Our Freedom Years

Financial independence, early retirement & slow travel

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    • Europe
      • Albania
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    • South America
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
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    • 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
  • Real Costs

    How Much it Really Costs to Travel Full Time

    May 9, 2022 /

    We haven’t been honest about how much travel costs. If you’re serious about travelling, there are a slew of other costs you need to know about.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How Much To Budget For Two-Week Trip To Lviv, Ukraine

    How Much To Budget For Two-Week Trip To Lviv, Ukraine

    April 4, 2020

    We Came to Budapest to See if it’s Still a Low-Cost Destination

    July 30, 2023

    What the Full-Time Airbnb Lifestyle Really Costs 

    February 26, 2023
  • Real Costs,  Turkey

    Wowed by the Low-Cost Lifestyle in Izmir, Turkey

    April 11, 2022 /

    Izmir is a huge city; it’s Turkey’s third-largest and it seems like there’s something exciting going on around every corner.  

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Making Belgrade Our Home for the Month

    August 15, 2021
    Machu Picchu

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

    May 5, 2024

    Living Large in Affordable Belgrade

    September 5, 2021
  • Real Costs,  Turkey

    This is Why We Keep Coming Back to Turkey

    March 13, 2022 /

    It’s our third visit to Turkey and so far this one is our very best. And a lot of that has to do with being here in Antalya.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Why Mexico City Blew Our Minds (and Our Budget)

    August 15, 2022

    Why Brasov is the Ultimate Base for Exploring Transylvania

    September 17, 2023

    How Much it Really Costs to Travel Full Time

    May 9, 2022
  • Real Costs,  Spain

    Is a Month in Seville Worth the Splurge?

    February 13, 2022 /

    As soon as we arrived in Seville, we knew that we’d be going over budget. This is an exciting city with so much on offer.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    We Came to Budapest to See if it’s Still a Low-Cost Destination

    July 30, 2023
    How much to budget for one month in Istanbul Turkey

    How Much To Budget For One Month In Istanbul

    April 6, 2020

    How Full-time Travel Keeps Our Costs Low

    October 15, 2020
  • Real Costs,  Spain

    A Month of Spanish Food, History and Culture at a Surprising Price

    January 23, 2022 /

    Spain is a country that we’ve been dreaming about forever. Finally we had our first taste: a whole month here in the city of Valencia.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How Much Does It Cost To Stay In Krakow For Two Weeks

    How Much Does It Cost To Stay In Krakow For Two Weeks

    April 4, 2020

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

    December 12, 2021

    Why Brasov is the Ultimate Base for Exploring Transylvania

    September 17, 2023
  • Albania,  Croatia,  Greece,  Italy,  Malta,  Real Costs,  Serbia,  Spain,  Turkey

    7 European Destinations that Won’t Break the Bank

    January 2, 2022 /

    Since we’re traveling full time, we love it when our money goes a long way. We’re always looking for places where we can get the most value.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Albania is Europe’s Last Hidden Gem — For Now

    November 30, 2021
    Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal

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

    November 5, 2023

    How Much for a Month in Albania’s Biggest City?

    October 31, 2021
  • Albania,  Real Costs

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

    December 12, 2021 /

    We came to the Albanian Riviera to chase the sun. But when we arrived, we realized that this part of Albania has so much more to offer. 

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

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

    March 6, 2022

    How Much for a Month in Albania’s Biggest City?

    October 31, 2021

    7 European Destinations that Won’t Break the Bank

    January 2, 2022
  • Albania,  Real Costs

    How Much for a Month in Albania’s Biggest City?

    October 31, 2021 /

    As full-time travelers, we’re always looking to get great value from each destination.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    7 European Destinations that Won’t Break the Bank

    January 2, 2022
    Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal

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

    November 5, 2023

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

    December 12, 2021
  • Real Costs,  Serbia

    Novi Sad Offered the Authentic Serbia That We’ve Been Dreaming of

    September 26, 2021 /

    We came to Novi Sad to get an authentic taste of life outside the big city; we wanted to spend our summer the same way that Serbians do.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How to Travel the World on Any Budget

    March 7, 2021

    Making Belgrade Our Home for the Month

    August 15, 2021

    Look What $2,500/Month Gets You in Europe

    April 18, 2021
  • Real Costs,  Serbia

    Living Large in Affordable Belgrade

    September 5, 2021 /

    Was Belgrade really the low-cost version of Europe that we were hoping for? Or did dining out every day cost more than expected? 

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Why Mexico City Blew Our Minds (and Our Budget)

    August 15, 2022

    How to Travel the World on Any Budget

    March 7, 2021

    Novi Sad Offered the Authentic Serbia That We’ve Been Dreaming of

    September 26, 2021
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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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