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The Internet opens up the opportunity to be located almost anywhere. While I have no current plans to relocate - way too many community ties - it's nice to fantasize.
With WebmasterWorld's diverse global membership, I'm curious as to where the ideal spot to live might be. My criteria would include:
- a mild to hot climate
- stable politics
- no ongoing revolutions or civil wars
- no excessive crime rate or unusual animosity toward American expatriates
- no confiscatory taxes
- some availability of entertainment, restaurants, etc.
- good Internet connections (speed, reliability, & price)
A western hemisphere location, perhaps the Caribbean, would allow fairly quick trips back to the States for business or personal reasons.
Have I overspecified the conditions, or does such a webmaster paradise exist?
I live in the British Virgin Islands and I think it is paradise ... but even paradise has its warts. Some of the things on your list exist here. Not many, but some. It really depends upon what you call "unusual animosity" and what you consider a good price for your internet connection? ;)
I pay $90.00 per month for my ADSL line. I think that is a great price compared to when I used to pay between $300.00 and $700.00 per month for the old dial up line, just a year and a half ago!
The thing is, you have to really want to live here because they put you through your paces in order to get your work permit renewal every year. I've been here 10 years and plan to be carried out feet first! :)
There is a lot of places where this "paradise exists"
Buy there is a lot of questions surrounding it, one of the most important one will be the need for communication with different people, if you have your own "Richard Branson" island it might be easy to ship people (there is a landing field on it), but i wonder how many people would go to a meeting on a tiny island to see a webmaster/seo or whatever.
Then you have the tax paradises, my favourite Monaco, has the advantage that there is good weather all year round, even though it doesn't get "extremly" hot there, the problem there is to afford a place to live, and to get to become a Monegasque.
Then you have The Maldives which is my favourite "picture place on earth"
The problem with the Maldives is that it's sinking, and in 50 years there will be no islands left there.
Another problem that might pop-up there is that men is only allowed to serve you etc, since it's a muslim state.
Then you have Fiji which seems very nice, not sure how it is with the internet connection there or in the Maldives, i would guess Fiji has a better connection than the Maldives, there is always Satellite, but that's only quick one way (unless you buy equitment for a few 100k£)
But i wouldn't mind sitting on a beach with a 80.11a network and a portable lightweight laptop (Should be under 1 kilo)!
Hawaii is too expensive and folks from "America" are not really welcomed for 5 years.
Key West is too expensive as well.
Try The Gold Coast of Australia - the exchange is very good.
my 2c
The problem with the Maldives is that it's sinking, and in 50 years there will be no islands left there.
Hmmm, I guess it would be better to rent than buy, eh?
Liane, by "unusual animosity" I meant something beyond the typical disdain for non-worldly US tourists, i.e., a level of animosity that would require a secure compound to live in and an armed chauffeur. :)
i.e., a level of animosity that would require a secure compound to live in and an armed chauffeur.
Nah ... nothing even close to that. In fact, guns are illegal in the BVI. I lived in a small apartment complex in a local village for 5 years and my door didn't even have a lock! Never had any intruders or theft of any kind either.
It may appear (on the surface) to some who have not lived here for long that "they" don't seem to want "us" here. Its true, to a point, but mostly it is just a misunderstanding of island ways and our cultural differences. The BV Islanders are very private and quiet people and that sometimes comes across as being unfriendly. They're not. However, reverse racism does exist to a degree ... which is discouraging at times.
I believe what you described would actually be called "Eutopia" rather than "Paradise"! All in all, the BVI is as close to paradise as I have been able to find! :)
Note: Beats the Bahamas hands down! ;)
[edited by: Liane at 7:13 pm (utc) on Jan. 22, 2003]
> a mild to hot climate?
Mild winters, somewhat hot summers. Think Seattle with less rain, less noise, less crime.
> stable politics?
Stable to the point of boring, except for the politicians. They're unstable and still boring.
> no ongoing revolutions or civil wars?
It's been years since someone suggested taxing garage sales, and hockey saps all our energy. So no problem.
> no excessive crime rate or unusual animosity toward American expatriates?
Low crime rate. Nothing unusual about the animosity AFAIK.
> no confiscatory taxes?
Piff. If you earn your $ in the USA you pay no income tax while living here.
> some availability of entertainment, restaurants, etc.?
You insult us by suggesting it may be otherwise suh.
> good Internet connections (speed, reliability, & price)?
I pay $45 CDN per month for ADSL ($30 US). Same price for cable. Reliable lines.
Down side? I live here. It rains. That's it.
T
Down side? I live here.
Don't be so hard on yourself. ;)
Here in the Midwest US, we are in the middle of a typical deep freeze, and one asks oneself, "Why do I live here?"
What's wrong with the Midwest? Cold winters, hot summers, a real change of seasons. That sounds like a perfect climate to me. And you already have the privilege of living in the leading country of the world with stable politics, low taxes, and pretty much all the rest.
Maybe you just need a vacation...;)
Observed at Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii
Temperature 72 °F / 22 °C
Humidity 60%
Dew Point 57 °F / 14 °C
Wind WSW at 17 mph / 27.4 km/h
Wind Gust -
Pressure 29.90 in / 1012 hPa (Steady)
Conditions Partly Cloudy
Visibility 10 miles / 16 kilometers
Clouds (FEW) : 4000 ft / 1221 m
Max Temperature Normal: 78°F Record: 82°F (1981)
Min Temperature Normal: 65°F Record: 50°F (1969)
Geography
Land area (square miles): 622
Persons per square mile: 95.2
Metropolitan Areas: None
Population
Population, 2001 estimate 59,223
Population percent change, April 1, 2000-July 1, 2001 1.3%
Now that's a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one.
T
Just looked up jetlag in the OED. No hyphen. Got that?
[edited by: toadhall at 8:31 pm (utc) on Jan. 22, 2003]
I went UH, moved back to the mainland for 5 years, learned SEO and web development, now I'm back where I really want to be, Hawaii.
I'm closing on a apt. with a view of a surf break on the North Shore(the mecca of surfing). I looked around California, but housing is actually cheaper here.
Is there anyone else out here in Hawaii? I would love to get together.
Right here baby! This is paradise!
Stable govn't with no army!
Everyone loves americans for the most part.
Living is cheap.
But away from the coast you're going to have to learn some spanish unless you're in one of the many ex-pat areas.
Low crime rate, mostly petty theft.
I'll second that but add another downside tho....
I'm moving there on Monday (yeah - in 5 days :))
hey toadhall - wanna buy me a Welcome to Victoria beer? ;)
I do have some Spanish, nipear, though not sure I could convince Mrs. rogerd of the desirability of living where she couldn't communicate...
Agreed. I grew up in the Midwest but live in northern California now. We enjoy living here and probably will never move again. I like not having to get up early to see if my car will start, scraping ice off the windows and making sure I have kitty litter and a shovel in the trunk in case I get stuck in a snow bank on the way to work.
You can always develop new friendships and community ties if you move, but if you stay in the Midwest, you can't change the weather!
Australia/New Zealand fits most of the criteria except for the cheap travel to the US. Althought the cost of living is less so you could spend the savings on travel (if you don't spend it on beer and good wine ;)).
San Diego, CA USA - Exactly as you describe.
How scary. That's exactly what I thought when I read the first post.
And I don't even live there in SD. (Only visited....)
Come to Koh Samui in Thailand which is all you have described and more!
What about New Zealand?
No fast internet, I have ADSL capped at 128k/10 gigs a month (NZ$60) if I want uncapped speed it would be about NZ$330 for 3 gigs and $1000 for 10 gigs.
