I was never going to travel in retirement (or at least not internationally). I was already making money from a hobby, which I was going to expand into a business and become much better at it. I had also recently lost a close friend in another city to cancer, and in retirement I was going to be there for the people in my life the next time (which work really doesn’t allow).
Well, I failed.
The business never happened - partly because soon after retirement, another close person had cancer, and I was there for them, so I gave up on the business for good. I traveled to remote far flung places that I had never even dreamed I could visit. Then the pandemic happened, and no international visits can happen, so expectations changed again. Life is full of walks, visits to amazing places nearby, and great friendships that I never had while working.
Retired life has been fantastic, even if it hasn’t met expectations. It’s completely different to what I planned. And better - much better.