When planning future travels, it sometimes crosses my mind that the place I desire to visit, sounds like a place where I could live… Then I recall that I have friends, family and work where I am.
For a few years in my 20s, I had not such ties (except for NZ family knowing that NZ was too small for me).
Back then, I could travel pretty much anywhere, and (especially if you become romantically partnered) the possibility of living in other countries was real. Knowing the local language would be a key factor.
Places that, in retrospect, I feel like where I could have settled down:
- Vancouver. A very chill place, similar culture. Spent some time there when travelling
- Hillbilly USA, like maybe Kentucky. When my doomsday prepping was noteworthy, had I not met my ex-wife, I would have moved to where my tech business staff were. Being in the US, I would’ve attended prepper gatherings, met likeminded people, met someone who wanted 10 babies, and formed a compound/community down South.
- Norway. Only recently visited Scandinavia for the first time, and although it is a bit unexcitable, there was something comfortable about it. And I like cold places. And runes and polar bears and the northern lights
- Edinburgh (and much of Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland). I spent 3 years in Scotland and 1 year in England (mostly Norwich) and have been to Ireland 3x. It all feels like home. I would still be there except I overstayed and got kicked out.
- NZ is too small. But otherwise could have happily chosen Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington, Taupo or Bay of Islands
- India. Haven’t been yet, but it is next on my list. My favourite food, I like the people (that I meet in Australia), and I like the idea of existing cheaply
- Hawaii. Pretty much the first place I travelled to, and I have been back since. Perfect weather, laid back culture, volcanoes. But I felt isolated there
Nowhere in Africa, nowhere in Central or South America