Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

I Am Humbled

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Northern Thailand

The tremendous outpouring of love and support for me after Akaisha’s passing is beyond words.

I am truly honored and don’t know what to say other than thank you to all of you.

The last seven months have been filled with tremendously difficult, life-altering decisions—none of which I took lightly. Fortunately, Akaisha and I had discussed many of these hard topics beforehand. Her strength and clarity helped guide me, but there is a vast difference between talking about someone’s departure and actually carrying it out.

As things progressed, there were times I felt weak, but I could never let her see that side of me. I had to be the captain of her ship and her guiding light.

The letters and emails I’ve received from so many of you have been beautiful and heartwarming. It means everything to know that Akaisha touched so many lives in ways we never imagined.

It is truly an honor.

The bond I feel with all of you makes me want to continue writing and sharing our adventures. I’m not sure yet what direction the website or blog will take—this is still too early for those decisions. I know Akaisha wanted me to keep traveling, but the detailed note-taking, photography, and storytelling were very much a two-person effort that we shared and loved.

Tracking where we stayed, what we paid for transportation, meals, and everything else was our passion. Sharing how that kind of financial awareness builds confidence in lifestyle choices helped not only us but apparently thousands of you as well.

I understand that videos are extremely popular these days, but having grown up around TV production (my uncle was a producer), I know how much work goes into creating high-quality video content—even with today’s tools. I always reminded Akaisha that we were “One Take Productions,” and that suited us perfectly. Having a film crew follow me around would feel too artificial for me.

Photography is more my style. Every picture tells a story. The question now is whether I can recapture those moments without Akaisha by my side. I want to believe I can, but I’m once again walking a path I’ve never traveled before. She did so much of the research to ensure accuracy in our articles, and we both learned and grew from the process. It was never work for us—it was enjoyable, educational, and fun.

Where all of this leads, I haven’t a clue—which is pretty much how we lived our lives. Meeting so many of you, learning new technology, and always taking the road less traveled was exciting and bold.

A good friend once said, “I used to be indecisive, now I’m not so sure.” That pretty much sums up where I am right now.

For now, I’ll take things one day at a time, just as Akaisha and I always did. I will keep writing when the words come, sharing photos when they feel right, and honoring the beautiful life we built together. Thank you for walking this next chapter with me. Your kindness and support give me strength I didn’t know I still had.

With deep gratitude,

Billy

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

HOME   Book Store

Retire Early Lifestyle Blog      About Billy & Akaisha Kaderli      Press     Contact     20 Questions     Preferred Links    

Retirement     Country Info     Retiree Interviews      Commentary     REL Videos