i ended up following this model exactly, tho haven't bought property yet. i am writing this from buenos aires and am heading to cape town on sunday for 3w, then india.
i was a developer at a couple of big media companies for 4y. ended up leaving the last one to start my own company. left that 7m ago to travel because i was burned out. this summer i spent 4m consulting in vancouver, where i was able to spend time with a lot of great friends who i hadn't seen in years. that was amazingly recharging.
left vancouver in oct to come to buenos aires. i spent 4-5 weeks of hanging out in cafes, reading, visiting antarctica, hiking in nature, and experimenting with ideas in an inspiring city. being away from the distractions of everyday life was helpful to evaluate the best direction for pursuing my calling (not a job, or a career - more here: http://is.gd/b7h8). it has been friggin amazing and i'm totally recharged.
you know that fire in your belly that causes you to be obsessed with what you're building? i haven't had that feeling in ages, but i've got it now. i was lying awake in bed until 430a yesterday thinking about a feature, so i said screw it - i got up and implemented it and was up until 630a. can't even remember the last time i even considered that.
i guess my point is that you can definitely get that fire back. my first thought when reading your post was that you need to take time to chill and figure out what your calling is. it won't feel like work when you do.