I just got back from India earlier this month after spending a little bit more than five months there.
My blog about this trip can be found by clicking here. There is more stuff to read than you can shake a stick at, but I will be taking it down within the next week, as I prepare to write a book about all of my travels in the past five years.
It was an extraordinary trip. I saw a lot of the country, and I was able to come to four conclusions specifically geared for Retireworldwide.com readers about this fascinating and baffling country.
There are places where one can hang one’s hat and chill out for a long period of time, while living the good life on the relative cheap. The beaches of Goa and Varkala Beach in the southwestern part of the country, and mountain towns like Dharamsala and Manali in the north, are places one can seek refuge from the outside world for months at a time.
There are some other spectacular tourist destinations. Hampi, the Golden Temple and of course the Taj Mahal come to mind.
India is not the place to retire. One day, there may be self-sufficient retirement communities that provide great amenities and are cheap. But this does not exist in India yet, and India is not a place to live amongst the locals. For now, Thailand and Ecuador and other destinations remain the most logical choice for many retirees.
Yes, there are business opportunities, but I’m not sure it would be worth it for most people. The most interesting business opportunity that I came across was Varkala Beach, which I saw as a huge market for medical tourism, waiting to be tapped. But entrepreneurs don’t come to India for a reason: the corruption, the bureaucracy and the opaque nature of pretty much everything makes this a difficult market to work in, especially for the outside entrepreneur.
Here’s my blog again if you wish to read it.
While the U.S. has many long-term issues that can’t be ignored, I am very glad to be back in my homeland.
Scott
There are business opportunities, but it
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