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If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you go?

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dejavu
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby dejavu » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:51 am

Kailua on Oahu with a rental backing onto the bay,...... over to Moks or the North Shore to chase the wind. 8)

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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:36 am

i kind of presumed Kamikuza was trolling....

chilled, no stress, sport, rugby, boats, fishing, sailing, road trips, camping, outdoors, Maori culture, Pacific culture, Euro culture, Asian culture, no nuclear anything allowed - even in nz waters, awesome wildlife, very low population, Hobbits, Flight of the Concords, Lorde (no1 in US charts), Americas Cup, Volcanoes, Mountains, Beaches, Fjords, Subtropical North, Crickets that ski on snow, lizards with 3 eyes, parrots that live in snow, a 10 foot high bird that could eat people, thermal hot pools... some ideas anyway

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Caesar
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby Caesar » Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:44 am

KiteFL wrote:I'm asking this question because like most kitesurfers, we all dream about living in the best kite spot in the world. And I'm no exception. But now, I'm about to take it a bit further and I need your help.

I'm a father of a young child (under 1 year) and my wife and I have decided that we are willing to move to anywhere in the world for 1 year, before we plant our roots. We will consider all locations, but legally we can easily move anywhere in Europe or USA but I'm sure other areas will grant us temporary visas if we try hard enough. I speak English and intermediate Spanish.

So where would you live?
- Rideable Wind All Year
- Enjoyable Weather
- Family Friendly
- Wonderful Cultural Experience

This is a once in a life-time opportunity for us and we'd love to hear from anyone who has insight about great kite spots globally.


PS: We currently live in Florida, USA.
Australia (where I lived before) was pretty good for kiting. During the "not so windy season" you still had at least 3 good days/week for kiting.
So when I was ready to quit everything, I traveled around the globe looking for a place you are looking for and nothing came even close to Cumbuco/Brazil.

- Rideable Wind All Year: :thumb:
- Enjoyable Weather: :thumb:
- Family Friendly: :thumb:
- Wonderful Cultural Experience: 50/50 (but then you would have to move to Rome, Venice or Athens)

You will have a problem with your Visa though. They don't want any tourists here in Brazil for a whole year...

Cheers
Caesar 8)

PS: NZ? Too cold there mate...

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Toby
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby Toby » Tue Oct 22, 2013 12:39 pm

this is a tough search! I don't know any place that has good wind all year.
For months yes, but a whole year...

How about Texas?

Portugal sounds good, so does Tarifa. Not daily wind, but overall pretty good winds throughout the year...but winter is kinda cold...

You may also want to look at the Philippines...besides May to Oct or so it has good winds, is cheap, and lovely. Spend one year on Boracay...your miss will love it for sure!

I am not mentioning Brazil, since I doubt you will get a one year visa...but would be good for 8 fantastic months of wind, plus 4 months better than most places in the world...

Try to search also on www.splocs.com

Good luck...and let us know what you decided for!

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Kamikuza
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby Kamikuza » Tue Oct 22, 2013 1:07 pm

Japan's ok if you know where to go and/or stay in the right places. And don't mind the seasons... unless you get down to Okinawa.
Wiski23 wrote:Really? We generally have a good reputation & are normally in the top 5 for friendly people countries. All the feedback I get from foreign boarders is great. It sounds to me like you either had a really really bad experience or you haven't actually been to NZ? Where did you go mate?
Sounds like you were hanging around a rugby club at 2am rather than one of our beautiful beaches....
So long as you're white and speak English. And don't get in anyone's way.

Let's see, 27 years spread between Christchurch, Blenheim and Auckland ;)

It's funny, 95% of the kiwis I meet who live outside NZ moved to escape the rugby/drinking "culture". I'd be happier hanging out on beaches if I knew that when I got back to the car, it'd still be there...

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Kamikuza
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby Kamikuza » Tue Oct 22, 2013 1:08 pm

longwhitecloud wrote:i kind of presumed Kamikuza was trolling....
Not as much as expressing my contempt for...

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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby KiteFL » Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:43 pm

Wow. I got some awesome responses from everyone. You guys are very helpful. We are going to spend the next 8 - 12 months planning, preparing and of course making sure we get any and all paperwork necessary done (if outside of US or EU).
Australia (where I lived before) was pretty good for kiting. During the "not so windy season" you still had at least 3 good days/week for kiting.
Where did you live?
Portugal,
wind and waves never that far from wherever you live,
great food and wine, port & medronha.
lovely climate, Lovely people
and a great culture plus you have access to the rest of europe and north Africa easily,
easy flights to Cape Verde, Azores, Madeira et al
cheap living and an amazing empty road network.
and you`ll pick up the language easily with a basic knowledge of Spanish
My wife and I did the very thing you are thinking of on the birth of our 1st child, having driven round Europe for year before her birth. we returned to the UK for her arrival but soon decided to go and live in Portugal for a year before planting our roots, we stayed 3 years and only returned to have our 2nd and start schooling, real earning and keeping the inlaws happy.
As soon as the last daughter, #4 is at university, we are off back there,,,, happy days
That sounds just like us. Would you suggest living in northern Spain near the border, just so I can speak Spanish or is the experience worth living in Portugal?
How about Texas?
Hmm, I was thinking... if we stayed in the continental US, it would have to be San Padre, Hatteras or the Keys but we really are interested in taking advantage of living abroad, still not ruling it out.

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Toby
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby Toby » Tue Oct 22, 2013 3:54 pm

Another beautiful place in EU is Sardinia, Italy.
Winds all year around the island.
Winter not that warm though...

Check on splocs as well

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Caesar
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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby Caesar » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:43 pm

KiteFL wrote:Wow. I got some awesome responses from everyone. You guys are very helpful. We are going to spend the next 8 - 12 months planning, preparing and of course making sure we get any and all paperwork necessary done (if outside of US or EU).
Australia (where I lived before) was pretty good for kiting. During the "not so windy season" you still had at least 3 good days/week for kiting.
Where did you live?
North of Cairns (North Queensland).

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Re: If you could live anywhere for a year... where would you

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:53 pm

Sounds like some troubling stories. 27 years too long by the sounds of things.

NZ - some more useful info - car crime and violent crime too high for sure but the levels are still similar to European countries - not as high as americas. Other kinds of crimes are comparatively very low (very few guns, can leave surfboard at beach for 3 days and its still there - it happened..). Kiwis will often go out of their way to help others out, they have a well know reputation for this. Tourists are targeted (eg petty theft from vehicles - get a 4wd and park on beach?..) - the stats are not anything to worry about too much really; compared to so many other countries, it's a walk in the park.

They do like to drink beer.... and rugby take priority over any other world or national news. World war 3 could be going on and an article about how All Blacks didn't win by at least 10 points, just 5.. would be front page - World War 3 would be small print on page 24, actions sports article would be bigger.

This is pretty funny - http://nzblokes.co.nz/25-hardest-things ... w-zealand/


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