| NEW
GUINEA |
| So
You Want To Retire In Paradise - Thoughts On Bali, Singapore And New Guinea |
| Once
upon a time, there was a man with a band of children, a lovely wife and
a house in Bali. Life was good, but this man thought that life could be
better if only he didn’t have to work. This is the story of that man and
his dream. Bali. For some people the name says it all - warm seas, soft
sands, cold beers, vibrant colors, exotic sounds, friendly people, large
smiles, laughing children, a multitude of inexpensive small hotels and
homestays. Bali. A land of wonder and magic set in the warm waters of the
Bali Sea and the Indian Ocean. Hand planted rice, homemade religious offerings,
vibrant cloths used in ceremonial clothes. |
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| NEW
ZEALAND |
| Articles
On Living & Investing In New Zealand |
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| NICARAGUA |
| Granada
- Nicaragua’s Grandest City - Why Granada? |
| One
more thing: If the old Spanish colonial structures in Granada appeal to
you as much as they appeal to me…you can buy one for $80,000 to $100,000
(it’ll need a lot of work)…or you can spend as much as $200,000. A few
years ago, these places sold for $40,000 or $50,000, or less. The trouble
is there aren’t many of them. The city burned in 1856 and was rebuilt according
to the same plan. Most of the colonial-style houses are 150 years old.
You can count on your fingers those that date back more than 400 years.
From The Best of International Living - |
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| Insider
secrets to investing in real estate in Nicaragua |
| The word is
is out: “Nicaragua is the new Costa Rica” but with prices 35-55%
lower than its southern neighbour. Nicaragua is well and truly bouncing
back from its troubled and often misunderstood past and beginning to transform
into a sought after investment and tourism destination. Jun/06 |
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| Memories
Of Cuapa - Passing Through The Interior Of Nicaragua |
| Passing through
a landscape rich in mysticism and stories is what you often find when you
travel in Latin America. The surreal is an everyday occurrence and it makes
traveling an exciting experience. Crying trees, mountains with donkeys
on top of them and glowing statues of saints are all part of people's everyday
lives. |
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| Nicaragua
- Central America’s Hidden Treasure |
| Sandinistas.
Communism. Civil War. Words that do not exactly go hand-in-hand with tourism.
Unfortunately, these are all words that many still associate with Nicaragua,
and the main reason tourism hasn’t flourished there. Times are changing,
however, and now there is even speculation that Nicaragua will become the
next Costa Rica. I have recently returned from a vacation in Nicaragua,
and it’s my selfish hope that it never does become Costa Rica North. Although
I have been to Costa Rica twice, and love it for its natural beauty, I
dread running into so many Americans and Europeans (and paying gringo prices)
while trying to explore a foreign land. |
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| Nicaragua
- Exploring The Undiscovered |
| “Nicaragua?
Why Nicaragua?” The question’s been asked over and over by everyone I’ve
come in contact with since I returned from vacationing and investigating
investment opportunities at a new development called Rancho Santana in
this economically down-trodden Central American country. A year earlier,
I’d have asked myself the same question. Now, my response would read something
like this: “Because I see a good opportunity there, and a country abundant
with untapped natural resources and beautiful coastline that’s been compared
to the likes of California in its infancy or more recently, an up and coming
Costa Rica.” |
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| Nicaragua:
The Best Real Estate Potential in Central America |
| If
you fantasize about a private retreat that sits perched on a rocky cliff
overlooking a roiling ocean… a place where you can stand on your deck with
a cocktail in hand and watch the sun set pink and orange beyond a watery
horizon… Sept./06 |
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| Progress
Bakwards - On the sun-kissed shores of Nicaragua, your editor enjoys the
view...but cannot help but contemplate its cost |
| "The mortgage-stones
that covered her, by me, removed - the land that was a slave is free..." |
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| Rancho
Santana On The Pacific Coast Of Nicaragua |
| Nearly 150
people have purchased their own piece of Rancho Santana property. And a
dozen of these people have already built spectacular houses as rental and
vacation properties. In fact, I've built my own place at Playa Escondida.
My family and I spend as much time as possible there every year. |
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| Road
Trip: From North Carolina to Nicaragua -Mexico and Central America |
| There are
many people who say they want to drive through Mexico to Central America,
but few people ever make the trip. If you've talked about doing it, but
never have, then this is your chance to read about what you have been missing
out on. Police, driving habits, hotel billing and road condtions are important
things to know on this journey south. |
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| Talking
about Nicaragua |
| Robert Fordi
talks about land and investing in Nicaragua - the prices are right and
the beaches are white - Fordi knows a lot about foreign real estate and
his assessment of Nicaragua is well researched and positive. |
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| The
Nicaragua Report - Living In Nicaragua - Real Estate In Nicaragua |
| Private Islands
for $70,000 - the most interesting colonial architecture in Central America,
beachfront real estate at bargain basement prices, investment opportunities,
coffee plantations for sale... this is Nicaragua and we now have a new
eBook on Nicaragua by Christopher Howard. Find out about a little
known nation with a big bunch of opportunity and a low entry price tag. |
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| The
Working Geezer's Guide To Nicaragua - In Ometepe |
| I discovered
as much after a week subbing at a friend’s real estate agency in Nicaragua,
in the colonial city of Granada, a favored tourist hangout on the gigantic
Lake Nicaragua and gateway to the country's finest beaches: My proprietor
friend Gerry hung out his shingle on the main square there three years
ago when he began to anticipate, correctly as it turned out, that the region
was primed for a real estate boom. |
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| NORWAY |
| A
Trek Across Norway - A Step Back In Time |
| I
couldn't believe what confronted me as I crested the rise. Two moose, a
mother and her calf, blocked my pathway. Slowly I lowered my pack and attempted
to free my camera. But before I could capture them on film, they set off
on an ethereal lope into the surrounding pine forest. |
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| Dream
Job-Nightmare Trip Moving To Norway, Or Not… - A Place To Rest |
| Sometimes
the move overseas doesn't go as expected and things fall apart almost as
soon as you arrive. The above article gives you an idea of what such an
experience can be like and how to avoid having such a hard time when you
arrive to your new home. Karen gives you a number of very clear and concise
steps you should take in order to help you through the difficulty of adjusting
to your new home and what kinds of things you should remember before leaving.
Some of the things you need to be aware of are schools, visa cards, banking
and what the company you work for will offer you when sending you overseas
to your new job. |
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| Foaming
In The Fjords - In Norway |
| Try as I might,
my leg wouldn’t fit in the sink. And try as I might, I couldn’t conceal
my soapy self in the enormous hall of a campground bathroom from the incoming
family. Among Norway’s many assets is not a generous shower usage
policy. I stood there, washcloth in hand, trying to rinse the soap
from my body after the shower timer had expired a wee bit early.
Norway of course, is not a place that you can run outside to an office
wet and naked with any margin of thermal safety. The other bathroom users
were pressed into the decision of watching a hairy naked man covered in
bubbles trying to wash himself in a small sink or helping him. They
chose the latter. |
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| The
Final Voyage Of Thor Heyerdahl - Testing A Theory |
| I am responsible
for Thor Heyerdahl’s final voyage. Being an existentialist, I feel no guilt
or remorse about the tragedy or my part in it; I have hence decided to
put to rest the false rumors and hysterical innuendos that have surfaced
via the media since Thor’s disappearance. Here’s what really happened: |
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| Ten
Ways to Lose Your Property Overseas Without Really Trying |
| Anyone
can tell you how to lose property overseas, and although I am not a specialist
in overseas property, I have heard my share of both legal and non-legal
advice on such matters, most of which began in earnest when I decided to
marry a Norwegian. Making the move from the U.S. was traumatic enough
without the ‘culture shock’ that snuck up as the days and months passed.
Refusing to feed that monkey, I found myself progressively more established
in Norway, speaking and writing Norwegian, and at least by year seven,
trying to stomach some of Norway’s more challenging culinary fish delicacies.
By June Edvenson Mar/06 |
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| PANAMA |
| Articles
On Living & Investing In Panama |
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| PAKISTAN |
| Beautiful
Downtown...Islamabad?! - Pakistan |
| Most people’s
immediate association with Pakistan is one of fundamentalism, and the front-line
in the war against Al Qaeda. And while there are some border areas (as
well as the tightly controlled Azad Jammu and Kashmir provinced in the
north) which may be considered no-go zones, much of the rest of the country
is characterized by safe and easy access. This includes Islamabad, a city
so different from elsewhere in Pakistan that the country’s inhabitants
like to say their capital “is 35 km away from the rest of Pakistan.” |
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| Karachi
Exposed - A One On One With This Truly Vivacious City! |
| Karachi to
me symbolizes the true self - a persona without makeup. Even though it
is a city raging with newer developments, its true splendor is reminiscent
in its culture, the climate, its bazaars, the beaches and even the fruit
and vegetable vendors hooked at every corner of the street. As I make my
way into Karachi’s extravagant Jinnah International Airport, I hear announcements
in my native language; on the signs above me, directions are also in Urdu,
not only English. I see people attired in traditional clothing. |
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| PARAGUAY |
| To
The End Of The World - Part 5: The End Of The Road And A Gonzo Farewell
To South America |
| Last year,
during a seven-month period, the author drove nearly 25,000 miles in a
1988 Toyota 4Runner from Connecticut all the way to the southernmost city
in the world – Ushuaia, Argentina, passing through some of the world’s
most beautiful scenery on some of the world’s worst maintained and most
dangerous roads. He ended his twelve-country odyssey in Paraguay, where
he sold his car and flew home to the USA, forever changed by his life on
the road during what was a truly remarkable undertaking. While a full recounting
of his journey would require many volumes, the author has agreed to provide
us with glimpses and insight into what he experienced. This is the last
in a series of five articles. |
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| PERU |
| A
Child’s Tale - In Peru |
| Shorty usually
staked a claim on the street in front of an Italian restaurant and market.
As we neared, he would emerge from the shadows shuffling towards us with
chocolate in hand calling out, "amigos, amigos!" We were easy money
for Shorty. We always emptied our pockets for him and rarely asked for
chocolate in return. Our change barely seemed sufficient compared to the
joy that Shorty brought us with each encounter. |
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| A
Mystical Marriage In Machupicchu - Getting Hitched On Top Of The World |
| Great article
about getting married in the ancient city of Machupicchu. Leah gives you
a clear idea of what motivated her to head south and eventually marry and
then travel through South America for two years. The photos look like something
from a medieval time that never was. |
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| Adventures
In Peru - Peru's Manu Biosphere Reserve |
| Situated in
the remote southwestern region of the Amazon Basin and said to have the
highest biological diversity of any rainforest in the world is Peru’s Manu
Biosphere Reserve. Manu covers a total of 4.5 million acres of pristine
rainforest from the crystalline cloud-forest streams to the sluggish, chocolate-brown
rivers of the dense lowland jungle. Manu’s environment has been unchanged
for thousands of years, thus allowing more species of plants and animals
to evolve here than in any other similar area of the world. |
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| Discovering
The Inca Trail - Hiking The Andes |
| The sun was
just starting to rise over the green carpet of rolling hills when my plane
touched down. The flight from Lima had been nearly empty allowing me to
scramble down the aisles in search of better views of the Cusco Andes.
It was not until I reached baggage claim that the sensation of being a
tourist truly overwhelmed me. Surveying the scene around me, there were
enough guide services packed into the tiny airport to accommodate far more
than the 500 people allowed each day on the Inca Trail. Thankfully, the
traditional Peruvian band filled the room with enough noise to drown out
the crowds of tour agents and cab drivers who shouted their deals through
revolving doors and windows. |
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| Finding
Our Place In Peru - Peru And Bolivia 2004 |
| My
wife, Karen, and I decided that it had been a couple of years since we
traveled in South America and a vacation down there was just the thing
we needed. Clearly, it’s no secret to our friends that we love South
America. We find the pace of the people in their every day lives
to be enjoyable. The focus on friends and family is to be admired.
Sure, not every thing works the way it does in the USA, but all you need
is a little more patience. |
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| Following
the Inca Trails |
| As the magnificent
peak of Padrayoc loomed to our right, and the Apurimac River roared below
we felt the rush of adventure in our veins. It was this that kept us going
for our bodies certainly weren’t equipped for the tough trail ahead of
us! The idea for this trek had come four years earlier, when a Peruvian
friend and I were out in a remote village and had met an old gnarled farmer
on our trail. He had struck up a conversation with my friend in Quechua,
the language of the Incas. May/06 |
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| Karma
And The Coast - In Peru |
| It had been
a long, strange trip indeed. In search of gainful employment I had circumnavigated
the globe in six months. My itinerary read like this: Bogotá to
Caracas to L.A. to Hong Kong. Two months of work, then off to Baghdad,
Basra, and Nasiriyah, Iraq. Four months later: Kuwait, London, New York,
Lima, Bogotá and home. Along the way I was offered more work in
Afghanistan, Uruguay, Valladolid. |
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| Peru
- Notes From A Canadian Traveler |
| I remember
sitting up in the attic of our farmhouse as a child, looking through those
bright yellow “ National Geographic” magazines, that someone had given
us. For hours, I dreamt of those far away and strange places. Never, believing
it could ever come true. So now that our children are on their own, I decided
to pursue the dreams of childhood, of far away countries. Not just as a
tourist, but as a person who could perhaps help improve someone’s else
life, or just bring some joy for a few weeks to someone who needed it. |
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