Last-minute departure · Sep 2026
End of the Earth
Peru · Bolivia · Chile · Argentina
August 5, 2026
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.
After years of travelling on a budget, I still find myself instinctively looking for the cheapest option.
The cheapest flight.
The cheapest hotel.
The cheapest restaurant.
The cheapest way of getting from A to B.
It's become second nature.
The strange thing is that these days, I don't always have to.
If spending a little more means a better night's sleep before an early adventure, a direct flight instead of two connections, or a guide who brings a place to life, it's often money well spent.
Yet that little voice still whispers:
"You can't justify spending that."
Sound familiar?
When our children were young, we used to look for holidays based on:
Breakfast and lunch were home-made, ice cream and fizzy drinks were limited and our only 'indulgence' was eating out at an inexpensive, local restaurant in the evening. These evening meals were a real treat…
Then we discovered All-Inclusive holidays in the Caribbean. No more 'penny pinching' on ice cream and drinks, unlimited entertainment for the kids and access to a different type of culture. We still looked for the 'best value' and had to get used to the corporate style of resort (with only short breaks outside of the hotel complex).
As empty-nesters we started to go further afield. We were more inclined to shun the large, international hotels, and look for experiences. But cost, and limited time, were still factors.
Now we're retired, we have something we rarely had before: time and choice.
We no longer have to squeeze every destination into a fortnight or feel obliged to choose the absolute cheapest option every time.
If spending a little more means a direct flight instead of two connections, an extra night in a place we love, a knowledgeable local guide, or a hotel within walking distance of the sights, perhaps that's money well spent.
And yet...
I still hesitate.
Even though travel is exactly what we've spent decades saving for, that familiar voice still whispers:
"You can't justify spending that."
Old habits are remarkably difficult to shake.
I can't suddenly switch from being a saver to a spender, but I have started to make small changes.
Sometimes we now:
None of these changes are about luxury.
They're about using our savings to make the journey more enjoyable, more comfortable and, ultimately, more memorable.
After all, there's little point preserving every penny if, one day, we no longer have the health or enthusiasm to enjoy the experiences we saved for.
I'm still learning.
The instinct to save doesn't disappear just because retirement begins.
But perhaps travel, like retirement itself, isn't about spending more.
It's about spending better.
We're gradually learning to exchange saving money for saving time, souvenirs for experiences, rushing from one attraction to the next for the simple pleasure of stopping to watch the world go by.
I suppose saving and spending are a little like farming.
You don't plant forever. Eventually, you harvest.
And perhaps this is our harvest time.
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.
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