Graduating from Work...

Hi Baz and Mrs Landy.

What a fantastic count down to be a part of.

As to your question,
Any where away from the city and too many people to give me some thinking time..

Probably to WA because I would have a lot of time to get there from Sydney..

William

We did just that in 2000. Stopped work then headed off. No real plan, just decided to drive around Aus.

On the way we had no timetable, no special spots we wanted to see. We spoke to people as we travelled and modified our plans to accommodate our new found knowledge and friends.

As it turned out this trip was really just a 12 month reconnaissance for the rest of our caravanning life we've had since.

Enjoy it mate, don't do too much planning.

Baz,
I'm with you as I count down the last 93 days of my working life! Suggest you head west young man, we did it last year for 8 weeks, I worked from our Perth office whilst my wife was enjoying her long service leave and getting to know our 3YO Grand-daughter. We enjoyed the trip over and back very much and now understand we should have done it years ago.
Gaz

Pretty emotional time Baz I'll bet.
But rewarding too!

We are soon to embark on our second trip to the Kimberley, this time from Derby to Kununurra via the Gibb River Road. (If it's open)
I have planned this trip as a "half lap clockwise", although we are skipping the lower west coast of WA and heading up through the middle, taking in the Pilbara region as well as the Kimberley.
Staying in Karrijini NP for a few days, then heading up to Pt. Hedland, Broome, then the Gibb River Road to Kununurra. Then back down the middle via the Alice, Kings Canyon, Yalara (Ayers Rock & Olgas) to Adelaide.
Timing is an issue early in the season if traveling the GRR as Mother Nature has her own ideas, but the alternative is via the bitumen from Derby to Kununurra, if we have to.

I couldn't think of of a better trip to celebrate your retirement Baz.
Good luck, whatever you decide.

I check weather forecasts. Somewhere not too hot, not too cold and not flooding. At the moment that is impossible anywhere in Australia at the moment. Was expecting something better than a deep freeze in Tassie, but not so. Such is life.
If it is too hard to turn right just turn left. Has worked for us for 12 years.

Neil

Anywhere that you can see a sky full of stars!

First stop would be the pub to get a real drink- beer.

Start with the northern half - too late for here. Need time to plan first.

Our first real trip was to the Kimberley region for 6 weeks. The trip started with a trip on the Ghan to Darwin, then down to Broome via the Bungle Bungles, then stopping at every rock to Broome and a a cruise up the coast (not in a BIG boat - just 12 passengers). More personal and flexible. Final weeks were spent investigating the Gibb River attractions including a good stop at Mitchell Falls and took a helicopter ride out to the ocean and of course the falls. Paid for just us and no other passengers. Then as one of us still worked, we headed back to Darwin for another relaxing Ghan ride to Adelaide. We had our car on the train both times. Cheaper than driving.

Just a starting point.

Phil

Baz
Retired, also after 45 years of work, in April 2016. We settled a few problems on our 5 acres then headed north. up the centre to Darwin, across to Lawn hill then back to Alice and spent plenty of time in West Mac's before home via Old Ghan line and Flinders Ranges.
All done with a basic plan - ie fill in the previously missed bits - but NO day to day itinerary. It was a marvellous 5 months..

Without looking at your previous travels, it is really hard to make suggestions.
I know you have a well set up vehicle so anywhere of your choosing will be good.

Murray

Ps let Mrs Landy have some imput or the trip will never be as enjoyable as you would like. M

Congratulations Baz, we hope you have a long and happy retirement.
We have got away for around three months or more the last few years and have really enjoyed it. We are finding more and more that it is not the destination but more the journey, while you need somewhere to aim for it is more about who you meet on the way and the other unexpected sights you see.
I know we will see you out there somewhere.
Regards also to Janet and TomO.
Cheers
Graham

-
Baz,

As we live on the East Coast there was only West to head when we first got the Troopy. So we did, and made it up as we went. We headed for Innamincka, then Birdsville. Roz said "where to now?" So it was off across the Simpson to Alice Springs and so on until we eventually found ourselves back home.

We have been on many more extensive and iconic journeys since but I have to say that first one was perhaps the most unique because it was so improvised. We were free with "the world" in front of us.
I know that there are some who preach "preparation, preparation, preparation" but we had enough time, fuel, food and water to reach each intermediate destination so were safe and really did enjoy the places and events as they unfolded.

So I have to say, just pack and go. As others have said. simply turn right or left out of the driveway and let the the wind blow in your hair. Have a great trip mate.

Bazz

Northern West Australia will be my next destination.

Just about to give work away as well , as you I started work at 16 and now I am 58 .

Good luck in your retirement , enjoy this fabulous country .

Cheers

Baz,

May I add my congratulations on your coming retirement and wish you and Mrs Landy many long and happy travels in the coming years.

Not much point in me trying to add what has already been said, and may I say some pretty good advice so far.

The concept I had a little trouble getting my head around when the wife and I sold our business and set off on the next stage of our lives, after a 50 year working life, was slowing down.
Slowing down and realising that whatever was not completed today could be done tomorrow, or the next day, next week, next month or whenever. We weren't just on holidays. We had whatever was left of our lives to complete whatever we set out to do.
And if we didn't complete "IT" in our allotted time on this Earth........well maybe someone else can.

(:=))

Enjoy

Cheers
Pop

Go and do something that was absolutely impossible when you had time constraints.

Like work on a remote cattle station for your keep for a couple or 3 months.
Or an in Aboriginal community.
Or in a national Park.

The difference between these types of things and the rush-up-there-have-a-look-and-rush-home deal is that you get to know (really know) people in these places who have a quite different outlook on life.

In addition, all of these places have secrets places that the rush-in-rush-outers never get to know about, but once you are a member of their community, they will share with you.

We have done some of these things, and it is very different. They can not be done in a hurry.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

I too just retired on 24th January after 44 years as a Fitter machinist, 3 jobs over that period, all hard and heavy work. Janet and I moved to Dubbo from Sydney to a few acres and a quieter life last week. Whilst i haven't really had time to sit down yet, i can highly recommend retirement, the earlier the better. There are no brownie points to be had in the big picture of life, to work till you can no longer do the things you always dreamed of doing. If you wait till you think you have enough money to retire on, you will probably work till death. So do it, RETIRE!!! regards, Michael

Being a bit cheeky Baz, but.....England, well the whole of the UK really. Fabulous.

Anywhere ............ outa rifle shot of Mr Landy, I reckon!

Hello Baz

If it were me any where north or west, Gulf country, Kakadu or Ahrnem Land and Kimberley,s or Pilberra.
My wife wants to spin the bottle and head in that direction for a few days then again spin the bottle and head in that direction and spend a week at a destination and so on week or two week about.
I am sure one day in the next year after we retire both methods will be applied.

You know where, you know when and you know why :-)

Were you trading when the Oz floated, or as Ernie Dingo said "this thing don't float"
You are a survivor to last that long in the market. I got out back in 1990 but still have some mates working in it!

just get in, & don't look back & go go go. All the Best

I can't really advise the best things to do but as I spent my working life mapping Australia, I've spent my retirement going to places I've not been to during my career and the places I helped map but only seen on aerial photography.

My next stop is Cape York and I'm very hopeful that I can get to Cape Melville and Cape Weymouth as part of that trip just to see what these places are really like rather than in my imagination.. That's my plan

Good luck with the retirement. Judging from you previous posts I'm sure you will have no problems finding places to visit and adventures to have.
WBS

Wherever it was I went to it would be SLOWLY!!!

Had enough of racing there, racing around then racing back!!

Hi Baz, highly recommend retirement....don't know how I ever found the time to work!! Next trip Canning Stock Route...because its there!! Still hundreds of tracks and trecks to be done so the sooner you get started the better...good luck.

I will take the opportunity to throw a dampener on most of the replies.

I retired 3 years ago at 69 after 50 years working in the same industry (Railway maintenance & construction). We have done a lot of travelling both in Oz and overseas and I have still managed to do some consulting.

Basically I find retirement boring and often I think that all I am doing is filling in time in God's waiting room. I am very pleased when a consulting job comes along, not for the money but to prove that I still have some use.

Hope you enjoy but my strong advise would be to keep some options open.

The idea of retirement is to pursue interests that you can't when working. In my case i had a physical job and you really cant keep doing the heavy work of a 30 yo.
Anyone who feels they need to keep working past a reasonable age, good on them. But myself, like a lot of others feel that 60 yo is a good time to get out and do the things that we always wanted to do. I think im going to fall into retirement very easily and i really enjoyed working till the very last day !! Michael

Well done Baz, think the idea is not having any dead lines, time schedules, or commitments, and being able to just cruise along..
Camped next to a couple in Esperance, been on the road for 7 years, and still hadn't been to the Centre. They had kids spread out around the country, so just took 3/4 months to travel from one to the next... on the card they gave us.. email was "curryontherun" anywhere anytime... G'day to the Currys if your out there..
You must be looking forward to turning the screen off, be so different, after 42 years in the same game.. which ever way you turn, left or right, enjoy what you have worked towards, and safe and happy travels to you all.. Cheers Odog

Congratulations Baz. I came across this article the other day that talked about different types of people and why some do better in retirement than others. https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/02/early-retirement-is-not-for-everyone/
my personal thoughts are if you enjoy travel and exploring nature etc then you are already on the right path to a successful retirement. My Wife retired almost 2 years ago at age 51 and has been on my case to retire ever since as she has so far enjoyed every minute, she is one of those people who finds things to do so no issues filling her day.
Once I pull the pin we will be spending summers in Europe and have already looked into purchasing a campervan in Germany. Last year we toured France and Scandinavia and had a great time. We also have family in Europe so always have somewhere to stay. Cheers Mark