as young as I'll ever be......so enjoy it.

[Aforek]

Have many centers on interest in life , don't complain, exercise every day, be open ... and you will live long time; I know a swedish guy, 74 years old, he walks, plays golf, ride bicycle , motobike, do gym every day, travel in other countries , I think he is 50-60 years ; I am 64 , and I follow this way too...

[Andre0720]

Once thing is certain though...

Thailand will make you feel a lot younger than you really are....

[KarenBravo]

I'm so glad I read this thread. I feel positively youthful at 56.

Had no idea there were so many coffin-dodgers here on Thai-visa.

Just to cheer up all you fellas living on borrowed time, my favourite quote by Epicurus; an ancient Greek philosopher.

"Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist".

[Andre0720]

So when is this "old enough to know better" supposed to kick in?

Was supposed to kick in just before doing a silly thing...

[Saan]

So when is this "old enough to know better" supposed to kick in?

Was supposed to kick in just before doing a silly thing...

More often it kicks in just after.

[noitom]

It's a state of mind. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?

[JoeLing]

How comes everyone is growing older?
What am I doing wrong?
I'm shrinking, the older I get

[mikebell]

I am 72 on Saturday and having the time of my life. I exercise 5 times a week - running/swimming/weights. I have 2 nights on the town inter-acting with beautiful ladies & the other 5 nights I watch free movies. I return to UK each year where I am always cold. I'm lovi' it here.

[JoeLing]

I think Oscar Wilde said something like - the tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young.

Just as a teenager doesn't really long for his toys from when he was 6 yrs old - - at an older age, you will not likely long for the "toys" of your more youthful 50… if you do long for them, you will still be playing with them, just maybe slower, more thoughtfully and appreicatively.

Hmmm, I still prefer to play with Meccano and Lego instead of cutting the lawn.

[Costas2008]

Funny you are asking this question OP.

I never thought growing older, but to the contrary I can see myself getting younger by the day.

I have a young wife, to raise my spirits.

I can spend my time as and how I like.

I can express myself more freely than when I was young, without being afraid of being wrong.

And the most important I am not afraid of dying as I have come to terms with life and being grateful for each extra day the Good Lord allows me to have.

[JoeLing]

I am 72 on Saturday and having the time of my life. I exercise 5 times a week - running/swimming/weights. I have 2 nights on the town inter-acting with beautiful ladies & the other 5 nights I watch free movies. I return to UK each year where I am always cold. I'm lovi' it here.

Well in this case:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUNG FELLA

Let's see if billd766 can bake you a cake

Edited October 2, 2014 by JoeLing

[uptheos]

Growing old here is better than growing old in some frozen wasteland Age may damage my body, but my mind is still that of a child

"Growing old here is better than growing old in some frozen wasteland"

Or in some Farang Land style warehouse for the old.

"The excitement here at Golden Acres is almost unbearable."

These ladies taken from a Google image, would appear to be late 80's maybe some in the 90's. As I have no idea where the photo came from they could all have dementia, plus I'm sure physical disabilities. All things being being equal, how different would their life be here, especially if they were men without resources?

[losgrad]

My second childhood began at 60. Like the character, Benjamin Buttons i feel and look younger than when I was working two jobs, overweight, unhealthy, stressed, etc.. Thailand gave me a new outlook (handsome man syndrome , a new life and wife - less worries, more choices as now it's all up to me!

Some days I feel it's too good to be true, but then I remember those years before....

Youth is not wasted on the young, but it's a privilege to be old.

[sunshine51]

When I was 15, I thought 30 was really old.

When I was 30, I thought 45 was old.

When I was 45, I thought 65 was old.

Now I'm 65...what is old? It's nothing

more than a state of mind. Which is

much better than a mindless state.

I have been living in Southeast Asia

for nearly 40 years...it's home for me.

It's also home for my fellow expat

friends and home to the locals we know.

Sure..LOS isn't like our "home" country

and perhaps that's one of many reasons

why we're here. I do know this though...

we simply like living here. To delve into

details would be like trying to count the

number of galaxies in the universe; not

really necessary unless one is looking

at the big picture from an academic point

of view...and who wants to do that...there's

big fun to have instead!...

[KarenBravo]

Funny how it's only old people that say "age is a state of mind".

They're wrong. The physical body gets old, wears out and eventually stops.

[siampolee]

Well I'm celebrating my 69th anniversary of hatching out today. I feel going on 39, not 69 you are as young or as old as you wish to be.

No comment concerning my age ''position'' either. You can't talk with your mouth full you know.

[SoiBiker]

Funny how it's only old people that say "age is a state of mind".

They're wrong. The physical body gets old, wears out and eventually stops.

Yeah. But here you can pay people to pretend it doesn't.

[MrJohnson]

I am 72 on Saturday and having the time of my life. I exercise 5 times a week - running/swimming/weights. I have 2 nights on the town inter-acting with beautiful ladies & the other 5 nights I watch free movies. I return to UK each year where I am always cold. I'm lovi' it here.

Happy Birthday for Saturday! I'm assuming that Saturday evening will be one of those 'on the town'. Enjoy.

[KarenBravo]

Well I'm celebrating my 69th anniversary of hatching out today. I feel going on 39, not 69 you are as young or as old as you wish to be.

No comment concerning my age ''position'' either. You can't talk with your mouth full you know.

As I said......only old people say things like that.

PS. Happy birthday.

Edited October 2, 2014 by KarenBravo

[Naam]

How do the members of this forum deal with growing older here in LOS?

you don't deal. you accept what fate deals to you.

[Headgame]

Funny how it's only old people that say "age is a state of mind".

They're wrong. The physical body gets old, wears out and eventually stops.

Funny you think old people are too disillusioned to know that everyone dies.

The importance and significance of good attitude should be apparent to everyone who chooses to maximise every day of their life.

[Kabula]

Great, love it!

Best place on planet earth to retire.

Young women, over 30, make this 67 year old younger every day!

[khunPer]

»How do the members of this forum deal with growing older here in LOS?«

Just passed 65 and been living here permanent for about 10 years. Feel good about growing older here – and I think it’s much better here than in my home country, so I look forward to many more happy years in LOS.

Always remember: “It’s not a questions how old you are, but how your are old.”

[billd766]

Well I have been growing old in Thailand for some 20 years now (I was 70 in May of this year).

I know and realise that at 70 I cannot do things that I could do at 60 or 50, certainly not physically anyway. I can still cut the grass with the strimmer but as there is 2 or 3 rai to cut I choose to cut the lawn as it is less than 1 rai and get somebody in to do the rest and I start around 6.15 and finish before 8 as it is cool then.

I still ride my motorbike but have cut back on long trips now as my reactions are slower and I will probably quit completely in a couple of years.

I am slowly writing my life story for both my Uk son and grandson plus my Thai son to read to show where I came from.

I am sad that I cannot play with my Thai son as I did with my UK as I was 60 when he was born and at my age the body and bones don't always want to do what the mind and memory does.

To slow down the ageing I find that keeping busy is one of the best things you can do.

Get onto the internet and find something interesting. Write your own life story for your Thai families. Learn to cook. Learn how to make furniture. There are zillions of thing you can do.

I make my own bread, rolls, cakes, pies, pasties, ham, bacon, sausage rolls etc all of which I have learned how to do in the 5 years since I retired.

If you want to sit and drink all day, then do so, but it's your life not mine.

Remember LG.

Life is Good and it is your choice to do with it as you will.

I am resurrecting my baking and cooking skills and doing fairly well with that.

I don't start drinking normally until about 6pm and have about 3 Hong Thong and sodas a night and I do drink in the afternoon sometimes if my mate comes over or I go to his place, other than that I don't bother.

I don't normally have the time to get bored.

Must go as I have 2 loaves ready to come out of the oven.

Thanks for such an honest post.

As somebody said in an earlier post, it beats the alternative.

There is a Bing Crosby song called "Busy doing nothing, working the whole day through .................

The chorus is I'd like to be unhappy, but I never do have the time.

I woke up this morning, found that I hadn't died overnight which means it is another great day ahead of me.

There was a beautiful sunrise this morning shining on the clouds, the butterflies are to numerous to count and the sun is shining.

[smotherb]

Well I have been growing old in Thailand for some 20 years now (I was 70 in May of this year).

I know and realise that at 70 I cannot do things that I could do at 60 or 50, certainly not physically anyway. I can still cut the grass with the strimmer but as there is 2 or 3 rai to cut I choose to cut the lawn as it is less than 1 rai and get somebody in to do the rest and I start around 6.15 and finish before 8 as it is cool then.

I still ride my motorbike but have cut back on long trips now as my reactions are slower and I will probably quit completely in a couple of years.

I am slowly writing my life story for both my Uk son and grandson plus my Thai son to read to show where I came from.

I am sad that I cannot play with my Thai son as I did with my UK as I was 60 when he was born and at my age the body and bones don't always want to do what the mind and memory does.

To slow down the ageing I find that keeping busy is one of the best things you can do.

Get onto the internet and find something interesting. Write your own life story for your Thai families. Learn to cook. Learn how to make furniture. There are zillions of thing you can do.

I make my own bread, rolls, cakes, pies, pasties, ham, bacon, sausage rolls etc all of which I have learned how to do in the 5 years since I retired.

If you want to sit and drink all day, then do so, but it's your life not mine.

Remember LG.

Life is Good and it is your choice to do with it as you will.

I am resurrecting my baking and cooking skills and doing fairly well with that.

I don't start drinking normally until about 6pm and have about 3 Hong Thong and sodas a night and I do drink in the afternoon sometimes if my mate comes over or I go to his place, other than that I don't bother.

I don't normally have the time to get bored.

Must go as I have 2 loaves ready to come out of the oven.

Well, billd766, I am pleased you seem to be growing old with satisfaction. However, quite frankly, I would be bored with your lifestyle and I too am 70. For example, my first job was cutting grass--at 10, with a push mower. I would never cut grass again. I have lived in Southeast Asia for 30 or so of the last 47 years, and the only property I own is where I can put it in my name. My son has been with me and his mother all his life--he is now married to a Thai and working here. My first grandchild will be born soon; I look forward to knowing him and he knowing me. So, I have no need to write a biography for my son or grandson to know me--my son has heard my stories and met all my old friends--and my writings are published. I already know how to cook, make furniture, and build a home; learned those many years ago. While I do not see the same man in the mirror I used to see, and the old muscles don't perform as they once did, the mind is still active and young. In fact, some Brit in a bar attempted to insult me by saying, " . . . look at that old fool, he must be 80 and he acts like he is 20." I was just dancing with a couple of young girls. I still ride my Harley daily; long rides at least once a month. I drink Jack Daniels and San Miguel Light beer--so I am less than unimpressed with your choice of drink. I am the last man standing at most parties and night's out--cannot remember how many times I have had to pull younger men up and get them home; last time just three nights ago. Yes, I am fortunate to still be healthy, but I exercise little, eat and drink too much, live too dangerously; it will certainly catch up to me. Until it does, I will party on. I have been here now for seven years, it is about time to move somewhere else--new times, new places, new friends, new experiences. I think I will follow where my son's expat career takes him--so the wife and I can get to better know our grandson and daughter-in-law; and vice versa. In short, at this point in my life, I would only be where I enjoy being.

[billd766]

I am 72 on Saturday and having the time of my life. I exercise 5 times a week - running/swimming/weights. I have 2 nights on the town inter-acting with beautiful ladies & the other 5 nights I watch free movies. I return to UK each year where I am always cold. I'm lovi' it here.

Well in this case:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUNG FELLA

Let's see if billd766 can bake you a cake

That is in my skill set now.