Our Freedom Years

Financial independence, early retirement & slow travel

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    • Europe
      • Albania
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      • Turkey
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    • South America
      • Colombia
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      • 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,  Serbia,  Slow Travel

    Making Belgrade Our Home for the Month

    August 15, 2021 /

    We want to feel at home no matter where we are. Just because we’re traveling doesn’t mean that we want our lives to be in constant upheaval.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

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    Machu Picchu

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

    May 5, 2024

    7 European Destinations that Won’t Break the Bank

    January 2, 2022

    What We Spent Living in Athens For One Month

    September 24, 2020
  • Croatia,  Greece,  Italy,  Malta,  Real Costs,  Turkey

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

    April 18, 2021 /

    When we first started traveling Europe in 2019, we weren’t sure how far a budget of $2500 USD a month would take us.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 7 Comments

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    Adventure of a Lifetime Quickly Goes Off the Rails

    July 7, 2024

    Find Out Why Croatia is the Ultimate Base for Europe

    March 28, 2021

    7 European Destinations that Won’t Break the Bank

    January 2, 2022
  • Turkey

    The Lifestyle You Want at a Fraction of the Cost in Turkey

    April 11, 2021 /

    We all fantasize about what our ideal home could look like. Maybe it includes a beautiful setting, great food and lots of interesting things to do.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 1 Comment

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    Adventure of a Lifetime Quickly Goes Off the Rails

    July 7, 2024
    How much to budget for one month in Istanbul Turkey

    How Much To Budget For One Month In Istanbul

    April 6, 2020

    The 5 Worst Airbnbs We’ve Ever Stayed in (and How to Avoid Them) 

    February 27, 2022
  • Malta,  Real Costs

    Can You Afford Europe’s Best Winter Sun Destination?

    March 14, 2021 /

    We’ve just spent a month in Malta in the dead of winter and we can’t believe the blue skies and sunshine and warm temperatures.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 5 Comments

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    Five Reasons to Make Malta Your Home in Early Retirement

    February 21, 2021
    Malta

    We Were Chasing the Adventure of a Lifetime – then Family Tragedy Hit

    August 4, 2024

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

    April 18, 2021
  • Real Costs

    How to Travel the World on Any Budget

    March 7, 2021 /

    We’ve really tried it all. We’ve been shoestring backpackers, we’ve done the luxury travel thing and everything in between.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Can a Month in Istanbul Really Be This Cheap?

    January 24, 2021

    Is a Month in Seville Worth the Splurge?

    February 13, 2022

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

    January 23, 2022
  • Real Costs,  Turkey

    Can a Month in Istanbul Really Be This Cheap?

    January 24, 2021 /

    We love Istanbul. We were here last year and just fell in love with the city and the food and the people.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 9 Comments

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    Why Mexico City Blew Our Minds (and Our Budget)

    August 15, 2022

    Why Mexico’s Top Foodie Destination is Worth the Trip

    September 11, 2022
    Machu Picchu

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

    May 5, 2024
  • Greece,  Real Costs

    Cost of Living in Northern Greece

    October 15, 2020 /

    After a month in Athens, we were ready for a new adventure when September rolled around.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 8 Comments

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    What We Spent Living in Athens For One Month

    September 24, 2020

    Discover the Greece You Never Expected to Find

    April 22, 2021

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

    March 6, 2022
  • Real Costs

    How Full-time Travel Keeps Our Costs Low

    October 15, 2020 /

    Back when we were working full time, travel was a luxury. Now it's a great way to manage our cost of living.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 3 Comments

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    Why Brasov is the Ultimate Base for Exploring Transylvania

    September 17, 2023

    Honest Thoughts After a Month in Medellin (and What it Costs)

    January 29, 2023

    What the Full-Time Airbnb Lifestyle Really Costs 

    February 26, 2023
  • Greece,  Real Costs

    What We Spent Living in Athens For One Month

    September 24, 2020 /

    In the midst of the pandemic, we’ve had the rare treat of being some of the only tourists visiting Athens.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 15 Comments

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

    April 18, 2021
    Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal

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

    November 5, 2023

    Discover the Greece You Never Expected to Find

    April 22, 2021
  • Canada

    How Much is the Cost Of Living In Toronto?

    July 2, 2020 /

    Upon arriving in Toronto, we had two weeks of quarantine and since then we’ve been sheltering in place. So how did that affect our cost of living this past month?

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 14 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Could Country Living be the Perfect Lifestyle For Us?

    July 4, 2021

    The 5 Worst Airbnbs We’ve Ever Stayed in (and How to Avoid Them) 

    February 27, 2022
    Climbing a mountain in Albania

    It’s Official: We’ve Given Up On Travel — For Now

    February 4, 2024
 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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