What a great analysis of the bribery/crony process!

If it's cheap enough, it looks like a nice piece of property for some of our Western types that want to have animals grazing.

This would be a lot easier for software types than hardware types like me, but I can be mobile.

Right now a permanent physical Gulch would be a place of last resort. We aren't to that point yet, but the timing of when things might turn that bad all depends on when China decides that the yuan should be the reserve currency instead of the dollar. Predicting the timing of that is anyone's guess.

You can turn a trailer into a greenhouse.

My wife and I have discussed RVing at some point. Some of the places we have considered along the Central American and South American coasts are quite close to the Pan American Highway.

Quite a few of my past students are Argentine, and I like their people. Their currency, on the other hand, scares me more than the US's currency. It would take a currency collapse for me to leave the US. I am not going somewhere that the currency is substantially less reliable. In the interim, Khalling's plan of exploring multiple options over the next few years while we formulate requirements and evaluate options is a sound one.

"we don't have the option of sovereignty at this point"
I agree. I say pretend like there's nothing going on. I'm not saying to lie just to stay under the radar. When the next Facebook founded their goes public, let politicians in the host country take credit for all the "jobs the politicians created" (bite your tongue hard to avoid speaking) on a little island. Just as in the US half of them will scream at the other half that the politician was friggin' amazing or is about to destroy the entire world. The Gulch carries on and ignores it.

Considering the culture has gotten so sick people are at the point of fleeing, the culture shock has already hit us....and not pleasantly.

The shock to come from changing that, there is no logical method to factor for.

You have to make your best guess and either shrug....or not.

There are many reasons to not shrug, but ultimately we have to make the decision. And indecision turns into not in the end.

This is one of the reasons I have looked at The Bahamas, particularly the Abacos. They are close enough to mainland Florida that you can charter a direct flight with a private carrier from my local airport.

Not yet, freedomforall. The biggest culture shock would be being surrounded only by Gulchers!

I agree, there will be disadvantages in all the locales. I also agree with something CG said "place to try to develop new technology, services, and ideas", and I think that is probably an undercurrent for many gulchers.We have to find an existing government that understands and appreciates what a gulch can offer in economic terms, since AFAIK we don't have the option of sovereignty at this point. (For example, Australia has a tax break for R & D. )
In latin/central/south america and asia this 'process' usually includes relatively direct bribes. In western countries the bribery component is less obvious, and often more insidious and more expensive.
(Not to sound too negative, I hope.)

Have you seen any method to factor for culture shock?

I think they call it an island because it is only accessible by boat at present. (A bit misleading, I agree.)

Haven't seen any perfect promising outlooks yet, but still searching. ;^)

These are all powerful points. I echo what JohnRobert2 except for me it's the exact opposite of TSHF. I think it's should be a place to try to develop new technology, services, and ideas-- kind a of a zona franca (tax/duty free zone) of the world, and experiment to see what amazing things people can do in a new situation when left alone. I agree an 10 million dollar property in a remote place is not the starting place, although I encourage anyone who can raise the money to try. I think it should be closer to fixing up an old hotel and building a business incubator.

I might do a little research on mobile gardening. Maybe trailers or large containers that can be tricked out.

Unlike the US, Australia seems to recognize that they have built something desirable and dont want to bankrupt the country with immigrants seeking a (a) better life or (b) free ride. With socialised medical care they want immigrants that contribute to the economy, not drain it. They do have some of the same problems that other western countries do, but they have a much wider "river" discouraging immigrants.

My thought. Come for a visit, Stay for a lifetime. Voluntarily.

Based on my knowledge of location factor adjustments for petroleum refineries, I am estimating that location adjustment factors for Caribbean islands would be about three, with ones just off coasts of Central and South America being more like 2.5. Islands in the Pacific probably have a factor of 4-5. Australian islands probably have a cost of 2 adjustment.

I'll check it out. Although the previous problem would still apply to me.

Thanks, kh. I understand your thinking but I would like to have a place you can run to when TSHF. Being mobile is a plus in the sense you can keep a finger on the pulse of the general populace and keep the Gulch advised as to conditions here. Great thinking!!

http://www.privateislandsonline.com/isla...

600 acres on an island 1 km from the main Fijian island. Price unknown for now.

Approximately 1 km off the Northern Coast of Viti Levu Fiji, Nananu-i-cake presents a very rare opportunity to purchase an exclusive freehold private island, with all facilities in place for immediate occupation. The property is an easy-to-manage turn-key operation with excellent infrastructure in place.

Accommodations on the island include a 4 bedroom main house, 2 traditional Fiji guest Bures, and three staff houses. The main residence is complete with a large open plan living/dining room, library, barbecue/dining bure, and laundry facilities. These arrangements allow for 6 bedroom suites.

Other amenities featured on the island consist in a swimming pool, 5 beaches, phone, internet, satellite, generators and TV connection, stables, a large deep water jetty, two 150,000 gallon water tanks filled from a natural water source, boats, jeeps, a tractor, other transport vehicles, tools and maintenance equipment.

The area is developed with well defined road/trails for vehicles and horse trekking. Paddocks for horses and sheep are also available.

Island management/maintenance staff are currently in place, and may be available to transfer with the property, if required.

Renovations include: a re-roofing of the main house complex with bitumen tiles, recent refurnishing of the bathrooms, and an upgrading of the swimming pool.

The property is decorated with extensively landscaped gardens that have been developed over a generation. Most of the island, however, still maintains its natural tropical vegetation, including groves of mango trees lining some of the trails, and pine forests for potential harvest.

There is extensive potential for further development. .

One can access the island by a leisurely drive of around 2 and a half hours from Nadi International Airport, or a drive of under 3 hours from Suva. It looks like the drive is only about 70 miles. I could drive my golf cart to the airport in that time. Speaking of which, a fleet of golf carts might be appropriate Atlantis transportation.

This is one worth looking at. Probably my favorite so far, because of its base of operation.

Another NZ property:
1750 acres, price negotiable.
http://www.nzfarms.co.nz/2290443

North Island location, decent climate.

Personally have similar thoughts about return, but I wouldn't mind having relatives come to visit (as potential gulchers.)

there is not enough consideration being given to hiding in plain sight and remaining mobile. Ultimately, Gulchers have different goals for their gulch. I question the absolute need for a remote, infrastructure only for gulchers plan. I agree with your reasons. For my purposes, the ability to see and interact in a community some of the time would be great. Maybe some build of infrastructure, through necessity. BUt not a completely self-contained operation. I even imagine a way for people to travel to the gulch(es) by RV. Starting smaller may not be the perfect vision up front for those in the Gulch who like to think big, but it is a less risky way of cohesing (made that up ;)) and a way to plan. For instance, I live in latin America. More remote than a mainland, less remote than an island. Travel is for most people near a city a one stop flight. I am in a small town, where goods are relatively cheap, as is rent. Within close proximity, we could have people renting or RVing for a season. There is plenty of existing inventory to buy. ShruggininAregentina has blatantly asked gulchers to consider visiting him. Although the debt default makes Argentina less stable, he says goods are still readily available and he is fairly insulated from the currency shock they are experiencing. The US dollar goes much farther there than in the US. I like looking at options that gulchers have already visited and spent time in a location. The "forcefield" can be our mobility-trying out different spots until we find a good fit. That doesn't rule out islands, just not looking at buying one before we check out how committed everyone is. I just won't participate if it is in the US. But where I am, people chose it for the very reason it's easy to get back to the US if you need to.