SB, it's not just blokes in their 40s mate. A couple of months before I left HK I overheard a british guy talking to a kiwi guy who was his mate I was doing some work for. The brit guy knew of a english bloke who was 70, no pension, and stuck in china with younger chinese wife....and was having visa troubles. I don't think their is anything wrong with teaching in your 40s.....just not in China, and not for those salaries with all the stress over the visa and xenophobia from FAO's/hostile rude locals thrown in as well. As we both know, the good days of China are long gone (ie 2004-2008). I had some good days during those times, after 2008, not so much, and that is why I worked elsewhere.

Good luck with your retirement, you have obv. done well to retire at a young age, when there are a lot of older blokes than you in China who are still reliant on teaching income, I mention some, but not all. A guy I used to know is probably still teaching for his own crappy kindergarten, with no degree, and nearer 50....might have money saved to return home, but then what would he do and would his chinese wife stay? As you say, there is no future anymore in China, at least teaching wise, and I would not be willing to go back to give it another go (I turn 40 in September, and feel at this age I am still strong and young and can teach/do other things).

Cheers,
SMGS