Where and why

Where in the world would you like to live / work and why? It is a question often pondered in my working nomad forum.

Forget visa and available work restrictions. This is a fantasy question so don't start by saying 'I am an American and would love to live in Spain but I am not an EU citizen' etc etc....!

I would just find it interesting where people consider paradise and for what particular reasons. It should give an insight into what people really look for in a long stay destination.

After trying out life in various places I've made what is likely to be my final choice. (never say never though)

I now have my home base in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada. Most TT posters probably won't even know a thing about it.

It has the warmest, driest climate in Canada. With only 12 inches of precipitation per year it is a desert region, yes, Canada has a desert. The desert portion in the very south end of the valley is where I live. In summer it can reach 40c but temperatures in the 30s are the norm. In winter it can hit -15c but -5 is the norm and the occassional snow we receive is never more than an inch or two with a 1/4 to 1/2 inch per snowfall being the norm. So there are 4 definite seasons with 3 of them being relatively warm and the winter being relatively mild. I think last year it rained 3 or 4 times from May through September and never for more than an hour or so.

More important to me however is the DRY part of the equation. Dry means low humidity. Humidity is something not a lot of people think about but it is humidity that makes warm temperatures feel uncomfortable and it is also humidity that makes cold temperatures feel damp. When I lived in the UK, damp was a year round reality.

The valley runs around 100 miles from south to north and is mainly orchards and vineyards. All watered from the river and series of lakes that run down the middle between mountains on both sides of the valley. The mountains are the reason why the valley has its own micro-climate.

For hiking, fishing, wildlife and any kind of outdoor activity the valley is a paradise. For major city attractions, Kelowna, near the middle of the valley has a reasonable amount. It also has the second highest house prices in Canada.

Canada of course has one of the best infrastructures in the world, which becomes more important as you age, particularly health care.

The only downside really from my point of view is the access to easy and economical travel. It is a 5 hour drive to Vancouver or 3.5 hour drive to Spokane, to access a major airport with good international connections.

I think most people think in terms of 'fantasy' when pondering a question like this one NOMAD but those who have already lived in 'fantasty' locations will give very different answers for very real reasons. Living in a beach shack on some Pacific 'paradise' island sounds great when you say it fast but the reality soon becomes apparent when you've lived on one for a little while.

An historian based in Armenia. So not going to happen, but if you can think of how that is possible, let me know! I would love to research the history of the region and preserve many of the unique older buildings in Armenia's countryside.

For me, it has to be warm. I have spent over 50% of my life where it is cold...no more for me! Paradise has to have some cultural opportunities and be near a larger city for my shopping needs (books, electronics, good restaurants, live music, etc.).

I am currently in Costa Rica, but after being here for a month have decided it is not paradise for me. I also spent a few weeks in Panama and a few in Nicaragua doing the same research.

I have a great deal of interest in Thailand and have lived there off and on for the past 6 years. But still looking....headed to Turkey in a few months and will check out that part of the world for about 6 months.

I want to live somewhere it is culturally interesting to me. North America is not. I want something completely different. I just spent 2 months in China and loved it! But too cold!!!

If I had to pick a place now, it would probably be Phuket. Not in a beach shack for sure, but definitely near the ocean. I never get tired of the beach...

Here's what i look for for my long term stays...but everyplace so far gets boring with sufficient time

FIRST...gotta be warm weather...no snow but don't mind seeing it in the distant mountains & visiting for snow sports...but tried living at a ski resort in excellent conditions for a year...never again

SAFETY

COST OF LIVING

SPORTS
beach & water sports

COMMUNICATIONS
internet, phone, tv,

ACCESS TO BIG CITY...day trip
everyday goods & services

TREKKING opportunities
mountains, jungles, rivers, ocean

ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL BORDERS

FRESH PRODUCE/FRUIT MARKETS

Incidentally craig3655...i just spent 5 months in china...& hainan island is far from cold...same latitude & weather as hawaii

Strangely enough my idea of paradise is somewhere that has a lot of culture, that will keep me entertained for more than 5 minutes. Although I'd like to live at a beachside location at some stage, it's not really somewhere I'd stay for a long time.

So the answer is somewhere in Europe, possibly Spain.

germuno, Hainan is great. I do like it there also...but that is about the only place in China that is warm during the winter. Hawaii is a little warmer...I was born there. Just too crowded now!!!

I agree with needing some culture. But there are many beachside locations with culture! Spain being a good one. I lived right on a beach for many years, but don't want to do that again. Within a mile or so is perfect.

pekkie...what do you mean by lots of culture?...where is there very little culture?...

craigt...same question about culture...i ask this because i'd like to know...not to be derisive...

...hawaii...never lived there craigt...but did many years of work for hawaiian tel...but not a chance i'd ever live there full time as i'd get rock fever...what beach did you live on?

...any island that needs a plane to get to the mainland within a day is off limits to me

...hainan island to me is better than hawaii for that reason...just getting there via train is a hoot...set my alarm to wake up for the train to be transferred onto the ship making the transit...too cool for school

Good points germuno. Well, I am in Granada, Nicaragua now. Very nice city with lots of great architecture. But I could never live here. A few restaurants scattered around. A few lakes nearby (including one that is not polluted), a few volcanos to climb, fair weather...but not much to do after that! I would go crazy here.

I spend a fair amount of time in Bangkok. My wife has many, many relatives and friends who live there...I don´t think I could live there due to the bad air, but that is so much to do. Live music, awesome movie theaters everywhere, great shopping malls, great bars and restaurants, and a fairly active expat community (some are not worth dealing with though). Also, lots of English spoken and written.

We have a great time there partying and eating great food...for cheap! And great airfares to most anywhere in Asia...so easy to check out new places (I flew to Bali for a little over $100, return, on AirAsia one time).

I lived on Oahu, not too far from the football stadium. Would never want to go back...to any island there. Too expensive and too touristy. Rock fever for sure...

I agree with Hainan. Nice place. I was there about 7 years ago, but only for a few days. Maybe I need to go back!

We are hoping to head over to Turkey and Morocco for a few months. I have heard Istanbul is great. Will rent an apartment there for a month or so. I have been to India, but would like to go back and visit the south. I have heard they have great beaches there...but tough monsoon season...

I retired early so need to watch my expenses...or I will have to go back to work! Bummer!

turkey is new to me also craig...looking forward to going there myself within a year & then down thru syria, jordan & israel before going over to check out africa...probably a 2 year trek...thus far have only seen morocco in africa which is by far the best islamic country i've been.

..i think i might follow your lead & look for a monthly type accomodation in istanbul before following the weather south...i think the syria,jordan,israel, egypt should be a spring or fall trek before jumping down to kenya/tanzania..

...spain sucks these days...in my opinion...

you mention morocco...best islamic country i've been to...great beaches & mountain trekking...& easy to get a cold beer & smoke

...you're in granada now?...i heard that the soviet rapid troop hydrofoil is at the bottom of the lake there in grenada....is this true?...was a fun & fast way to get from grenada to san carlos...the only volcano i climbed there was on ometepe

..lived in costa rica many times over the years...i like the city everybody on this tt seems to hate...puntarenas...was a good place to pick up yacht rides down thru panama & has what nobody will believe...a great party atmosphere with a work ethic...maybe because of the combination chinese/tico cultures....puntarenas on the weekends is the number one resort for ticos...

..i don't understand how anybody could like bangkok for long periods of time...but i've passed thru it a few times & enjoy it for a few days...stay in rambutri area & drink & eat at the gecho bar...one of the best street food venues

...on oahu i almost always stayed at the waikikian...it's gone now...que pena...it was the best kept secret in waikiki..best eggs benedict in my known world

...hainan island has return written all over it for me...the train traverses the length of the island now & ends at sanyo... many of the public signs are written in 3 languages...russian being the most recent addition after english...would never think of settling anyplace in china...too much of a language barrier...but the way they are headed towards english in a big way things may change

..understand you expense watch...i'm in the middle of retirement years myself & have to make sure things will last another 20 years...but this year i get another monthly check in the form of social security...hurray!

...best place so far in my world to stay is the caribe coast of venezuela & colombia...meets all of my requirements to a good degree...but africa beckons

Germuno,
Why does Spain suck...am planning to go to Granollers soon and have never been so any opinion of yours would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!!

i said it was my opinion that spain sucks these days because it's been discovered by the masses & is on a major construction program of cookie cutter 8 to 10 story condos... kilometer after kilometer of cranes as far as you can see at times

...portugal on the other hand is still a great place...& lisboa is a beautiful city on a par with buenos aires...

I was in Hainan a few years ago and we drove around the island and up the middle,climbed the 5 finger mountain and I must say I preferred the mountains to the beach, probably because it was the middle of summer . Well worth a visit. You can now take a train from the mainland to the island.
Still don't know what paradise is but I liked the sound of the Canadian place totally agree about the humidity thing.

it's nothing new about staying on the train across the channel to hainan island...what's relatively new is that now the train continues on to sanyo on the south end of the island

hmm..thx. germuno

Further grist for the mill Jesuisnu.

Spain is the number 1 destination for Brits moving abroad. Many retire, buy a 'villa' and begin living life in Brit enclaves. The same is true of other N. European nationalities as well to a lesser degree.

As a result, in many places in Spain there has begun to be a backlash. The same is also true in parts of France for the very same reasons.

These 'in-comers' drive property prices up which means it becomes harder for young local couples to afford to buy a home.

They use the government medical system which means access by locals is affected. i.e wait times for an appointment or elective surgery go up. The Spanish government has recently admitted this is becoming a serious problem for their health system.

While taking advantage of all social services provided by their adopted country, many in-comers contribute very little to the economy and even pay their taxes back in their home country. Many also refuse to integrate in any meaningful way. They live in enclaves, mix only with other foreigners primarily and make little if any attempt to even learn the language.

In response, it is only natural that there be a backlash. In some parts of France for example (particularly around the ski areas) it has become commonplace to see any car with UK registration plates, with key scratches down the sides of the car. There have been signs painted (a la graffiti) proclaiming, 'Brits go Home'.

So as a place to live and work which is the subject of this post, it really isn't somewhere to be reccommended.

One foreign couple moving into a village or city isn't a problem. But when you see mile after mile of purpose built condos all over Spain it doesn't take a genius to figure out the impact.

well said wayworm...

..i haven't been to france in over 2 decades but just about every year i look at my almanac it's the #1 turist country in the world

i should have said france is the #1 turist destination...the states followed by spain is number 1 in turist revenues...then france

Read an article once about a guy visiting Costa Rica. He was staying at a lodge on one of the rivers and the owner mentioned that it was his goal in life to move to Trenton, NJ. Apparently he visited a relative there and was willing to trade a tropical paradise for Trenton.

I would love to go and live and work in Yemen again. I did so for a couple of years back in the 90's and would go back in a flash if it weren't for family commitments that keeps me where I am.

Why do I love Yemen? I think it is a spectacularly beautiful country (I love mountains and deserts) with lots of fascinating cultural sites. Yemeni people in general are tough but welcoming and hospitable to those that treat them with respect. I lived in Aden the last time (and worked 2 hours outside of Aden - travelled 4 hours every day) but would probably live in Sana'a if I had my "druthers". Even though I loved Aden the weather got me down and Sana'a was much more pleasant.

We are in Costa Rica now...in Ocotal beach staying with some friends in their condo. Not a bad place. I was not able to do the hydrofoil in Nicaragua, but heard in was great....as long as the lake was not too rough!

Looks like I will have to head back to Hainan and check it out in more detail...what a tough job to have to do! ;-)
Craig

well craig...if the crowds of hawaii were too much for you then think again about hainan island...all the east coast of china is crowded...

...actually the russina fast attack troop carrier hydrofoil was better than conventional boats in rough or calm waters...just like the old hawaiin hydrofoil...remember that short experiment craig...couple of decades ago...was cool to do once...then back to hawaiian or aloha airlines in navigating the islands..

remember the convertible airline that made it minus one flight attendant?

Craig did you ever travel inland in Hainan?

When I went I was part of a convoy of 5 off the road vehicles. A Chinese friend of mine had asked me along. I was the token foreigner. It was a great trip, well planned and my Chinese friends were great adventurers.
After climbing the mountain I was so exhilarated that I went down in no time and went to the wine house at the base of the mountain to partake of a variety of wines one for health one for beauty and wines for other virtues. I ordered half health and half beauty.
As you all know it is great to travel with the locals but better with one with a sense of adventure. I have had quite a few adventures with my Chinese friend, the best person I have ever travelled with.
He has a terrible sense of direction perhaps that is why he loves climbing mountains just up and down but getting lost together we found amazing places. Unlike our western male counterparts he is not at all fazed about asking directions.
Germuno, did you mean Sanya? Thanks for the update on the trains

rabble...funny about asking directions...i'm a male who loves to ask travel directions even when i know where i'm at just for the conversations that may ensue...but then i'm a retired peddler & that's what we do best

...& yes i meant sanya about the termius of the train south that i jumped on in beijing a few months ago...a 2 nite journey...love china's trains...did 21,000 kilometers of them with my double entry of 3 months each...19 trains counting the short 431kilometer an hour maglev in shanghai...very much worth the $10 round trip...especialy when passing the return train enroute...like a sonic boom

...just days before doing the sanyo train i inquired about where to stay in haikou on the north end of the island... on this thread... as it arrives in the wee hours of the morning & somebody responded with that piece of info about it continuing on to sanya...

...incidentally i stayed at i think the blue skies hostel..could be wrong on that name...it like most all chinese hostels was a very friendly place...staff & owners speak english like most chinese hostels...

...they have a vip card for a massage that was the best legitimate massage i've ever had in my life...$2us...amazing 55 minutes of professional laying of the hands from head to toe...2 bucks...wow

...sanya incidentally has lots of russians...many signs in mandarin, english & russian...

...you're no doubt right rabble about getting together with locals for the best experiences...always the highlight for me...in haikou they threw a surprise 64th birthday party for me...a fashion show...