Sabbatical and Budget Questions

Taiwan.
I'd pick a mountain guesthouse or seaside village and hang out there.

And yes, unless you are a hard-core drinker or someone who takes lots and lots of side trips, $10,000 is plenty of money for 6 mos in NE or SE Asia. The summer tourist season can be expensive, but otherwise you should be able to find what you're looking for.

Is it realistic? Depends where you go...not so much the region,but the country.For example staying 6 months in SE Asia is a lot cheaper than 6 months in Japan.

So too is 6 months in Bolivia vs the same time in Brazil.

Then....it depends also on what type of accommodation you want,what (and where) you eat,what activities you want to do etc etc.

On the second question..depends on you and your interests.

Do you like cities,the countryside,the sea,the mountains?

Museums,monuments,trekking,snorkelling etc etc....

the possibilities are endless..and the vast majority of places in almost every country have no tourists at all.....

Thanks for all the answers so far.

I guess I am mostly looking for solitude. Renting a hut somewhere and just zone out. Maybe take a hike or have a drink with the locals once every while. Not really looking to meet new people, though.

What lucapal said is right, you can find a place like this in any country of the world, I guess.

I find Nepal to be attractive, but I heard it is overflowing with tourists basically everywhere. Anyone got experience with that?

Not really true..there are plenty of tourists in one part of Kathmandu,in Pokhara and in a couple of famous trekking destinations.

In the rest of the country there are loads of places where you will rarely/never see another tourist.

I think you're going to be pretty disappointed at opportunities to "have a drink with the locals" in a lot of those places once you get away from the tourist haunts--backcountry Nepal, for one. And I note you haven't said anything about food, which would be a definite concern for me after a few months of dal bhat twice a day.

You say you haven't traveled much. Pick a destination with a wide range of options within close proximity. Remember that the presence of tourists nearby means the presence of Western-style amenities--and don't be too sure you won't crave food, sanitation, health care or other stuff unavailable to the average local.

To me that suggests places like Mexico (highlands or beaches), Colombia, Thailand.... I'd add that since you don't really know what you're going to end up liking, it's probably pointless to be thinking about long-term leases just yet.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Hi Mark,

thanks for the answer, that was definitely helpful. I am currently still in the phase of thinking this through, and a lot of what you said are very good points :-)

I think I could live without most western anemities, living a humble lifestyle already. Except for healthcare, which is something to strongly consider.

Getting in touch with locals and possibilities for acvitivies are not really high up on my priorities list, I probably shouldn't have mentioned it. First and foremost I just want to get far away from it all and be alone for a long period of time.

And yes, you are right. I don't need to be in the hinterland of Nepal for this. Especially since I have no hiking or "survival" skills whatsoever. But on the other hand, the last thing I want to see are packs of backpacking college kids from home...

Catch-22 right there ;-)

Anyway, thanks for your input again. Cheers.

It is remarkably easy to escape other tourists of any age or luggage-persuasion in most areas of the world. Just avoid the famous tourist ghettos in the most popular destinations. For the most part, a few city blocks or a short detour off the main walking path and you'll find yourself where tourists never venture. If you're not getting out exploring a lot, you won't see them and they won't see you.

A bit of attention to security issues--by which I mean that in some areas, mainly urban, a couple of blocks can make the difference between pretty safe and resoundingly unsafe--and you're free to stay for as long as you like. That won't even narrow your options much, since it's so widely available.

On the other hand, you might find you end up an object of attention from locals, particularly kids. There's nothing like waking up far from the trappings of civilization (as it's sometimes known) to find that your shack, tent, grass hut or room is surrounded by dozens of silently-staring local people.

You'll figure it out, and in the process of doing so will learn lots of good and bad about yourself, your home, the place you choose, human nature, economics, politics, and all else. Congratulations on whatever you decide.

Mark