# Retirement



## oldognewtrick (Feb 3, 2012)

I think I'd like to retire here.


http://www.youtube.com/v/Qrpq5A-KAoA


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## mudmixer (Feb 3, 2012)

My goal is to retire on the beach (one of the longest in the world) that is just south of Chennai(Madras) on the SE coast of India. I can buy a new air conditioned new Tata Nano (they make/own Jaguar and Rover vehicles and bailed out Ford) for $2800 and have a personal driver/servant as long as I give him food and shelter. - No need to worry about parking or traffic problems and an ideal climate. - Great people and great high tech medical facilities at the nearby resort hospitals/resort hotels and many American medical insurance plans give coverage because of the number of American experienced doctors. My doctor left the U.S. after 20 years to go to work at one of the high tech hospitals part time and then just enjoy things. Many American go there for treatment/vacations and may be able to list the travel cost as a deduction. There are othe places in SE Asia that also offer the same situations.

The biggest problem is that I don't like the Indian food (mainly vegetarian) and can't handle the odd 1/2 hour in the time conversion to other countries even though I have been there 6 to 10 times. I might even be able to understand cricket and appreciate soccer.

Dick


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## oldognewtrick (Feb 3, 2012)

Good luck trying to get a good burger or steak over there.  :rofl:


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## mudmixer (Feb 3, 2012)

oldog/newtrick -

When you want it, just go down the road to an Oberoi or Taj hotel and get a great steak or burger at a reasonable price while the driver waits. You can even get Kobi beef in India because of the thing called an airline.

People do not understand the importance or features of India because they(the Indians) do not have to or refuse to try to export to the U.S. like China since they have everything necessary, especially technology and money. I had a pair of shoes completely resoled (leather soles) for less than a dollar and then went to my hotel a few blocks away that cost $300/night. The guy doing the shoes was happy and so was the desk clerk that knew my name because of the video facial recognition system at the door and asked me if I wanted the same room service meal I had 2 days earlier at another hotel of the same system about 500 miles away.

The vast variations and technology in India is amazing and entertaining and you can always choose your options, plus the people are great. It is a little over-organized because of the British obsessions, but that provides order and Ghandi later provided the social respect for others. For entertainment, you can always take an Indian train trip where you can travel either first class, second class, third class or fourth class (private compartment, reclining seat, on top of the cars or hanging on the side), but they have the best on time records without bothering to use the computers and deprive people from jobs. It is always impressive when you land and the runway in some cities is lined every 100 yards or so by people standing at attention and wearing formal uniforms (it is a job and also provides the dignity and formal clothing). It is a very well organized and people oriented country, but just don't try to shoot a picture of a person without asking.

I finally learned how to travel from India to the U.S. I would work during the day and then fly to an international airport (Mumbai, Delhi or Chennai) and wait for  flight since all international flights seen to leave after midnight, because of the arrival schedules and time difference. I would catch a early AM flight (6-8 hours) to either Amsterdam or Frankfurt, make a connection to Detroit (6 hours), and then pick up my car to drive 240 miles north (5 hours) or catch a commuter flight (1 hour) and be home in time for dinner after many hours. Travel and education require flexibility to get the benefits and you can chose to relax on a beach, watch CNN, ESPN and anything on TV or wander around and learn the complex ways of doing things and the social habits. I only took one guided tour in the years and that was to the Taj Mahal and it was an amazing exposure to great design and construction ability and I plan to return.

The good thing is that the entire country is based on the English language (not always American) is that if a couple of people from the 17 different regions cannot understand, they immediately switch to English/American and can do whatever is needed. I had some Indian guests in the U.S. and I kept running out of Tabasco sauce almost daily. It is entertaining and educational.


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## TxBuilder (Feb 7, 2012)

They seem like a fun group.


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## exportgoods (Feb 7, 2012)

I've heard of that place before. Looks pretty awesome to me! I would like to have that yellow mustang golfcart!


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## TxBuilder (Feb 9, 2012)

I wonder if they have visitor houses so you can live the life style and leave again?


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## mudmixer (Feb 9, 2012)

Rentals are not easy because of the cost and problems buying land, so you need connections. India does not rely on tourists and exporting because they have a good economy, great education system and stable government/system, although some people like to criticize it from the outside.

I was offered a piece of land as part of a development that will ultimately be great, but turned it down. I have traveled to many countries in the last 20 or 30 years (41 countries and many 5 or 10 times) and have the ability to adapt to the food, customs and time differences, but my wife is very rigid and can't understand why things are different, although she enjoyed hosting international guests (especially from India). She never wanted to go international even though it was free and had met the people on the other end.

The original post was regarding where you would like to retire and that would be the place for me if I was alone. If my wife could have my previous wife (now a good friend) close by, that would help a bit and she would have to learn to eat a little differently.

Dick


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## TxBuilder (Feb 10, 2012)

I've had a lot of great dealing with Indians. They seem by and large to be a good people.


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## mudmixer (Feb 10, 2012)

In all my travels and trips to India, I have found them the very honest and moral because of the religious history and traditions. You could drop a billfold on a sidewalk and come back later and it would be there even though most people have little money, but they may wear gold since it is safe and they cannot buy the costly land - it is a different world there.

When is comes to business, they are honest and open, but can be "crafty", but not dishonest because they play by the same rules (written by the British), but know them better because they are probably better educated.

When I traveled there with an Australian friend, it was obvious about the wealth of Indian business people and we joked that there were more millionaires in India than there were people in Australia (a little bit of a stretch, but there is a lot of money in India). - Just ask Ford.


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