Intrepid travelers come to Jordan to experience the ancient ruins of Petra, the wide open spaces of Wadi Rum, heart-pumping hikes, Arab hospitality, and (of course) the kunafeh.
10.11.2023 - 02:39 / forbes.com
Are you looking for a “way out”?
With everything that’s going on in the world… war in the Middle East… war in Ukraine… seemingly endless political dysfunction in the United States… we could all be forgiven for wanting an escape.
I’m not talking about a vacation…
I’m talking about a “bolt hole” where you feel safe. Where, even if there’s a crisis going on elsewhere in the world, it doesn’t have to bother you.
To put it mildly, our world faces some hefty problems. War… the effects of climate change… ongoing inequalities…
But it goes without saying that some countries are better prepared for these challenges than others.
Some countries are better prepared for crises… or less likely to experience the worst outcomes from a crisis.
We saw that during the Covid-19 pandemic, which did not hit every country equally.
The robustness of a country’s government… its wealth (or lack) of natural resources… and its relationships with its neighbors and trade partners… all play a role in helping any nation to weather a crisis.
The Simon Letter periodical—edited by my husband, Lief Simon, and produced by my publishing company, Live and Invest Overseas—will this month publish an extensive study of various countries’ preparedness for the next major global crisis…
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Lief’s and my beat is expat life and moving overseas. From our point of view, there’s no point knowing that a country is well prepared to weather the next crisis… if you can’t actually move to that country quickly and easily and take advantage of all it has to offer.
For example, New Zealand is one of the world’s most politically stable countries, rich in water reserves, very safe, and quite climate-change friendly… but it’s difficult to move there to live, unless you’re moving for a specific job or to start a particular business. And foreigners can’t own property in most circumstances.
It’s interesting to know which countries will survive the coming storms… but it’s much more useful to be able to make a plan so that you can not only survive, but thrive—no matter what happens in the world.
The most important consideration in any “bug out” plan is residency. You’ll want to establish residency in at least one other country (and owning property there is also ideal).
Having a bug out plan isn’t about doom or gloom or being paranoid. It’s about being prepared for the consequences of life-changing conditions. And setting up a second residency and home overseas is a good investment regardless of the outcome.
Even if the worse-case scenario never happens, you’d have somewhere that you could call home indefinitely or use as a potential vacation or retirement destination.
Here are some highly resilient… safe and peaceful… countries
Intrepid travelers come to Jordan to experience the ancient ruins of Petra, the wide open spaces of Wadi Rum, heart-pumping hikes, Arab hospitality, and (of course) the kunafeh.
Imagine trying to get something to eat at an airport when you’re changing planes on a tight connection many gates or corridors apart: grabbing, and then waiting on line to pay for, even a sandwich might be impossible. Due to an all-mobile innovation called flo™ Xgen, though, developed by the airport culinary concessionaire OTG for use in its restaurants, food halls and markets, a delicious, freshly prepared meal can soon be ordered up to 24 hours in advance and either picked up or delivered to the connecting gate. Called Order Ahead, it’s scheduled to be available by Q1 2024 in all 11 North American airports (10 in the U.S. plus Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada) where the company operates 350 outlets in 23 terminals. (Those with more time can use the platform now to order while in the terminal.) And it’s not the only introduction on track.
Montréal has long been renowned for its gorgeous architecture and charming downtown district, and in the modern era, this storied Canadian city is developing one of the most impressive cocktail scenes in all the nation. While visitors can stumble upon a wealth of polished lounges and cozy speakeasies during a stroll across Old Montréal, the 2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars list has shined a light on specific destinations like Atwater Cocktail Club and Cloakroom—and while the city may not be known worldwide for its stellar cocktail scene, this designation comes as no surprise to local industry professionals.
As the sun begins to set on 2023, time is running out to qualify for elite status before the clock strikes midnight and we welcome a new year.
Safety is a top concern for many when choosing where to travel — a consideration that carries even more importance given the current landscape in the Middle East with the Israel-Hamas war and the U.S. State Department’s worldwide caution travel advisory. To help pinpoint safe countries for travel in 2024, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has published its “Safest Destinations” report for the ninth year in a row. The report ranks both the top safety countries and the top safest cities globally.
There are the typical Black Friday travel deals and discounts and then there is a showstopping new offer from Air Tahiti Nui, the flagship carrier of French Polynesia. In honor of 25 years of service, Air Tahiti Nu has developed a new multi-flight pass, for $1,525, which includes round-trip tickets to four international destinations to be used over the course of a year.
Though certain credit cards, such as The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees), have high annual fees, that $695 you'll spend every year you hold the card provides some undeniable perks.
For all the holiday travel planning procrastinators out there, this one is for you. Alaska Airlines just announced a Mexico fare sale—and the deals don’t exclude holiday travel dates.
Alaska Airlines continues to grow its Portland hub, introducing a new flight from Oregon’s capital to Nashville.
There are countless ways to earn airline miles and hotel points — and some ways are easier than others. Did you know that you can rack up points and miles without spending money? Yes, we're being serious.
It's about 70 degrees in Pennington, New Jersey, a warm afternoon for October, as we trek from the tomato tunnel to a sprawling rice field. We're on the Blue Moon Acres farm, about 50 miles southwest of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and 75 miles from LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
The return of North American flights to Asia-Pacific is accelerating heading in to 2024, as carriers bet on the region as the next source of high-margin revenue at a time of soaring costs.