Our Freedom Years

Financial independence, early retirement & slow travel

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

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

    April 4, 2020 /

    When we arrived in Lviv, Ukraine, we were ready to indulge a little.

    read more
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ourfreedomyears

Stephanie & Gillian
🌎 Traveled the world with our dogs
❤️ Now making a home in Ontario
⬇️ Watch our latest video
We’re officially closing out our winter series fro We’re officially closing out our winter series from the Canary Islands with a final installment from Tenerife, the largest and most popular island. We spent a month based in the very special neighbourhood of Punta Brava, enjoying what I can only describe as one of the best views that we’ve ever had in any Airbnb. Add to that historic towns, a few menu del dias, and some excellent coastal hiking, and it was a perfect ending to a winter of island hopping and slow exploration.   Our latest video drops this Sunday and it’s got all the highlights from Tenerife. Let’s just say that the bar has officially been raised for future winter getaways.
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.
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