bakedbean

Ten Years ago today, we locked up our beautiful (and empty) house in Norfolk UK and set off on an adventure, moving our small business and ourselves to Singapore. We'd been "commuting" back and forth for several years and it seemed like a good idea (tax-wise, life-wise) to shift to the other side of the planet.

With the Norfolk house up for sale (it sold eventually), we bought a condo unit in Singapore, and pretty much hit the ground running when we got there in May 2005. The idea was to get PR (Permanent Residence), slow the business down after that, then after some years....retire gracefully amongst the palm trees in Singapore with a glass of something cold and alcoholic in one hand

But, of course, every seasoned expat will tell you that plans usually get screwed up somewhere along the way, and that is what happened to us.

Couldn't get PR and, 10 years and a couple of countries later, here we are retired in Penang in Malaysia.

So.... Year 11 starts tomorrow and look forward to some new adventures Wonder where I will be in another 10 years.

xizzles

Congratulations bakedbean! 10 years later, I reckon you'll still be a wonderful counsellor and guide for all us wayward souls on BE hahaha. But, I'm happy to hear that it's been an enjoyable ride so far - and here's wishing you and yours many more such happy days ahead!!

nonthaburi

Good luck, and health wealth and prosperity to you both.

InVinoVeritas

Yes, the place wouldn't be the same without you - Singapore's loss, Penang's gain.

NeonHippy

May the worst days of your next ten years be better than the best days of your last ten years. Congratulations.

abdulawwal

Many congrats.... and may you enjoy many more adventurous years to come....

JC3

Wow, ten years already! Well done BB.

I wonder how much Norfolk has changed in 10 years compared with Penang!

JC3

bakedbean

Probably not much I reckon.

Now...the irritating thing is....

Neither of us are actually Norfolkites and we moved to this little village in year 2000. It hadn't actually swayed our move there but we couldn't but help to notice that there was a very nice looking pub just a few staggers down the road from our property and we looked forward to a few pleasant evenings at said pub.

Well, not long after we moved, the flipping pub closed up which then meant if we wanted a meal out and a drink it was a 8 mile drive in one direction, or a 6 mile drive in the other direction. Not ideal if you wanted a glug or two.

Anyway we moved in 2005.

Just recently I was surfing the internet looking at our old village in Norfolk and, bugger me, that pub is open again and doing well by all accounts. You cannot win, can you.

ex reg

bb, I'm trying to convince the missus to holiday for a couple of weeks in Norfolk.
Coast looks favourite.
Cromer or Wells bts or what might you or anyone else suggest??

Having watched Alan Patridge Alpha Pappa a few nights ago I think the missus is even less likely to want to go.

But I'm adamant ish.

xizzles

Bakedbean, could I just ask what is retirement life like for you? How do you keep yourself occupied, and how do you keep the old brain cells stimulated? Do you have many local friends in Penang? I'm just trying to get some perspective about my own impending retirement adventure, and yours seem like an amazing success story from which I can take home many useful lessons

Anbar

Could not agree more xizzles. How about a new thread. The weekly life of a MM2H retiree Starring BB.
No need for selfies of BB eating his/her breakfast or personal stuff . Just an idea of your weekly routine would be appreciated.

bakedbean

I'm probably the wrong person to ask. At the time we lived there, we were working 7 days a week, so there was precious little time to explore.

Some friends did a UK visit last year and spent one week of their stay on the Broads and they said it was great....but they got lucky with the weather.

bakedbean

There's already a thread in the Retirement section. Try joining in on this one:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/retir...laysia-823445/

Let's chat over there.....