Our Freedom Years

Financial independence, early retirement & slow travel

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    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Austria
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      • Czech Republic
      • Greece
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      • Malta
      • Poland
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      • Serbia
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    • Middle East
      • 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
  • Airbnb Living,  Albania,  Greece,  Malta,  Spain,  Turkey

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

    March 6, 2022 /

    Sometimes the quality of a travel experience just comes down to whether or not we’re staying in a good Airbnb.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How to Score the Airbnb of Your Dreams Every Time

    February 28, 2021

    What the Full-Time Airbnb Lifestyle Really Costs 

    February 26, 2023

    Living in Airbnbs Full Time isn’t Easy

    June 6, 2021
  • Airbnb Living,  Canada,  Italy,  Turkey,  Ukraine

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

    February 27, 2022 /

    We’ve been fortunate to stay in some very attractive Airbnbs. But for every gorgeous Airbnb, we’ve also stayed in some total nightmares.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    What the Full-Time Airbnb Lifestyle Really Costs 

    February 26, 2023

    How to Score the Airbnb of Your Dreams Every Time

    February 28, 2021

    Living in Airbnbs Full Time isn’t Easy

    June 6, 2021
  • Plan for Travel,  Travel Gear

    The Ultimate Packing Guide for a Trip Around the World

    July 25, 2021 /

    We’ve been slow traveling the world for almost two years. Through all the highs and lows of travel, we’ve managed to have the right stuff in our luggage.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How Much Do I Need To Retire Early And Travel?

    March 6, 2020

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

    November 5, 2023

    Do You Have to be a Minimalist to Travel Full Time?

    February 14, 2021
  • Malta

    Behind the Scenes of Our Travel Planning

    January 31, 2021 /

    We’ll be honest, choosing our next destination has never been more difficult.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Can You Afford Europe’s Best Winter Sun Destination?

    March 14, 2021

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

    March 6, 2022

    Five Reasons to Make Malta Your Home in Early Retirement

    February 21, 2021
  • Croatia

    Cost of Living In Split

    December 20, 2020 /

    We’ve been enjoying an almost perfect autumn here on the coast of Croatia.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 6 Comments

    You May Also Like

    A Month in Dubrovnik

    November 1, 2020

    How Affordable is a Week in Zagreb, Croatia?

    December 27, 2020

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

    April 18, 2021
  • Slow Travel

    Why You Shouldn’t Travel Full Time

    December 13, 2020 /

    We spend a lot of time professing our love of full-time travel. And we do love it, except when we don't.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Is It Safe to Travel During COVID-19?

    August 6, 2020

    Summer Travel During COVID-19

    August 13, 2020

    Making Belgrade Our Home for the Month

    August 15, 2021
  • Retire Early

    Getting Ready To Retire Early And Travel

    December 6, 2020 /

    It was only a few years ago that we used to be stressed-out expats working in Singapore.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 1 Comment

    You May Also Like

    Working Overseas Could be Your Ticket to Early Retirement

    August 29, 2021
    How To Become Financially Independent In Your 40s Or Earlier

    How To Become Financially Independent In Your 40s Or Earlier

    March 18, 2020

    How We Can Afford to Travel Full Time (and It’s Not By Being Digital Nomads)

    July 11, 2021
  • Travel with Dogs

    Traveling the World With A Dog

    November 22, 2020 /

    It’s been over a year since we first bundled our dogs into their carriers, hopped on a flight to Poland and began our life of travel.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    We Thought We’d Have to Leave Our Dogs Behind

    May 30, 2021

    How to Prepare Your Dog for Flying In Cabin

    March 1, 2020

    How to Take an International Flight with a Dog in Cabin

    February 27, 2020
  • Travel Gear

    Travel Gear & Services for Life on the Road

    November 22, 2020 /

    When we started our life of full-time travel, we had no idea how difficult it would be to live out of a suitcase.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 16 Comments

    You May Also Like

    The Ultimate Packing Guide for a Trip Around the World

    July 25, 2021
  • Staying Healthy

    Staying Healthy on the Road

    November 15, 2020 /

    One of the downsides of being a full-time traveller is that it's very easy to fall out of a healthy routine.

    read more
    Our Freedom Years 0 Comments
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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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