but the word is getting out that
Retiring Aussies are leaving by their thousands
to attractive places all around South East Asia to live
...and taking their pensions with them
And who can blame them?
Sydney (where I live) is now the fifth most expensive place to live in the world and to anyone that lives here, this is no secret. $100 plus for a taxi ride across town, $50 an hour to park your car in the city. Weekly food bills through the roof... power bills!!! Rent !!!!!! And all we seem to hear to complement this is ...more public sector cuts to services to come.
Well it seems that some of us are a little smarter than others and are starting to 'think with their feet' according to a number of news stories this week. Stories on 'Baby Boomers -moving offshore' into entirely desirable destinations. Thailand was extremely popular in having a much lower cost of living also they claim. Getting a lot more 'bang for the buck' for their pensions.
Apparently Thailand is inward processing >$2 million per day ex Australia into the pockets of thrifty ex pats. One couple I saw interviewed on television claimed the cost of living to be only 25% of what it was in Australia. They also claimed a near parity in services received!
Big decisions just the same. But who can challenge this as a worthy solution to people now free to make a few selfish decisions.
Why the hell not?
The island
Take me off to an island
Where I can live the rest of my life
No kids, no grand kids nor crusty old mates
Just the pension, me and the wife
The time has come to dump the expense
of living in olde Sydney town
The food, the rent, the parking
Twice the price of elsewhere around
The experts say 'Penang'
From a survey of all of the field
They've weighed it up from all the angles
There's no better place they feel
There's the 'my second home' visa
The Malays have cleverly crafted
Get a nice place among ex-pats
I should really get this thing started
Great food, resorts and beaches
First founded way back by the Brits
friendly people too I'm told
We must consider this...
The only thing that's got me stumped
As I fashion this getaway plan
Is how well I could support my teams
From this remote far off land
I'd miss my Swans, my troubled Eels
And the wobbly Wallabies
And catching the Aussie cricketers
Is just mandatory to me
Can't miss my 'Tahs
Now they're on top
I watch the young Socceroos
But as I weigh this up
over many months
I'm now ready to choose
It's often said
there's a placebo
In every difficult choice...
I mentioned it casually to my wife...
Dashed...
Without even raising a voice
Sent from my iPhone
We must consider this...
The only thing that's got me stumped
As I fashion this getaway plan
Is how well I could support my teams
From this remote far off land
I'd miss my Swans, my troubled Eels
And the wobbly Wallabies
And catching the Aussie cricketers
Is just mandatory to me
Can't miss my 'Tahs
Now they're on top
I watch the young Socceroos
But as I weigh this up
over many months
I'm now ready to choose
It's often said
there's a placebo
In every difficult choice...
I mentioned it casually to my wife...
Dashed...
Without even raising a voice
Sent from my iPhone
