Post: #1

I am starting this thread because I am curious as to what everyone's criteria for a travel/work destination is. How exactly do you narrow down or choose which place you are going to visit first?

For example:

I am interested in a (extended) VACATION to Thailand, Columbia, Montreal, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam etc.

I am interested in WORKING in Australia, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany etc.

Now, if you were to order your list in level of importance, what deciding factors would ultimately help you choose? My factors would be:

- Consumer Price Index ie: Cost of living vs monthly income
- Accessibility of country ie: Visa process & requirements
- Location in regards to other countries you would like to visit
- Friendliness/openness of occupying society
- Difficulty of language
(You could also include unemployment rate)

Basically this thread could be condensed into "What would you like to see vs Where would you like to be?"

Look forward to hearing your opinions, holla back atcha boy!

*Relevant Links*

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
http://global-goose.com/travel-tips/work...canadians/
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/country-...yment-rate

Post: #2

Oh yes indeed! Numbeo is especially useful, I've used it before too

Post: #3

Thing is, you can go somewhere you think you can like and get there and not like it. A lot of the hyped up places are shite. So I don't recommend planning in advance to staying somewhere you haven't been because it looks good on paper/google.

I do recommend doing scouting missions and staying in many different countries for short periods of time, so you know where you like.

Post: #4

Im currently working in Oz, feel free to ask whatever.

I just look at a map and see what place interests me, then ill Google some info about it, like things to see/food/nightlife and if it all sounds good ill go.

Post: #5

For travel:

Before discovering this forum, I'd often google the city and the word "nightlife" and "things to do." I'd read up on it, and check out the images associated with it. I tried to keep it simple, because I enjoyed being surprised by things. I'd also check to see if there were universities, and about how many people were in the city.

Keep in mind most of my travel has been in Europe, and the trips were 3-6 days in any one area. My goals for any given city was to learn something/culture things, walk around/people watch, try the staple dish for that country, and enjoy their women/nightlife.

I really tried to keep it simple. A number of times I'd fly to a city, and not even have a hotel or rental apartment booked. I'd take a taxi to the city center, or ask someone where the nightlife area was and get dropped off there. Then I'd walk around and find a hotel on the fly. That method rarely failed me.

As for work: I can't speak on that honestly. But I think the criteria you've laid out is good.

Post: #6

I mostly do short trips (long weekends up to a week and a half), so this is my flow chart of self-inquiries:

1. Are the local girls attractive?
2. Do I have substantial exotic factor, and/or do I have a look the local girls really like?
3. Are the local girls readily obtainable through nightlife and/or pipelining?
4. Do I speak the local language passably, and/or do the locals speak English passably?
5. Is the weather materially nicer than the northeast United States?

Consumer Price Index is a way to gauge inflation, by the way--kind of orthogonal to cost of living, aside from potential wage stickiness.

Post: #7

Quote: A lot of the hyped up places are shite

That can be too true, because hype is often opinionated and garnered through the experiences of a few vs the many. It's hard to take peoples word on what things will be like because everyone sees things differently.

Quote: Im currently working in Oz, feel free to ask whatever.

Awesome man, are you into things like skydiving or cave dives/spelunking?

Quote: I really tried to keep it simple. A number of times I'd fly to a city, and not even have a hotel or rental apartment booked. I'd take a taxi to the city center, or ask someone where the nightlife area was and get dropped off there. Then I'd walk around and find a hotel on the fly. That method rarely failed me.

Nice man that sounds like my style! Haha, even though I'm pretty logical and tend to be more "left brained" I still find myself acting on impulse and making spontaneous decisions. It's good to live that way, if you plan your life down to the T, there will never be any mystery, and if stuff doesn't work out according to plan you can get discouraged.

Post: #8

Don't analyze.

Just pick something interesting and do it.

Sometimes the best things in your life come to pass entirely by accident. Let your adventures happen to you.

Post: #9

(02-09-2014 07:33 PM)polymath Wrote:  Don't analyze.

Just pick something interesting and do it.

Sometimes the best things in your life come to pass entirely by accident. Let your adventures happen to you.

Thanks for the advice man. it's true I just have to stop being so controlling and allow myself to live free...

I was thinking of pulling a "Yes Man" and just heading to the airport and catching a flight to wherever is the cheapest... see where life takes me, could be interesting!

Post: #10

Here's my list for places to live:

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT:

1. Cost of living - no explanation needed.

2. Girls and dating
- Is there an abundant number of attractive girls to meet/date?
- What is the attitude toward non-local guys? Are local girls outgoing, DTF, and open to ONS? Are they materialistic and stuck up?
- How is online dating? Is it easy and convenient?
- How is the nightlife?
- What is the male:female ratio and what is the competition like?

3. BJJ Training
- Are there good instructors and training partners in this city?
- How are the facilities, schedule, and commute?
- Are there regular competitions here or nearby?

VERY IMPORTANT:

4. Visa
- How easy/difficult is it to stay long-term?
- What is the process to get/renew visas?
- How long is the maximum stay?

5. Language
- What percentage of the locals speak English and at what level?
- How easy is the local language for a native English speaker and how does it sound?

6. Food
- Is there good, reasonably priced food available?
- Is there variety and lots of different cuisines to choose from?
- Are there plenty of restaurants open late or 24 hours?
- What delivery options will I have?

7. Weather
- Is the climate warm? How hot and humid does it get?
- What is the annual rainfall and how is it spread out?

8. Transportation
- Does the city have a good, clean, modern, dependable public transportation system? Is there a need for a car?
- Is the city planned out well? Good roads and highway system? How bad is traffic?

9. Internet
- Are there decent Internet services that aren't prohibitively expensive?
- How fast / reliable is it?
- Are any websites blocked?

SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT:

10. Safety
- How safe is it? What are crime rates? Is the police effective?
- Are there any ridiculous laws against anything that I do?
- Is there political stability?

11. Hobbies and activities
- Are there a lot of fun things to do?
- Are there groups for my hobbies and interests?
- Are there beaches, lakes, places to bike, fish, dive, surf, relax, etc.?
- Are there classes I can take for whatever I want to learn?
- Are there concerts, museums, comedy clubs, MMA events?

12. Local attitudes
- Are locals friendly? Hospitable? Do they have manners/etiquette?
- How bad is racism? Is this culture open to outsiders?
- What will my daily interactions be like? Are locals open-minded, intelligent, logical, reasonable, etc.?
- How is customer service? Are employees competent, dependable, professional, etc.?

13. Green
- How clean/dirty is the city?
- How bad is the air pollution? Noise pollution?
- Is there foliage, nature, parks, lakes, etc.?

14. Money making opportunities
- Are there opportunities to make money here via jobs, investing, entrepreneurship, etc.?

15. Healthcare
- How does the healthcare system work for foreigners?
- Are there a good variety of English-speaking doctors, dentists, health specialists to choose from?
- How affordable is treatment, medicine, etc.?

16. Night owl friendliness
- When does the city "sleep"?
- Are there 24-hour supermarkets, restaurants, gyms, pools, spas, etc.?
- How late are bars and clubs open?

17. Merchandise
- Will everything I need be available and affordable?
- How expensive are electronics and imported goods? Will I be able to order stuff from the US?
- Conversely, how easy is it to sell stuff? Are there websites like eBay, craigslist, etc.?

18. Travel
- Are there nice cities/countries nearby to travel to?
- Will I be able to take trips out of town on a regular basis?

I have a couple other factors but they don't really apply to most people.

Post: #11

Wow. Great reply Paul.

You basically took my list and expanded like a motherfucker... bravo. I think that properly summarizes it right there!

So with all things considered, what countries have stood out to you?

Post: #12

From the cities/countries that I've been to (mostly in North America and Asia), I'd say Thailand (Bangkok) and the Philippines (Manila) are far and away my favorite places to live.

Post: #13

(02-09-2014 07:51 PM)TravellingSoldier Wrote:  

(02-09-2014 07:33 PM)polymath Wrote:  Don't analyze.

Just pick something interesting and do it.

Sometimes the best things in your life come to pass entirely by accident. Let your adventures happen to you.

Thanks for the advice man. it's true I just have to stop being so controlling and allow myself to live free...

I was thinking of pulling a "Yes Man" and just heading to the airport and catching a flight to wherever is the cheapest... see where life takes me, could be interesting!

That brings up another point to make. I was never on a budget when traveling, but as my grandpa used to say, "a fool and his money are easily parted." With a little effort, and being flexible, you can usually find decent deals and save some cash.

Say for example I had my top 5 picked out. I'd search flights to all 5 of those places via Skyscanner. Which ever one was the cheapest, that's where I'd go, and the list would shuffle accordingly. Sometimes, it was much cheaper to fly to a nearby city (maybe larger or smaller) and rent a car or take a train/bus. You can also try to do separate flights, buying a ticket to a major hub, then second flight from there. This all sounds rather simple and obvious, but I bring it up because A LOT of people tend to be in the mindset of "In July I'm flying to LONDON." And that's it, and they may pay an outrageous price, simply because some event is going on.

Probably the best example I can give of saving a load of cash, is when I went to Slovenia. From Sicily to their capital city was about 600 euro. However, with some searching I found a flight from Sicily to Trieste for 120 euro and the car rental was 80 euro. The drive was only about 1 hour 40 min. Worth it.

Post: #14

(02-09-2014 08:43 PM)mbare Wrote:  

(02-09-2014 07:51 PM)TravellingSoldier Wrote:  

(02-09-2014 07:33 PM)polymath Wrote:  Don't analyze.

Just pick something interesting and do it.

Sometimes the best things in your life come to pass entirely by accident. Let your adventures happen to you.

Thanks for the advice man. it's true I just have to stop being so controlling and allow myself to live free...

I was thinking of pulling a "Yes Man" and just heading to the airport and catching a flight to wherever is the cheapest... see where life takes me, could be interesting!

That brings up another point to make. I was never on a budget when traveling, but as my grandpa used to say, "a fool and his money are easily parted." With a little effort, and being flexible, you can usually find decent deals and save some cash.

Say for example I had my top 5 picked out. I'd search flights to all 5 of those places via Skyscanner. Which ever one was the cheapest, that's where I'd go, and the list would shuffle accordingly. Sometimes, it was much cheaper to fly to a nearby city (maybe larger or smaller) and rent a car or take a train/bus. You can also try to do separate flights, buying a ticket to a major hub, then second flight from there. This all sounds rather simple and obvious, but I bring it up because A LOT of people tend to be in the mindset of "In July I'm flying to LONDON." And that's it, and they may pay an outrageous price, simply because some event is going on.

Probably the best example I can give of saving a load of cash, is when I went to Slovenia. From Sicily to their capital city was about 600 euro. However, with some searching I found a flight from Sicily to Trieste for 120 euro and the car rental was 80 euro. The drive was only about 1 hour 40 min. Worth it.

HAHA! My favourite site recently has been SkyScanner. I sometimes check and see cheapest flights from Edmonton/Calgary to anywhere. I think I may do this and go to one that sticks out in the next few months.

Also, even though I'm a young a buck, I'm not a material hungry money whore. I pretty much save most of my coin, peg it down to my Dutch ancestry. I'm basically one belt below jew.

Post: #15

(02-09-2014 08:43 PM)Paul B Wrote:  From the cities/countries that I've been to (mostly in North America and Asia), I'd say Thailand (Bangkok) and the Philippines (Manila) are far and away my favorite places to live.

Yeah scotian was recommending Thailand. I think I'll go there around the end of the year. He recommended a 20 day tour with a group called Free&Easy Travelers. I'd stay an extra 2 or 3 weeks after the tour.

Given your experience, if the trip and flight will be around 3K, should 4K be enough to cover the trip and 3 weeks after? I'll definitely make sure to have $4500-5000 saved regardless, just not sure what the local damage will be.

Post: #16

Can't say I would agree with taking that tour, but these days it seems like I disagree with 90% of the posts about Southeast Asia on this board. Personally I think you'd be best off researching what cities suit you best and make your own tour.

With $5k in 5 weeks in Southeast Asia, you can pretty much do this:

Post: #17

Yeah taking a tour would probably be lame. In my opinion it's better to pick a city that you want to explore and get a decent apartment for a while. Learn some of the local language by spending an hour or two at a language school every morning and then wander around and try to talk to girls in their native tongue. It usually opens them up nicely.

I've been to about 25 countries (a mix of work and play) and I'm at the point now where I don't want to travel just for the sake of traveling. I like to have a specific reason to be somewhere. I used to very much enjoy exploring the sights and the cuisines and the cultures of different countries, but now that I am somewhat worldly I am less excited by those things. Now I only like to travel to places that have either good surf or pretty white girls.

Some examples:

Indonesia - good surf (and pretty white tourist girls in Bali)
Nicaragua - good surf
Czech Republic - pretty white girls
Slovakia - pretty white girls
France - both
Australia - both

If a place does not have at least one of those two things then I would rather not go. And if a place has one of those things then I base a trip around pursing that thing. A rugged surf trip to a remote corner of the earth is fun, especially if you score good waves. For a more intellectual holiday I like to find an apartment on Airbnb in a nice city and get into a routine like I live there for a while, learn some of the language and meet and ideally bang some of the locals. In spite of spending fairly long periods of time in different parts of Asian I just don't feel any attraction to Asian girls, so I only like to go there for work or surf, and for surf that primarily means Indonesia. In terms of pretty white girls I think the Slavs do it best. French girls are less genetically pretty than the Slavs but they are thin and stylish and I generally like the French vibe.

Post: #18

(02-09-2014 11:22 PM)Paul B Wrote:  Can't say I would agree with taking that tour, but these days it seems like I disagree with 90% of the posts about Southeast Asia on this board. Personally I think you'd be best off researching what cities suit you best and make your own tour.

With $5k in 5 weeks in Southeast Asia, you can pretty much do this:

He mentioned it just to sort of familiarize myself with the surrounding area, but you do have a point. And regardless, wherever I travel it's going to be unfamiliar so I might as well prep myself to deal with it beforehand instead of relying on a group. I don't think that gif applies to Canadians though, we don't have ones!

Anyways, is it easy to find short term rentals in Thailand? Say I wanted to stay a month in Thailand, and travel to maybe Cambodia on my last week, are there a fair number of vacancies?

Thanks in advance

Post: #19

(02-10-2014 12:16 AM)SeanBateman Wrote:  Yeah taking a tour would probably be lame. In my opinion it's better to pick a city that you want to explore and get a decent apartment for a while. Learn some of the local language by spending an hour or two at a language school every morning and then wander around and try to talk to girls in their native tongue. It usually opens them up nicely.

I've been to about 25 countries (a mix of work and play) and I'm at the point now where I don't want to travel just for the sake of traveling. I like to have a specific reason to be somewhere. I used to very much enjoy exploring the sights and the cuisines and the cultures of different countries, but now that I am somewhat worldly I am less excited by those things. Now I only like to travel to places that have either good surf or pretty white girls.

Some examples:

Indonesia - good surf (and pretty white tourist girls in Bali)
Nicaragua - good surf
Czech Republic - pretty white girls
Slovakia - pretty white girls
France - both
Australia - both

If a place does not have at least one of those two things then I would rather not go. And if a place has one of those things then I base a trip around pursing that thing. A rugged surf trip to a remote corner of the earth is fun, especially if you score good waves. For a more intellectual holiday I like to find an apartment on Airbnb in a nice city and get into a routine like I live there for a while, learn some of the language and meet and ideally bang some of the locals. In spite of spending fairly long periods of time in different parts of Asian I just don't feel any attraction to Asian girls, so I only like to go there for work or surf, and for surf that primarily means Indonesia. In terms of pretty white girls I think the Slavs do it best. French girls are less genetically pretty than the Slavs but they are thin and stylish and I generally like the French vibe.

Well, it's a good thing my family is from the former Czechoslovakia! Time to start skyping with my European cousins and brush up on my mother tounge! Haha

Post: #20

(02-09-2014 11:22 PM)Paul B Wrote:  Can't say I would agree with taking that tour, but these days it seems like I disagree with 90% of the posts about Southeast Asia on this board. Personally I think you'd be best off researching what cities suit you best and make your own tour.

With $5k in 5 weeks in Southeast Asia, you can pretty much do this:

What do you disagree with? I'd say some people drop bad info on SEAsia, but most people who lived here long term drop good info.

Post: #21

I say don't overthink anything too much. If there's anything that attracts you to a place, just go. Pick whichever excites you most in the moment (though price might play a big role if you're on a budget). Nowhere is perfect and it's the only way to really find out what you like. And while some things might not do it for you, other things you hadn't expected will; this adds dimension to your travel.

After all, are you traveling the world to see places with the same exact features over and over again or to realize different versions of the human experience?

You'll also find that nothing you heard before you came is true once your boots hit the ground. Maybe even if that only applies to you.

I also agree with the other posters who don't book. I don't think I've ever arrived in a city abroad with a room booked. Not even once. And I usually don't decide to go anywhere until a few days before I leave - then I stay for a long time and suddenly one morning wake up and decide to move on somewhere else. Spontaneity doesn't do it for everyone though.

(02-10-2014 12:25 AM)TravellingSoldier Wrote:  Anyways, is it easy to find short term rentals in Thailand? Say I wanted to stay a month in Thailand, and travel to maybe Cambodia on my last week, are there a fair number of vacancies?

Thanks in advance

Yep, there are more places to stay here than they know what to do with. Just show up and start walking into places. You'll find a room. Check a small handful before deciding on anything.

You will be burnt from the flight so chances are you'll settle on something fast - no worries, just pay one night and get out there when you have more energy to find something better. It doesn't hurt to have the names of a few quality guesthouses written down on paper. Often you'll find that if there is a buzz about them online or in "The Bible" (Lonely Planet), the service goes to shit though.

For just one month, I wouldn't bother looking for a monthly rental. It takes time to find one, you don't know the lay of the land yet, and then you've got to do deposit and all that, which you may or may not get back. You may have to line up cleaning and buy things you want or need, even if it's furnished.

Monthly is definitely a good way to save cash, but for just one month, I'd stick with a nice nightly room. And you'll never be short on affordable options in that category when it comes to Thailand and Cambodia.

The exception with monthly is if you find a good guesthouse you already like and they also offer a monthly price (doesn't hurt to ask). In that case, and if you really feel you can trust them not to burn you, it might be worth it to plunk the money down. You may save even if you don't stay for the full 30 days.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #22

MY only real concern is getting airfare. If there is some shitty budget airline that goes there, that's all I need!

However transport is also very important, a lot of eastern European countries do not have public transport systems to the airport. So you have to take a dodgy taxi that can also be very dangerous if you have no idea where you are going.

I am not concerned about consumer prices as I live in Norway and everything is going to be cheaper than what I am used to.

Attractiveness of women and how easy they are are also not taken into consideration. You can find hot girls, and a challenge is also good for a change.
However I have found that in a lot of rural town in Belarus and Lithuania that the bars are filled with a lot of big, meat headed guys that want to take you outside and beat you up just for talking to their women.

Getting a visa can be a lot easier than it sounds. If you just book a hotel through a travel agency, they will be happy to organise a visa for you for most countries.

I guess I am getting kind of jaded because these days I am thinking more about the local beers I can try than anything else.

Post: #23

I like having the feeling of permanent residence coupled with the freedom to move on at any time.

When I move to a new place, there are usually only a few reasons why I go there:

- Can I get a job there within a month?
- Is it hot enough?
- Are the girls Asian?
- Can I at least break even?

Flight booked.

Personally, I hate being on holiday. Even if you try your best, you usually only see it from the surface.

It actually makes me upset that I can't teach English in the Philippines, so I'll never truly get that 'permanent resident' feeling from the place (In reality though I just need to stop being a lazy fucker and get an online business going. No excuses :-P).

I also HATE that daunting feeling that you have to be back on a plane to England at the end of the week. It's like being at an awesome party, only to have your parents call you at 10pm and demand you come home and babysit your sister.

I came to Thailand for a month in July, and the experience didn't do too much for me personally. Too much moving around, and too much pressure to see things. I took about eight photos from the trip and all of them were forced.

I remember going on one of those 'four island tours' in the South of Thailand. We stopped at a beach for an hour. Everyone else on the boat walked round and took pictures for the entire time. I lay in the sea like a starfish and stared at a big limestone rock.

Just choose somewhere to live for a while and go with the flow. After three months/six months/one year/two years you'll crave 'x' and 'y' and will move to a new location that provides them.

(02-10-2014 06:01 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  And I usually don't decide to go anywhere until a few days before I leave - then I stay for a long time and suddenly one morning wake up and decide to move on somewhere else. Spontaneity doesn't do it for everyone though.

This. Go somewhere and take it nice and slowly. Then leave when you're ready. In Korea, I decided to leave three days before I booked the flight out. In Taiwan, I absolutely LOVED the country and thought I'd stay there for years, then one day I realised it had become a little too small and I shot off to Bangkok.

For me, it's not about getting hundreds of snapshot insights into a country before being dragged back across the Atlantic. I won't see anywhere near as many countries as other posters here.

I aim to go around Asia at a snail's pace until I'm 50. (But who knows, maybe I'll get tempted to go to South America). If you're happy in the present, stay. If it isn't broke, don't try and fix it. Eventually you'll feel the urge to go somewhere new.

My favourite memories of Korea, Taiwan and Thailand are genuinely the 'everyday ones', I.e:

- The freezing cold sight of the Seoul skyline on New Year's Day
- The glowing red lights that shine through a Taipei City rainstorm
- Being invited for beers with a bunch Taiwanese gangsters
- Whizzing around on a motorcycle in Bangkok the low evening sun

If someone offered me the chance to live in the Philippines for a year VS an extensive year-long trip around North and South America I'd jump at the former.

But maybe that's just me. Just do what you enjoy. Maybe it's the COMPLETE opposite to what I like. If it is, do that! :-)

Post: #24

(02-09-2014 05:17 PM)tiggaling Wrote:  A lot of the hyped up places are shite.

Couldn't agree more or have put it more succinctly!

I'm starting to wonder whether the hype associated with a place, especially hype of the kind "Girls in X city are sooo easy!" is what ruins the place. And if so, how the ruining of the place proceeds. Is it because retard foreigners come in and tell the girls that everyone thinks they're so easy (or worse, bitches at them for not having sex when everyone knows they are so easy!).

Or is it that the local guys get pissed off and collectively badmouth foreigners to the point where none of the local girls want to risk their reputation by being seen / associated with foreigners? Coupled with aggressive cock-blocking is quite a potent weapon against the marauding foreigner. Add some zenephobic media coverage of how "All foreigners are bad" and you've got a pretty good method of preserving more of the local females for the local males. This is my impression of what happened in Korea about 5 to 10 years ago to change it from the Garden of Eden to the somewhat more difficult place it is today. But I didn't live through this change so I am only speculating.

Is there anyone on the boards who has lived in a place as it went from being 'realy fun and easy' to 'a pain in the ass'? Perhaps Medellin in the last 6-8 years (from what I've been reading on these boards)? I'd love to hear a first-person perspective!

If we ('we' meaning the travelling male population who seek, succeed and talk about our overseas conquests) are the artists of the downfalls of these cities, then the hype about a city can only be a trailing indicator, one that you should never believe if coming from the mouth of someone who traveled there once. Believe it less if any significant period of time has passed (2+ years). And believe it even less if the ego of the person telling you is tied to their opinion of the place (which I would say is the case for 90%+ of people outside of the game community). How many people have you ever heard say "Brazil is crap, I didn't even bang a local there?" None, right? And I know this is the truth for every male member of my language class in Brazil (excluding me, thankfully). That's 4/5, 80%. Perhaps a somewhat nerdy sample of the visitors here, but a sample nonetheless.

And what would be a leading indicator? Should I travel to a city 10 years after Roosh has written a book saying "Don't Bang" is that city? Girls will have been hearing how they are notoriously difficult to hook up with and start to feel virtuous as a result, to the point where they will feel that banging a foreigner won't turn them into a whore overnight? I wonder...

Post: #25

(02-10-2014 07:38 AM)spalex Wrote:  MY only real concern is getting airfare. If there is some shitty budget airline that goes there, that's all I need!

However transport is also very important, a lot of eastern European countries do not have public transport systems to the airport. So you have to take a dodgy taxi that can also be very dangerous if you have no idea where you are going.

I am not concerned about consumer prices as I live in Norway and everything is going to be cheaper than what I am used to.

Attractiveness of women and how easy they are are also not taken into consideration. You can find hot girls, and a challenge is also good for a change.
However I have found that in a lot of rural town in Belarus and Lithuania that the bars are filled with a lot of big, meat headed guys that want to take you outside and beat you up just for talking to their women.

Getting a visa can be a lot easier than it sounds. If you just book a hotel through a travel agency, they will be happy to organise a visa for you for most countries.

I guess I am getting kind of jaded because these days I am thinking more about the local beers I can try than anything else.

Yeah airfare can be a bitch, that's why I'm holding off on Australia and NZ for the time being. I'll keep that visa information in mind though, thanks! I really want to work abroad so maybe in the next 3 years or so I'll be getting down to it.