The canary in the coal mine

Our time in Mexico has come to an end. We've eaten and drank our fill, explored the charming communities of Puerto Morales, Akumal, of course Playa del Carmen. And if there's a beach more perfect than the one at than Tulum, I can't fathom it. Fact is, I sort of didn't believe such places actually existed in the first place. But it does, and I have touched paradise.

When our friend Kathleen retired and moved to Playa, we observed her with great interest. She's someone who has planned and saved fastidiously, and still figured it was preferable to extend her dollars by living abroad. For dpaul and I, we will almost certainly face similar choices, though we joke that by the time that happens, our "Mexico" might end up being someplace even more ghetto. Like Zimbabwe.

Regardless, we've watched Kathleen's process carefully, seeing what went well and what didn't, what unforeseen pitfalls cropped up. Of course many things are not at the level that we expect in the U.S. But in the grand scheme of things, the inconveniences seem minor when you factor in the quality of life they bring.

Will we retire to Mexico or elsewhere? We've got a couple decades to figure it out. But if Kathleen's path is the example, it looks like a viable option from here.

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