Living The Dream
Build A Network

by Bethan Hughes

How is your network?

Many people dream of retiring to the countryside or the seaside. They have an idyllic picture of a gentle pace of life surrounded by smiling faces, helpful people and clean air.

Unfortunately, this is the archetypal holiday romance.

If you follow this dream without having a reality check, you are likely to fall with a big bump at a time of your life when you can least cope with it.

The best place to live when you are retired is one where you have a good network of friends and/or family.

Although you may move somewhere when you are fit and healthy, there will come a time when you may not be able to get about so easily. So, if you are planning to move to a completely new place where you initially know no-one, make sure that you still have the energy to socialise like crazy for a few years to build up that vital network.

On the same theme,

• choose somewhere that has good public transport links for when you are no longer able to drive a car.
• Find somewhere that has good medical services.
• Choose a place with a good range of shops and entertainments within easy travel reach.

There is nothing worse than wanting to go for a night out to the theatre and finding that there just isn’t one for 200km!

©2006 Bethan Hughes, London, UK Used by permission.