Winter Escape Plan

This is going to sound a bit weird considering it’s a somewhat far off and we’re still reelling from a couple of weeks of hot days and nights, still going through hot days and crazy thunderstorms but, I’ve been thinking about winter. Or, to be more precise, that I don’t want to be here when it’s minus 35° with the windchill.

(It’s a super long post but please at least skim through it, I’d really appreciate pointers)

It’s been a dream of mine for years; escape the snow and cold for a couple of months. I did it for 3 weeks in Australia in 2001, and two weeks at SXSW and in Mexico this year but that’s not good enough, I want to be out of here for January and February, wouldn’t mind a good chunk of March too.

Why am I thinking about it now? For one thing, I want to go to Croatia and Slovenia, have been saying so for a while now and it’s looking like September. I started thinking about the winter thing because I thought I might get a better idea of costs for that before deciding for September but I’m late in figuring winter out and I think I’ll go anyway, don’t want to skip over that trip and then choke on the winter escape route. For another thing, I’ll need to do some research, might as well start early.

Now, knowing myself and realising that it quite possibly costs more than I’m vaguely imagining, chances are those plans will be scaled down or scratched entirely but lets dream. There are a few possible combinations:

1. Pure vacation. In such a case, it would be stretching it to go more than a month, come on, I’m not making that much.
2. Keep working but from a different, more human compatible climate (which is where this post comes in), doing little day/weekend trips around the place. Depending on living costs there I should be able to afford a couple of months.

1. A mix of both, I’m guessing it might end up in that direction, vacation somewhere hot, working for a month, month and a half from somewhere else, come back home.

   Just in case someone has a great idea and this fits in, I’ll mention that I’m planning (80% sure) on attending SXSW in March, might stop there coming back from somewhere else. (That’s a business expense :-D )

   What I’m looking for are ideas of where I could go, what those places offer, costs, etc. I’m even looking for a name for that type of thing so I can look for more info. “Working holiday” is similar and there is some content for that but it’s mostly how to find a job while traveling, I don’t need that, I have my job. “Expat” is also good but that ain’t it either, I’m not looking to move permanently, just a couple of months. Obviously there’s still some info there but I might be missing something just because I don’t know what people call it (except for “you lucky bastard I hate you” which is what I normally use)

   I’m actually surprised that you don’t hear more about such things and that I haven’t (yet?) found ressources for it, just amongst the people I know/ read:

   • Boris was in Japan for 3-4 months, kept his business going as usual.
   • Steven did something similar in Cuba.
   • Maciej was in Argentina for a few months.
   • Marc was also in Argentina for a while and kept working with his same clients.

• Chris wrote about the cult of the vagabond hacker which led to Can I Crash but that’s a couch for a few days, not what I’m looking for.

  What I’m looking for

• Noticably warmer than here which, for example, takes out a lot of Europe.
• For the working option, similar level of amenities. I want to go to Thailand, Vietnam and various other places at some point but somehow (I’d be happy to be proven wrong) I don’t think I can easily setup there and work as I do here.
• Part of the previous point but important enough to mention separately; high speed and not too expensive access to the internet. (although I guess that depends, if all the rest is cheap, I could splurge on access)
• Cheaper than here. Ideally I’d be spending less living there since I’ll still be paying for my stuff here and paying double for everything is a bit much.
• Apartment, cabin, hotel room with kitchenette that offers monthly rates, beach house your parents aren’t using ;).

• Not in the US. I’m not saying no completely, for example if you have an apartment in San Diego or San Francisco that you’d lend me cheap or free, I’ll listen (duh) but I’m not big on Bush country these days.

  A few options I have in mind so far

• Victoria and Vancouver. Not the type of weather I’d hope for but warmer than over here and I should be able to stay free (I think, have to email B) in Victoria so that’s the cheapest option. I’d also stay in Vancouver a while and drop by Workspace and maybe attend Northern Voice.
• I was already aware of Argentina and a friend sent me this article about expats in Buenos Aires so that’s an option.
• Panama, to my surprise, seems to be offering something similar.

• Australia and New Zealand fit most requirements but it’s far, the plane ticket is kind of expensive and it’s pretty much as expensive as it is here.

  Ok. Thanks to those who’ve read the whole thing. Now, ideas?