What do you do with your time

[DarylTooth]

I have asked this question before on a Expat blog page but got no answers.

What do you guys do to pass the time? I am thinking about spending around 5/6 months a year in the Phil once I retire. We have a house in Iloilo but do not want to spend all my time watching TV. I do a little jogging, like playing tennis and have thought about taking up fishing again after around 30 years.

There is a expat meet every 2 weeks in Iloilo which I would go to start with and I am sure my wife will want to go shopping. But unlike her I could not do this more than once a week unless there was something I needed.

I love a beer or two but do not want to get into the situation were I am going out to bars just because I am bored.

So what do you do with your time?

[Terpe]

Do you currently have any hobbies and interests that would be easily transferred to the Philippines?

Everyone has different ideas on how to best use their time. As you get older time seems to speed up. Depending on where you live in the Philippines there are lots of opportunities for new interests.
I have a long list but so far didn't find the time to do any.
I'd like to take up Tagalog lessons in a proper language school.
I'd also like to take up ballroom dancing Philippine style together with my wife. Maybe sometime in the future.
We also plan to join a health and fitness club but again still waiting for a good time.

Since we arrived we've been pretty busy settling down, visiting family and visiting tourist spots.
We're also busy looking around for a house to buy.

My wife has a couple of online business.
I still maintain a volunteer role in UK which takes some time and scheduling.
Hobby and relaxation wise I like to go fishing.
My wife and I both enjoy cycling and often go off mountain biking to the many great trails we have here.
Don't forget there's still the usual household chores to get done and we've found that we need good planning to be sure we do the right things at the right time given the climate here.

Lifestyle changes mean usually getting up early to take advantage of the cooler weather and do some outdoor fitness activity.
Household shopping etc is generally done either in one of the shopping malls during the hottest part of the day, or if it's local market shopping we can do that early morning or later in the afternoon.

I love photography and watercolour painting but so far have only found time to enjoy a few photographic outings as my wife always has some jobs that need doing.
Everything takes a lot longer for us here due to the heat. It's easy to engage workers to do that for us but we've not yet found anyone who does a quality job and is reliable.

I'm sure I've missed out a lot of stuff.

I've often wondered how practical it would be to spend 50% in each of 2 such different countries.
You might want to check out if it would impact your entitlement to NHS treatment.
There's also the tax side to consider as you most likely wouldn't be able to benefit from the Double Taxation agreement.
Most of the folks I've met who split their time do so for work/business reasons in UK

[Terpe]

I'd hate to think we were looking to do something just to pass the time away.

We consider ourselves lucky to be able to enjoy a completely new life in an environment we love.
The Philippines is a great place for touring around and it needn't be expensive.
We've taken advantage of a few promos for trips and plan for more during the next few months.
There's always family invites and we all need to take time out for good friends.
I didn't mention the times we've had for picnics at the beach and swimming with friends.
We're lucky to have choices of beaches and mountains to enjoy.

[DarylTooth]

The reason we are thinking of 5/6 months in the Phil is to see how I cope. After a few years then decided if I/we want to make it full time.

Sounds like you have a good life there. Hopefully ours can be similar. We also like to travel/visit different places so would want to tour around to different events etc. If we were there now I would have been at Clark for the hot air balloon meet. Also different fiesta's.

[grahamw48]

During my last long (3 years) stay, I bred birds and constructed cages and aviaries...as well as looking after 3 kids while the ex was working or at college. I enjoy cooking, so normally did that too, as well as the grocery shopping. Never enough hours in the day when I'm there.

[Terpe]

The reason we are thinking of 5/6 months in the Phil is to see how I cope. After a few years then decided if I/we want to make it full time.

Sounds like you have a good life there. Hopefully ours can be similar. We also like to travel/visit different places so would want to tour around to different events etc. If we were there now I would have been at Clark for the hot air balloon meet. Also different fiesta's.

I think a good question to ask yourself is how would you make the most of your retirement in UK
Make no mistake everyday life in the Philippines is quite different to UK retirement life.
Personally I have no major issues with the climate and the heat. However my wife is taking quite some time to get to grips with the daytime heat and humidity.
Scheduling timing sensibly is important for us.

I'm off fishing tomorrow with a neighbour.
Probably most of the day.
Fishing from the shoreline I never really catch anything big enough to grill and eat.
Nice to relax sometimes though.

[stevewool]

Well I am not there yet and I have an idea when I would like to be there but it's down to Ems to give me the nod. Well, for now it is.

What shall I be up to once retired? GOD KNOWS!

To go to places when and if we can. There will no rush to try to see everything, stay in touch with friends, try to meet up with each other and maybe stay over too.

Take lots of pictures, look for a nice place with a view on the thought I could live there after I built it.

So many thoughts and dreams, but it will be nice to think I can do what I want when I want - without thinking of work. Just my thoughts on what could happen.

[Ako Si Jamie]

For arguments sake if you slept for eight hours per day, that would leave 16 hours equating to two working shifts - a hell a lot of time on your hands. If you are unable to fill most of that time up, boredom will set in and you may end up hating your surroundings because of it.

Personally, I would only live there full-time if I had a business. Otherwise I'd do 3 x 59 day visa's per year and travel around and not stop longer than a month in each place - but that's the nomad in me.

[Terpe]

Fair point Jamie, but look at your life in UK.
As you say sleep 8 hours and work 8 hours what do you do with the other 8 hours per day in UK ?

I suspect most people do not do much at all judging by the average number of hours spent watching TV

[stevewool]

I suspect most people do not do much at all judging by the average number of hours spent watching TV

Maybe you are right Peter, it's on in the corner but not being watched. Rather be pottering in the garden if the weather was warmer

[fred]

I have asked this question before on a Expat blog page but got no answers.

What do you guys do to pass the time? I am thinking about spending around 5/6 months a year in the Phil once I retire. We have a house in Iloilo but do not want to spend all my time watching TV. I do a little jogging, lick playing tennis and have thought about taking up fishing again after around 30 years.

There is a expat meet every 2 weeks in Iloilo which I would go to start with and I am sure my wife will want to go shopping. But unlike her I could not do this more than once a week unless there was something I needed.

I love a beer or two but do not want to get into the situation were I am going out to bars just because I am bored.

So what do you do with your time?

You pose some tough questions!
They are tough because people are as different and individual as their very own fingerprints!
I noticed that in the UK, people spent most of their time working..Some loved it..Others (like me) hated it..Others simply accepted that it's what they had to do, (love or hate work or the workplace) and simply just got on with it and lived (live) life in the best way they can.

Me? I hated working for others far more than when I was self-employed..I was very good at my job, very efficient and enjoyed many facets of it.. I was so efficient that I could start at 9.00 AM and finish by 2.00 PM..and then escape!
I've known for many years that work was not for me and that I needed an exit plan.
Plan executed, I escaped from my life in the UK with the Mrs and kids when I was 43 years old and have been here living almost work free for nearly 9 years.. FREEDOM!!

Tons of stuff for me to do here..Even work from time to time..The difference is that I actually enjoy this type of unforced labour.
My biggest worry about retiring in the UK was always..WTF would I do everyday without work?
To tell you what I do here would do you no good..
You need to explore ideas about what you will do just in case you are ever laid off work or find yourself retired either here or the UK.
I`m glad I found out early.
Never have to worry about thinking about that again.
One less thing!!!

[stevewool]

when I was 43 years old and have been here living almost work free for nearly 9 years.. FREEDOM!!

WOW, it's doing you good there, I thought you were only 34. Must have been that last drink!

[fred]

WOW, it's doing you good there, I thought you were only 34. Must have been that last drink!

You are too kind!!

[Ako Si Jamie]

Fair point Jamie, but look at your life in UK.
As you say sleep 8 hours and work 8 hours what do you do with the other 8 hours per day in UK ?

Those other 8 hours would include getting ready for work, travelling back and forth from work, making meals, taking a shower etc. for most, so that would eat up some of it anyway. In my case, at the moment, I have 2-3 hours at home during the week if sleep time is taken out the equation. Not enough for me as it soon passes.

But 16 hours in the Phils day after day, week after week would be too much if at least half of that time wasn't occupied doing something - for me anyway. I'm not the sort of person who can lounge around watching TV all day . Actually when the TV is on and I'm at home alone, 95% of the time I'm doing stuff on the PC at the same time, probably because I've got a hyper-active mind.

[Tawi2]

The reason we are thinking of 5/6 months in the Phil is to see how I cope. After a few years then decided if I/we want to make it full time.

Sounds like you have a good life there. Hopefully ours can be similar. We also like to travel/visit different places so would want to tour around to different events etc. If we were there now I would have been at Clark for the hot air balloon meet. Also different fiesta's.

Are you a balloonist mate? I am currently trying to talk my lady into free-fall I did a few jumps the other week but she isn't keen on the idea!

[Arthur Little]

Daryl isn't all that common a name ... ... at least I don't think so. Yet here on the forum, we're lucky enough to have not just one ... but two Daryls - BOTH Daryl 'T's - and (by a further astounding coincidence) both of whom, Daryl T AND Daryl Tooth happened to join us in the same month ... therefore, I reckon we must be unique in this respect!

So ... a belated to you. You certainly appear, by all accounts, to've plenty of hobbies to"get your teeth into", (so to speak) when you retire, Daryl.

[Arthur Little]

Daryl isn't all that common a name ... ... at least I don't think so. Yet here on the forum, we're lucky enough to have not just one ... but two Daryls - BOTH Daryl 'T's - and (by a further astounding coincidence) both of whom, Daryl T AND Daryl Tooth happened to join us in the same month ... therefore, I reckon we must be unique in this respect!

So ... a belated to you. You certainly appear, by all accounts, to've plenty of hobbies to"get your teeth into", (so to speak) when you retire, Daryl.

Phew ... post took some doing to compile. ^