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Post by wollastoni on Feb 12, 2016 18:15:40 GMT
Well the example of Steeve living half of the year in Laos and creating a successful insect sale/collecting expedition business make me dream. Unfortunately my wife is an "urban" person and would never accept to live in a tropical country. I am happy today with my job, so maybe I will never quit it and keep on living my passion via forums and small collecting trips once per year. If I were alone, I would retire in a lost Papuan village in the Central Mountains of New Guinea with a butterfly net and a smile ! The only thing I know : as long as I will practice entomology, I will be happy in life
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Post by nomad on Feb 13, 2016 8:01:18 GMT
I am afraid I am a work slave in a dark northern cold country which is certainly not Great anymore. When I retire, if I can persuade my wife, I might sell up and move somewhere really hot with lots of new butterflies.
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Post by nomihoudai on Feb 13, 2016 9:12:27 GMT
If I were alone, I would retire in a lost Papuan village in the Central Mountains of New Guinea with a butterfly net and a smile ! You would do it for 6 months and then either be feed up that you can't get the medication you need, or die because of the lack of said medication. About the topic, I have no viable input.
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Post by timmsyrj on Feb 13, 2016 10:06:40 GMT
I would go to the south of France this afternoon if I could afford to retire, set up a couple of large pollytunnels and breed as many species of butterflies I can before i pop my clogs, I could collect without being bothered by idiots, and have a small garden plant nursery to go towards paying the bills, growing tropical / sub tropical canna, banana etc and rearing butterflies whilst still finding time to get out swinging my net in the beautiful French countryside with evenings sat next to my log burner drinking a fine red wine, who could possibly get bored.
That reminds me, must check my euro millions ticket..
Damn!!!
Rich
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Post by cabintom on Feb 13, 2016 11:33:50 GMT
You would do it for 6 months and then either be feed up that you can't get the medication you need, or die because of the lack of said medication. You'd be amazed at what can be found near the middle of nowhere in D.R. Congo. Is this an incorrect assumption for New Guinea?
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Post by nomihoudai on Feb 13, 2016 16:22:13 GMT
You'd be amazed at what can be found near the middle of nowhere in D.R. Congo. Is this an incorrect assumption for New Guinea? I would be careful of conclusions from one of the biggest countries in central Africa (67 million people) to the 'least' explored island on Earth (with 11 million people). I am sure you can get a whole lot of necessary medicine there, and also a whole range of medical services, but if you live in the mountain and you have an accident it can be over quick. This is even true for Europe! Despite a good network of air rescue systems...
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Post by Paul K on Feb 14, 2016 4:58:23 GMT
Well we all think about retire in warm country away from shovelling the snow for 4 months, but as right now we don't think about health issues we may have when passed 70's or 80's. Then sitting in some remote mountain in the middle of nowhere could be a problem. I am now staying on small island in Gulf of Thailand and there is no hospital only a small clinic. If one can have hart attack or stroke or even an accident here the speed boat has to take a victim to the main land and that takes a couple of hours plus the time to find the boat and boat operator, if storm ...forget it, no air lift .
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Post by Paul K on Feb 14, 2016 13:55:58 GMT
Having a heart attack or stroke outside any city is always a problem and as Claude says, that is even true for Europe. Obviously being on a small island like you mention Paul, will be a huge obstacle in itself, but imagine how it is in a remote village in the interior mountains of Sweden or Norway! Our dear lepidoptera collegue Torben B. Larsen suffered a heart attack at his London apartment, so being close to a hospital in a city with millions of people does not necessarily guarantee anything. One must just hope that you are not alone when something happens. Though many westerners tend to think otherwise, the (private) health systems of countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines are actually really good. One should have a medical insurance though as these do not necessarily come cheap. Jan All true Jan , remote places in northern countries ( same Canada ) are less accessible . But as you said you can get heart attack and die 100 m from a good hospital . No one knows what's in the book. Anyhow I was thinking before to retire in Costa Rica which is most developed country in Central America ( expensive one too), but now I am thinking about Thailand as an option also. Paul
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steve
Junior Aurelian
Posts: 53
Country: Australia
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Post by steve on Feb 14, 2016 22:11:39 GMT
Australia .. anywhere. It's perfect.
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Post by exoticimports on Feb 17, 2016 17:48:26 GMT
Priority #1: hot.
A Florida Key with a single-wide trailer on the beach under palm trees. No grass. Front yard is beach and eel grass. A 17 foot Boston Whaler. Walmart furniture.
If a hurricane comes, I grab the computer, boat, photo album and gun, drive inland. If the place gets wiped out I buy a new one, drop it in the same place, go to Walmart and all new furniture.
I always loved Central America, but I've watched crime increase in Mexico and Costa Rica, and skyrocket in Belize. I think CA is going down the toilet. Almost moved to Australia, but housing is outrageous, water restrictions, oppressive laws, and now crime on the rise in formerly safe places.
Face it, healthcare is a major concern. All things considered, Thailand is a great option.
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Post by wollastoni on Feb 18, 2016 13:21:15 GMT
And if you add food, then Thailand is a must-go.
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Post by nomad on Feb 19, 2016 19:02:04 GMT
I know of two people, one related to my wife who went to Thailand and liked it so much they have stayed put. Both married Thai women. However, they have told me that in spite of being married, one with two young children, they are not going to be allowed citizenship. To stay in the country they have to do one or two annual hops to Vietnam or Cambodia, cross the border have their passport stamped and then they are good again for a while. It is almost impossible to become a Thai citizen unless you are born there. I guess they like you to holiday there but not to become one of them. Perhaps, Adam will be correct me on this but that is what I have been told by those Brit expats living there.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 19, 2016 22:24:46 GMT
Actually it is possible to get Thai citizenship eventually, but it is a longwinded process, and you must be able to read and write Thai (reading is not actually very difficult, but writing correctly is much harder). Most people who live here get 1 year visa extensions for living with their Thai wife or having a Thai dependent (son/daughter), or having a legal job or a retirement visa (age must be over 50). The Thais don't want people working illegally in the country, but if you have sufficient money to satisfy requirements and a valid visa it is not a problem.
After 5 years of yearly extensions of stay it is possible to apply for permanent residence, and 5 years after that you can apply for citizenship. However, there is a quota for residence permits (100 per nationality per year) so if you don't come from somewhere like Tonga the quota is always full making it very difficult to proceed through the system.
A lot of people who leave the country on a 'visa run' and come straight back do so because they don't have enough money to show Immigration when applying for an extension, and many work illegally.
Adam.
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Post by pgroup on Feb 21, 2016 8:38:18 GMT
Sawasdee Mr Adam Cotton, Please check my message to your inbox ..just sent today. THX Patra, BKK., TH From An old friend in BKK.
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Post by pgroup on Feb 21, 2016 8:38:53 GMT
Actually it is possible to get Thai citizenship eventually, but it is a longwinded process, and you must be able to read and write Thai (reading is not actually very difficult, but writing correctly is much harder). Most people who live here get 1 year visa extensions for living with their Thai wife or having a Thai dependent (son/daughter), or having a legal job or a retirement visa (age must be over 50). The Thais don't want people working illegally in the country, but if you have sufficient money to satisfy requirements and a valid visa it is not a problem. After 5 years of yearly extensions of stay it is possible to apply for permanent residence, and 5 years after that you can apply for citizenship. However, there is a quota for residence permits (100 per nationality per year) so if you don't come from somewhere like Tonga the quota is always full making it very difficult to proceed through the system. A lot of people who leave the country on a 'visa run' and come straight back do so because they don't have enough money to show Immigration when applying for an extension, and many work illegally. Adam.
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