The pension payout to Goodwin hinged on the basis that he was allowed to retire early rather than being ousted, which may have reduced the size of the payment.
Specifically they were not told that by taking early retirement, rather than being dismissed, or resigning, Goodwin would see his pension entitlement double.
We discovered that this emancipating, and remunerative, mindset applies to a lot of things that in the pre-Internet age you had to accumulate in order to enjoy.
And ever since, I have never hesitated to head for even the most remote of places, without guides or even advanced bookings, confident that somehow I will manage.