Our Freedom Years

Financial independence, early retirement & slow travel

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    • Europe
      • Albania
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      • Greece
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      • Malta
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      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • South America
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
    • Asia
      • Thailand
  • About Us
  • Welcome
  • Binge!
  • Popular
    • What’s New
    • Plan for Travel
    • Airbnb Living
    • Real Costs
    • Travel with Dogs
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Austria
      • Croatia
      • Czech Republic
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Italy
      • Malta
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Serbia
      • Slovakia
      • Spain
      • Ukraine
      • United Kingdom
    • Middle East
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • South America
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
    • Asia
      • Thailand
  • About Us
  • Springtime in our town
    Mexico,  What's New

    19 Countries, Amazing Memories, Countless Mistakes: Our Nomad Life Recap

    June 2, 2024 /

    We ticked through a shocking number of once-in-a-lifetime experiences and now we finally have time to think about what we’ve learned along the way. 

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 10 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Why Mexico’s Top Foodie Destination is Worth the Trip

    September 11, 2022

    What You’ll Find in Puerto Escondido, Mexico’s Most Underrated Beach Town 

    June 19, 2022

    The Picture-Perfect Town of San Miguel de Allende Doesn’t Come Cheap

    July 17, 2022
  • Stephanie with Jasper and Huxley
    Peru,  What's New

    After Four Years of Retirement, I Have a New Job – Sort of

    May 5, 2024 /

    Plus our visit to Peru was everything we hoped it would be and a few things we didn’t. 

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Gillian cross-country skiing in the countryside

    We Planned Another Exciting Trip to Peru – and This Time We’re Actually Going

    March 3, 2024
    Stephanie and Gillian at home

    Finally, the Big Reveal of our New Home

    April 7, 2024
    Machu Picchu

    We had a Once-in-a-Lifetime Visit to Machu Picchu (Now We Know What it’s Really Like )

    May 5, 2024
  • Machu Picchu
    Peru,  Real Costs

    We had a Once-in-a-Lifetime Visit to Machu Picchu (Now We Know What it’s Really Like )

    May 5, 2024 /

    I’ve wanted to visit Machu Picchu for many years but I hadn’t anticipated what it’s like to visit a wildly popular world heritage site with tourism on the rise. Whoops.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Gillian cross-country skiing in the countryside

    We Planned Another Exciting Trip to Peru – and This Time We’re Actually Going

    March 3, 2024
    Stephanie and Gillian at home

    Finally, the Big Reveal of our New Home

    April 7, 2024
    Stephanie with Jasper and Huxley

    After Four Years of Retirement, I Have a New Job – Sort of

    May 5, 2024
  • Stephanie and Gillian at home
    Peru,  What's New

    Finally, the Big Reveal of our New Home

    April 7, 2024 /

    Those of you following us on Instagram will know that we just arrived home from an exciting adventure in Peru. This was a landmark trip for us for a few reasons. 

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Gillian cross-country skiing in the countryside

    We Planned Another Exciting Trip to Peru – and This Time We’re Actually Going

    March 3, 2024
    Stephanie with Jasper and Huxley

    After Four Years of Retirement, I Have a New Job – Sort of

    May 5, 2024
    Machu Picchu

    We had a Once-in-a-Lifetime Visit to Machu Picchu (Now We Know What it’s Really Like )

    May 5, 2024
  • Gillian cross-country skiing in the countryside
    Peru,  Portugal,  What's New

    We Planned Another Exciting Trip to Peru – and This Time We’re Actually Going

    March 3, 2024 /

    We’re finally having our redemption trip to Peru. This time last year we had to abandon our plans at the last minute due to political unrest.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Stephanie and Gillian at home

    Finally, the Big Reveal of our New Home

    April 7, 2024
    Stephanie with Jasper and Huxley

    After Four Years of Retirement, I Have a New Job – Sort of

    May 5, 2024
    Machu Picchu

    We had a Once-in-a-Lifetime Visit to Machu Picchu (Now We Know What it’s Really Like )

    May 5, 2024
  • Portugal

    5 Tips for Experiencing Beautiful Lisbon Without the Crowds

    February 25, 2024 /

    We came to Lisbon to see a destination famous for architecture, scenic lookouts and historic trams still running across town. What we weren’t expecting was the huge number of other tourists.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

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    Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal

    5 Important Lessons that We’ve Learned About Full-Time Travel

    November 5, 2023
    Funchal Madeira

    Lisbon in 2023 was Even More Crowded Than We Expected

    December 3, 2023
    Snowy Toronto in January

    We’re Saying Goodbye to a Very Adventurous 2023 – and Hello to a New Chapter

    January 7, 2024
  • Snowy Toronto in January
    Austria,  Colombia,  Czech Republic,  Hungary,  Portugal,  Romania,  Slovakia,  What's New

    We’re Saying Goodbye to a Very Adventurous 2023 – and Hello to a New Chapter

    January 7, 2024 /

    Our happy new year wishes are coming to you from chilly Toronto.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Vienna, Austria

    We Found a Wonderful Hidden Gem in the Czech Republic (Only Locals Know About It)

    June 4, 2023

    The Very Last Chapter in our Four-Year, Around-the-World Adventure 

    October 6, 2024
  • Funchal Madeira
    Mexico,  Portugal,  Romania,  Turkey,  What's New

    Lisbon in 2023 was Even More Crowded Than We Expected

    December 3, 2023 /

    From the moment of our arrival in Lisbon a month ago, we were absolutely shocked at the number of tourists crammed into this city. 

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 8 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Why Mexico City Blew Our Minds (and Our Budget)

    August 15, 2022

    It’s Been Three Years of Full-Time Travel and Still Nothing Ever Goes to Plan

    September 1, 2024

    Why Mexico’s Top Foodie Destination is Worth the Trip

    September 11, 2022
  • Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal
    Albania,  Colombia,  Czech Republic,  Greece,  Hungary,  Portugal,  Romania,  What's New

    5 Important Lessons that We’ve Learned About Full-Time Travel

    November 5, 2023 /

    It's our “travel anniversary;” we’ve now had four years of life on the road. -- including lots of challenges, mishaps and frustrations.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How Much for a Month of Luxury on the Albanian Riviera?

    December 12, 2021

    Albania is Europe’s Last Hidden Gem — For Now

    November 30, 2021

    Our Top 5 Favourite Airbnbs (and Why They Weren’t Perfect)

    March 6, 2022
  • Plan for Travel

    5 Crucial Lessons About Full-Time Travel That You Need to Know

    November 5, 2023 /

    These are the topics that rarely get discussed in blogs or vlogs but are absolutely essential for a life on the road.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 6 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Medical Coverage Abroad

    July 30, 2020

    What Not to Pack for a Year of Travel

    May 23, 2021

    How To Get Rid Of Everything You Own To Travel

    March 20, 2020
 Older Posts
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ourfreedomyears

Stephanie & Gillian
🌎 Traveled the world with our dogs
❤️ Now making a home in Ontario
⬇️ Watch our latest video

Big views, quiet trails, and two very happy hiking Big views, quiet trails, and two very happy hiking dogs. 🐾

Our full-length La Gomera video is now live — tap the link in our bio to watch.
While we were hopping our way through the Canary I While we were hopping our way through the Canary Islands this winter, we couldn’t resist a side trip to La Gomera. This is one of the smallest islands of the archipelago and feels much like a hidden gem. There are just a handful of villages across the island; the volcanic mountains and misty forests are the real draw and the reason that hikers make the journey here. 

After five days of hiking, we’re officially adding La Gomera to our list of best winter hiking destinations. It offers an excellent trail system, decent lodgings, lots of sunshine, and enough challenging ascents to make it a proper workout. 

Of course, we had to capture our journey across La Gomera on video. If you’re ready for sweeping coastal views (plus the sight of two adorable dogs making their way along the trail), our La Gomera adventure goes live this Sunday.
After a month in Gran Canaria, a week hiking the w After a month in Gran Canaria, a week hiking the wild landscapes of La Gomera, and another sun-filled month in Tenerife, we’re soaking in our final days in the Canary Islands. 

In just a few days, we’ll be making the long journey back to snowy Ontario.  Which is why we’re savoring every last moment of the incredible ocean view from our Airbnb in Puerto de la Cruz, where we fall asleep to the sound of waves every night.

Curious about what the Canary Islands are like as a winter destination? Our latest YouTube video is live — just tap the link in our profile. And more island adventures are coming your way soon!
What makes a great winter base? For us: beautifu What makes a great winter base? 

For us: beautiful neighborhoods, easy hiking, warm days… and space to settle into a routine.

Did the Canary Islands just become our go-to winter destination?

Watch the full video — just click on the link in our profile.
For years, the Canary Islands sat on our “maybe so For years, the Canary Islands sat on our “maybe someday” list. They never quite beat out places like Mexico or Portugal when winter planning season rolled around. Now we’re wondering why we waited so long.

After a month in Gran Canaria, we’ve had some surprising takeaways about what really makes a place work as a winter base.

Our full YouTube video drops this Sunday. Stay tuned.
When we look back on 2025, it’s hard to believe ho When we look back on 2025, it’s hard to believe how much we packed into one year. 

🇲🇽 slow travel in Mexico

🥾 100+ miles on the Cotswold Way,

🐕 time inside a 400-dog shelter

🇬🇪 an unexpected detour through Georgia

…and a few big reflections on life after financial independence.

It was a year of travel, volunteering, and learning (again) that freedom looks different in every season.

We’ve wrapped it all up — plus a new podcast conversation with @OurFamilyInvests about what comes after the career ladder — in our January newsletter.

📬 Read the full story — just click on the link in our profile.
Living in Ontario’s snow belt means one thing: we Living in Ontario’s snow belt means one thing: we must escape winter. We’ve been hit with multiple snowstorms since the beginning of November and there are still months of snow and ice ahead of us. 

As much as we love seeing our little village blanketed in white, a few weeks of winter is enough to satisfy for the year. 

After a few misfires during our years of full-time travel (rainstorms in Florence, a chilly apartment in Malta, an unseasonable cold front in Izmir), we finally know exactly what we’re looking for in a winter base.

For the winter of 2026, our wishlist got very specific:

☀️ warm weather
🥗 great food
🏋🏽‍♀️ a decent gym
🐶 stylish Airbnbs that also happen to be pet-friendly
🌳 easy access to nature
✨ enough variety to keep us entertained for three full months

We compared many wildly different options—Taiwan, Argentina, and Cyprus to name just a few—and yes, there was a spreadsheet and a scoring system involved.

So where did we finally choose for winter 2026? We’re sharing the full story (and the big reveal) in this month’s newsletter.

👉 Read now by clicking on the link in our profile.
A final glimpse of our time in Georgia — medieval A final glimpse of our time in Georgia — medieval villages in Svaneti, misty mountain views, and a whirlwind wander through Kutaisi. 

Don’t miss the full adventure on YouTube, including our unforgettable stay at @baias_wine — complete with warm Georgian hospitality, a feast of traditional dishes, and more wine than we could drink in a month. 

Just click on the link in our profile to watch now.
There were plenty of misadventures to go round, bu There were plenty of misadventures to go round, but we still managed to have an incredible time on our first trip to the country of Georgia. Watch the full-length video by clicking on the link in our profile.
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