About the Untethered Life

Most content about living abroad sells you a fantasy. Beaches, sunsets, "living the dream." I'm not interested in that.

I'm interested in what life actually feels like when you give up your base, get rid of most of your stuff, and try to build something different in your 50s. The good parts, the hard parts, and the parts nobody talks about.

That's what Taylors Topia is: an honest exploration of designing a richer, more intentional life abroad. Not a sales pitch. Not a how-to guide. Just one person figuring it out and sharing what he's learning.

What You'll Find Here

Honest relocation insights. Real costs, real trade-offs, real observations from the places I stay. I show the mundane alongside the beautiful, because that's what you're actually trying to imagine: your new ordinary.

The inner work. Moving abroad changes your circumstances. It doesn't automatically change you. I write about the identity lag, the unexpected discomfort of ease, and the adjustment that happens beneath the surface.

Cinematic slow travel. I'm a visual person. I capture places through a nostalgic, filmlike lens, looking for composition, textures and patterns. I want you to feel what it's like to be somewhere, not just see the highlights.

About Taylor

I spent over 30 years as a designer and videographer, mostly within corporate structures. I enjoyed the work, but it was always shaped by someone else's brief. In my late 50s, I handed in my notice. No grand plan. Just a conviction that it was time.

My dad died at 46. That fact has lived in me ever since. I didn't want to spend my still health years waiting for permission to begin.

Now I'm untethered. I gave up my long term UK base, sold or donated most of what I owned, and set out to explore what a different kind of life might look like. I'm not running from anything. I'm curious about what's possible when you stop deferring.

I'm not a guru with answers. I'm a fellow traveller, a few steps ahead on the same path, sharing what I'm finding. Think of this as a conversation between peers, not a lecture from a stage.

The Philosophy

I believe you can design a richer life by questioning the defaults. For me, that means:

Slow travel over sightseeing. I stay in places for months, not weeks. I want to experience the rhythm of ordinary life, not tick off landmarks.

Curiosity over certainty. I don't have a ten-year plan. I have questions I'm exploring. What does ease actually feel like? What do I want my days to contain? Where do I feel most alive?

Richness over cheapness. This isn't about finding the cheapest place to survive. It's about finding places where your resources buy a genuinely richer life. Time, beauty, space, connection.

Finding Your Place

Here's what I've learned: finding somewhere to settle is a lot like finding a partner. Some places take your breath away, but you wouldn't live there long-term. Just like relationships, lasting happiness needs more than excitement. It needs the right foundations.

You can watch endless videos, but until you experience a place yourself, you won't truly know. I can offer observations and questions, but I can't tell you what will suit you. The right place, like the right person, will simply fit.

Start Exploring

This is an invitation to stop waiting and start imagining your next chapter. My journey started from Exeter UK, and I don't know where it leads. Maybe it comes full circle. Maybe it doesn't.

I love the UK. Devon's beauty is hard to beat. But I'm drawn to exploring what else is possible. Better weather, different rhythms, new perspectives on what a life can contain.

If you're in your 50s or beyond, wondering whether there's another way to live, you're in the right place. Pull up a chair. Let's figure this out together.

In England, we say "living the dream" with a knowing smile, usually meaning the opposite. My hope is that you actually get to.

Follow the journey on YouTube.

Taylor