Get Away

Since moving here most of my friends are baby boomers. It's just a fact of life in the youth-depleted countryside. I'm not complaining (you can learn a lot from your elders) but it does offer some new perspectives.

I was at a party tonight and chatting with some of the people there I learned that a good number of them are leaving for a number of months this winter.

One lady told me she is going to Thailand to soak up the sun (I would assume). I guess that she gets CPP and other pensions directly deposited into her account. CPP goes a long way in Thailand.

Earlier this year we had an older, boomer wwoofer visit. She was so lovely and helpful. She no longer spends winters in North America. India is her second home.

Another couple I know is heading to either Thailand or Taiwan to escape winter. They haven't decided which yet.

Yet another boomer friend leaves for Florida each and every winter. I think she has been going down for years now. She was a teacher so she must have a fat pension.

My partner's parents go to Mexico for the winter. They have a lovely casa there and can sit back and enjoy the margaritas. I guess Mexico is a little closer than south-east Asia. Oh yeah they are going to Mexico after a family Christmas but first in November they are checking the Galapagos Islands off their life checklist. Next up Antarctica!

Imagine all the other boomers flying about here and there who I haven't met yet. Or maybe they are just one year away from retirement and then it's Brazil or maybe Hawaii instead of winter.

The lady heading to Thailand reminded me that Thailand is experiencing some massive flooding. Unprecedented really. It's a national emergency. Presumably these floods are related in some way to climate change. And climate change is related to air travel. But regardless she said that when she arrives she'll stay in the airport and fly north beyond the flood waters.

Nice to be able to get away.