Our Freedom Years: A slow life set in motion

How a couple traded corporate pace for pet-friendly passports and spreadsheets

Stephanie and Gillian left the fast lane not to escape it, but to find a different kind of fulfilment; one rooted in slow travel, radical transparency, and dog-friendly destinations.

At-a-Glance:

Web Name: Our Freedom Years
Name: Stephanie & Gillian
Generation: Generation X
FI status: Fully financially independent and early retired
Travel type: Plane, long-term stays, house-sitting, pet travel
Travel Regions: Europe, Southeast Asia, North America, Middle East
Media Platforms: Website, YouTube, Instagram

Backstory:

Stephanie and Gillian spent their professional lives navigating executive roles and corporate expectations. The story began in 2013 when they moved lives and careers from Canada to Singapore. They lived comfortably, travelled occasionally, and had dogs they adored; Jasper and Huxley. What began as financial planning morphed into life redesign. With years of disciplined saving and intentional investment, they saw early retirement as not just a financial possibility, but a moral one. Their desire wasn’t escape: it was evolution. They stepped away from careers not out of burnout, but because they had a vision of time used differently.

The Shift:

The real shift came not from a single epiphany but from a series of realisations: that time, not status, was their most valued resource. They built a plan, budgeting, investing, testing travel styles, and considering the logistics of pet travel. Once confident, they left Singapore (yes, with Jasper and Huxley 😉 and began a slow, nomadic life abroad. Their vision was not to check off countries, but to inhabit them temporarily: live like locals, walk neighbourhoods, shop markets, and explore on foot. Their “life reimagined” was structured, conscious, and built to last.

How They Made It Work:

With no remote job or business to run, their model was pure FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early. They planned for years, minimised expenses, tracked everything. Their YouTube channel and blog are side-projects, not income streams. Their transparency is methodical: they publish destination costs, visa issues, health care choices, and even Airbnb breakdowns. Long-term stays allow for cost-efficiency, and house-sitting has become a staple. Every journey is mapped out with visa timelines and pet logistics in mind. They don’t wing it—they build it.

Where They Travel & Why:

They choose countries based on practical and philosophical reasons. Affordability, pet access, visa lengths, and health infrastructure top the list. But they also favour walkability, community feel, and quality of life. From Lisbon’s tiled laneways to Chiang Mai’s night markets, their choices reflect a desire for gentle adventure over high drama. They return to cities that feel liveable and skip over trends in favour of fit. They don’t chase novelty: they chase comfort, context, and the rhythm of place.

Challenges & Real Talk:

They talk openly about what goes wrong. Some cities didn’t match expectations. Some homes weren’t dog-friendly as advertised. Pandemic-era uncertainty brought weeks of rerouting. Managing health abroad, travel fatigue, and bureaucratic slog are all part of their story. They miss friendships and family rituals. Stephanie and Gillian are sharing possibility, not selling perfection. Their blog is equal parts inspiration and instruction, with a firm stance on realism. They’ve found ways to navigate friction, but never ignore it.

What Keeps Them Going:

The dogs, for one. But also, autonomy. The control to choose what they do with their days, who they meet, and how they grow. Every city brings fresh context. Travel for them is not an endless vacation but a full-time frame for curiosity. They’re learners by nature, in history, politics, & culture; and use travel to deepen perspective. They see early retirement not as a wind-down, but a pivot into richer engagement. The life they’ve designed sustains them because it was made with intention.

Advice to Readers:

Their blog features “7 Steps to Retire Early & Travel”, and they often repeat two core messages: plan thoroughly and be honest with yourself. They recommend spreadsheeting your costs, testing slow travel with 1-3 month stays, and preparing emotionally for dislocation. They caution against romanticising the journey: slow travel is often mundane and occasionally isolating. Yet it’s also expansive and empowering. Start with small experiments. Let data, not dreams, guide the decision.

Links to More:

Website: https://ourfreedomyears.com
YouTube: Our Freedom Years
Instagram: @ourfreedomyears

*Disclaimer: Income, income streams and financial independence details & status are drawn exclusively from publicly available sources. No inference, harm, or misrepresentation is intended toward any individual or entity.