I reach my companies official retirement age later this year, but I had always hoped to stay a year or two longer. Now I am going to have to go a few months early. Of course I am so much more fortunate than the legions of younger people being made redundant in the bloodbath that is going on in the oil sector due to the collapse in oil prices.
 
For 35 years I have lead a compartmentalized life working away from home in various countries for one or two months then, effectively taking all the weekends in a block at home, I am enjoying the life style now work is in Dubai. Its going to a real lifestyle change. Strangely I find the prospect frightening. I am not worried about filling my time and I should be reasonably secure financially but I just don't feel old enough at 60.

Hey...  I just hit that last year... 60.... kind of eye opening... really? I'm here already? Where did the time go?
 
Then you drag out the photo albums and realize that, yeah, it's true.... it's been a long crazy ride at times.
 
Enjoy the retirement years.... I'm not retired yet, but some folks I know personally who are tell me they work harder in retirement than they did when they were working 9-5.....  
 
With a good hobby to keep you busy and a nest egg so you can pay some bills and eat on a regular basis..... seems like a good time to set back on the porch and play with the grand babies and other such things.....

Enjoy your retirement... I certainly am enjoying mine!!!  Think of it as a new chapter and opportunities to do the things you never had time for.  I got out early..at 53, and am 60 now.   Love it!

I'm not even close to retirement age but when the time does come, an important thing to me would be to always keep my mind occupied/challanged. I would want to be doing something productive every day as that's what I'm used to doing and I certainly wouldn't want that to be taken away from me......it would drive me crazy.
 
Best of luck Glyn with your retirement. Will you be living in Dubai or live someplace else? 

Mesh
 
Best of luck Glyn with your retirement. Will you be living in Dubai or live someplace else? 

I will be back in the UK which is home and where I spend most of my off time.
Music making will be a big part of keeping intrested in things. I will no longer have an excuse not finishing a few on-going musical projects except a lack of talent!

Glyn Barnes

Mesh
Best of luck Glyn with your retirement. Will you be living in Dubai or live someplace else? 

I will be back in the UK which is home and where I spend most of my off time.
Music making will be a big part of keeping intrested in things. I will no longer have an excuse not finishing a few on-going musical projects except a lack of talent!

So we can expect to hear more than the one song from your sig?

 
Listening to Approach to Carce.....very nice.....got that Pink Floyd vibe to it.

I'm 61 and I wish I could have retired long time ago, but due to financial reasons I'll have to work at least four years more. There are so many interesting things to do and none of them is in any way related to my now 38 year long working "career".

By the time I retire I'll be to old to do all the things I wish I had time for now...

Does your retirement plan consist of hopping into the back of a garbage truck to save your family the cost of a Hefty garbage bag? 
 
Maybe that's just me...

Hi Glynn you of course will not be retired when you come back to the UK because, like me, you are on of the lucky ones who instead of retiring at 65 like we was told you will now have to wait until you are 66 or even 67.
 
Enjoy it while you can.