July 2, 2010
Copenhagen, Denmark
I’m in a bit of a rush this morning as I have to catch a plane to Copenhagen; it’s a great, clean city with lots of English speaking people and a reasonable banking system– I’ll tell you more about it next week.
Before moving on to this week’s questions, I want to mention that I’ve recently put the finishing touches on my share of a new ‘offshore strategies’ guide that is going to be published soon by my friends at Casey Research.
We worked very hard to put this together, and I believe our combined efforts have resulted in the best multiple flags overview that exists; I’m very proud of the final product, and I’ll be sure to let you know where you can pick up your copy, hopefully over the next few days.
On to this weeks question…
First, Jes asks, “Simon, I’ve enjoyed reading your letters, and I’ve also just finished reading a book called ‘Emergency‘ by Neil Strauss. It includes the author’s account of obtaining a second passport. I am curious if you recommend that book.
I do recommend the book. Neil is a great writer, and I’d encourage anyone to pick it up and give it a read. Neil tells an important story that we are all completely dependent on a functioning system of complex infrastructure.
We don’t think about, for example, whether or not the lights will turn when we flip the switch. We don’t think about whether or not water will come out of the faucet, if the toilet will flush, if the grocery store down the road has food in stock, or if the gas station will be pumping fuel tomorrow.
We take these things for granted… Emergency tells Neil’s story about making this realization, and the actions he took to do something about it, including obtaining a second passport from St. Kitts.
Neil realized that with only one passport, he was simply a slave to his government… and the second passport gave him new options and new freedom that he never had before.
If you’ve ever thought about obtaining a second passport, definitely read his book. Just don’t call the lawyer he used in St. Kitts– the guy skipped town with clients’ money… I can get you someone more reliable who I trust implicitly.
Next, Norman asks, “Simon- Thanks for your emails. As a gay man in my 50’s I am looking at alternative residency/citizenship opportunities. You may not know a lot of gay people, but where do you find the most gay friendly/tolerant places out of the countries you recommend?”
I’m going to go out on a limb here… it’s not exactly my scene, but I can say that, from a social/political standpoint, your best bet is in Europe. Specifically, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Iceland, and Spain. Most of these countries grant same-sex marriage rights.
Elsewhere, you might consider Thailand and the Philippines in Asia. In Latin America, consider Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. They’re all pretty GLBT-friendly places
Next, Libero asks, “Simon- How do you pack for your trips? Don’t you have some comfort items that help to make you feel “at home”? Do you pack Backpacking style, as a tourist, or pack everything you need so as to live long term in a place?”
Believe it or not, I go all over the world with just a carry-on and my briefcase. I’ve never been one for material possessions, or to accumulate junk… and I definitely don’t derive comfort from ‘stuff’.
Sure, I have all the essentials– clothes for most occasions including some formalwear, workout gear, toiletries, etc. Other than that, I travel pretty light.
Henry David Thoreau had it right when he said, “A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.” You’d be amazed what you can do without.
Understandably, this probably wouldn’t suit most people, but it’s the way I get around. Give it a try, though, just once… on your next trip, pack as light as possible– if something’s not absolutely essential, leave it at home. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how you fare.
