Last-minute departure · DEC 2026

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October 12, 2026

Phil's Travel Journal | Peru - Reflections on My New Favourite Country!

Nineteen days in Peru: Pisco Sours in Lima, sand dunes at Ica, the Amazon, Machu Picchu, Cusco and Rainbow Mountain.

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October 7, 2026

Phil's Travel Journal | Time to Break Out

Phil on booking three months in South America, the surprisingly tricky question of the bag, and a first night in Lima.

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October 12, 2026

Peter's Notes | Looking Beyond

Peter looks past the sights to the people he met in Vietnam: a veteran, a hotel waitress, and those making tourism pay.

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October 12, 2026

Peter's Notes | Here Kitty Kitty

Peter set out to eat only local dishes across Vietnam, on the trail of Anthony Bourdain. His reflections on what to try, what to skip and how to stay well.

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October 9, 2026

Peter's Notes | Finding Food in Vietnam

Peter's field rules for finding a good meal in Vietnam — follow the locals, duck down the alley, climb the stairs — plus his top five dishes.

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October 6, 2026

September | One Place You Love, Or Many?

Phil talks to two recently retired friends who took their new freedom in opposite directions — one moved to the coast he loved, the other stayed put and travels more instead.

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October 6, 2026

September | One Place You Love, Or Many?

Phil talks to two recently retired friends who took their new freedom in opposite directions — one moved to the coast he loved, the other stayed put and travels more instead.

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August 28, 2026

July | Where Retirement's New Friendships Actually Come From

Phil didn't expect retirement to cost him friendships - or that travel would be what brought new ones in their place.

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August 28, 2026

June | The Travel Spending Paradox

Phil unpacks why old budgeting habits die hard in retirement, and why spending a little more on travel might be the wisest investment of all.

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August 11, 2026

May | Giving Back Doesn't Need a Fixed Address

Phil reflects on how retirement blurs the line between travel and giving back — and why the two don't have to be a choice.

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July 7, 2026

April | Retirement Wasn't What I Expected

This month, Phil challenges the common assumptions about retirement - from boredom to identity to how travel changes.

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Smartphone showing offline travel maps and a passport on a wooden table

July 29, 2026

March | The Travel Tech That's Actually Worth It

On the road and online - Phil asks cyber resilience expert Paul which travel tech is genuinely worth the bother, and which you can happily ignore.

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retirees board a train in Laos for their gap year

February 20, 2026

Southeast Asia Travel Diary | Week 1: Departure Day

The first of Sue's Travel Diaries as she joins the first ever DECADES chapter!

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July 29, 2026

Visas for Long-Term Travel: What UK Passport Holders Need to Know

What UK passport holders need to know about visas for long-term travel: the Schengen 90/180 rule, long-stay options in Europe, and rules for Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.

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August 20, 2026

Long-Term Travel Insurance: What You Need and What to Avoid

A practical long term travel insurance guide for extended trips: duration limits, single-trip vs annual cover, the exclusions that matter, and what good cover costs.

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August 20, 2026

Staying Healthy on a 3-Month Trip: Health, Medication & Doctor Advice

How to stay healthy on a 3-month trip over 60: the GP conversation, 3-month prescriptions, vaccinations, managing conditions abroad, and the routines that help.

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August 20, 2026

Managing Your Finances While Travelling for 3 Months

A practical UK guide to managing money on long-term travel: fee-free cards, currency, pensions, direct debits and fraud protection for a 3-month trip abroad.

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July 29, 2026

Packing for 3 Months: The Complete Long-Term Travel Packing List

The complete packing list for 3 months of travel: luggage, clothing quantities, tech, medication and the leave-at-home list. One medium case really is enough.

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August 20, 2026

What to Do With Your House When Travelling Long-Term

Leave it empty, get a house-sitter, rent it out or home exchange? The complete UK guide to what to do with your house during 3 months of travel, insurance included.

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two retirees wearing raincoats

July 29, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Travel in South East Asia for 3 Months? A Monthly Budget Guide

A realistic monthly budget for 3 months in South East Asia — from lean to indulgent, plus real costs across Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.

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July 29, 2026

Returning Home After 3 Months Away: What to Expect

What to expect when returning home after long-term travel: the strange first week, the flat patch that follows, and how to carry three months forward.

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July 29, 2026

Adjusting to Life on the Road: The Emotional Reality of Long-Term Travel

The honest emotional arc of long-term travel: the honeymoon weeks, the week 3–5 wobble, homesickness, solo travel realities, and the settling-in that follows.

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July 29, 2026

How to Stay Connected With Family During Long-Term Travel

How to stay connected with family during long-term travel: eSIMs and WiFi, weekly call rhythms, keeping close to grandchildren, and easing family worry.

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Laura Cannon, founder of DECADES Gap Years for Retirees

June 17, 2026

How to Prepare for a Long Trip: Why the Holiday Mindset Is the Wrong Starting Point

Multi-month travel isn't a holiday. Pioneers who prepared for what it actually is had a better time. Here's a practical framework to do it properly before you leave.

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July 1, 2026

What Happens After a Gap Year? Returning Home and What Comes Next

What actually happens when you come home from a retirement gap year — the adjustment, the identity shift, and what most people change afterwards.

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June 24, 2026

The Grey Gap Year: Why Your 60s Are the Perfect Time to Travel

Your 60s are the ideal decade for a golden gap year — here’s why the combination of health, finances, freedom, and psychological readiness won’t be better later.

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