April | Retirement Wasn't What I Expected

This is an original article by Phil Marsh, DECADES' Retiree in Residence and the writer behind Rookie Retiree. Phil explores retirement as an opportunity for adventure, learning and reinvention, with a practical, lived perspective on life after work.

Especially When It Comes to Travel

Every conversation I ever had about retirement before I actually retired was about money and pensions. The collective mantra being ‘sort out the money and then you can just relax…and do whatever you want, whenever you want’.

It wasn’t until a couple of months before my retirement date that some uncomfortable questions started to pop into my head:

• How would I describe myself?
• What would I do?
• What would make me get out of bed in the morning?
• How could I stop my world from shrinking?

That was the point I realised retirement is about far more than money.

There is no denying that, at whatever stage of your life you’re at, money can make things easier.

But there is much more to retirement than money. So I’ve outlined a few of the common assumptions that I think are worth reconsidering.

Here are the assumptions I think we should challenge

It is mainly about money

Money creates options, and that matters.

But retirement itself is not a financial event. It is a complete reset on how you live your life.

You move from building income to shaping your time.

From fixed structure to something more flexible.

Travel becomes part of that shift. Not just as an occasional break, but as something you can weave into the mainstream of your life.

You will get bored

The reality? The opposite tends to happen.

Days open up. Small tasks take longer. Plans evolve naturally.

And travel fits into that more easily than expected.

A trip can become a longer stay, allowing you to settle in and absorb your surroundings and local culture.

A place you like can be revisited without pressure.

You are no longer trying to fit travel into limited time. You are simply deciding when it suits you.

Time automatically creates motivation

Most people carry a list of things they plan to do one day.

Having more time does not guarantee that those things get done.

What often happens instead is that priorities shift.

Experiences start to take precedence over intentions.

Work can't do without you

It may be hard to take but work continues without you.

That can feel strange at first, but it is also freeing.

It allows you to look forward rather than back.

For many, that includes travel that is no longer constrained by calendars, deadlines or limited leave.

It feels like a permanent holiday

At the beginning, retirement can feel like time off.

No alarm. No inbox. No immediate demands.

But that feeling does not last.

You quickly realise this is not a break. It is your new normal.

That is when you start to think more carefully about how you want to use your time, and who you want to spend it with.

Travel will feel exactly the same as before

You will probably travel more, but the bigger change is how you travel.

Without time pressure, the pace shifts.

• Trips become longer
• Journeys become less structured
• Experiences become more immersive
• You spend more time in fewer places
• You notice more
• You engage more

In some cases, travel starts to resemble a later life version of a gap year.

Not constant movement, but extended time in different locations.

Long enough to settle in, explore properly and move on when it feels right.

You have to slow down

Retirement can mean slowing down, but it can also mean growth.

You try new things. You go to new places. You meet different people.

Travel often becomes a catalyst for that. It introduces variety, perspective and a sense of continued discovery.

Your identity won't change

Leaving work changes how you, and others, see you.

Titles fall away. Professional networks drift.

That can feel like a loss, but it also creates space.

Space to build something new, whether through visiting new places, learning or exploring other interests.

You don't need a structure

At first, the freedom feels like having endless Saturdays.

But, over time, most people find they still want some form of structure.

So, you create your own.

• You decide when to be at home
• When to travel
• What fills your week

That balance becomes an important part of enjoying retirement.

What it really comes down to

Retirement is not about stopping.

It is about choosing:

• Choosing where to go
• Choosing how long to stay
• Choosing what to prioritise

It is less about escape and more about choice.

And once you understand that, life becomes something richer.

A personal view

I did not step away from work to do nothing.

I wanted more flexibility. More variety. More opportunity to say ‘Yes!’ and the luxury of choice.

For me, travel is part of that, but not all of it.

It sits alongside photography, writing, meeting people, exploring new subjects and trying new things.

If I can make someone smile, it has been a good day, whatever else happens.

Final thought

If you are approaching retirement, or you haven’t quite found the right balance yet, it is worth thinking beyond finances.

• Think about how you want to live
• The pace you prefer
• The balance between home and away
• The experiences that matter most

Because retirement does not just give you more time.

It gives you the chance to live differently.

Over to you

Which assumption about retirement caught you most off guard?

And what has retirement given you that you didn't expect?

I'd love to hear, because I'm still figuring it out myself.

More on Retirement, Travel and Reinvention

This is an original article by Phil Marsh, DECADES' Retiree in Residence and the writer behind Rookie Retiree.

Phil explores retirement as an opportunity for adventure, learning and reinvention, with a practical, lived perspective on life after work.

👉 Read more from Phil here.