A handset, tablet or USB modem will need 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz band capability for use with this 4G/LTE service. LTE 1800/2600 MHz devices produced in Hong Kong/Shenzhen are likely to be compatible while those intended for the US market or countries using the 700/2100 MHz bands, are not. South Korea (home of Samsung and LG), the UK and some European operators have access to the 1800 MHz band and possibly 2600.

A quad band LTE USB air card/dongle modem such as the Huawei E392 sells for around $200 (1.6M kips). The Samsung Galaxy S II i9210 LTE phone and i957 8.9” tablet are about $750 (6M kips). Note that the Apple iPad 3 (promoted as 4G) will not work with Beeline LTE.

To avoid compatibility issues, Beeline Lao suggests that potential users wait for their service to be announced officially in the press, with data cost and suitable hardware recommendations.

As seen in the video below, results are impressive as Beeline continues testing their 4G/LTE service, with more than 50Mbps for download and over 10Mbps upload speeds and very low latency (ping speed).

The good news is something the US overseas investor may not know and that is that the IRS has no interest in foreign real estate holdings. Overseas properties often do not even have to be reported to the IRS. Unlike other worldwide income or assets, US owners of second homes for either personal use or investment purposes are not subject to US taxes on the property itself; in most cases they don’t even have to be declared to the authorities such as with the recently introduced IRS Form 8938.

Something else the US tax payer or investor may not know: It is legal and possible to move IRA funds offshore and use them to buy foreign real estate – in spite of what a tax or IRA adviser might say.

Learn more about this and investing money abroad.

Many men in search of a new partner (including those that just immediately fall in love with an Asian bar girl) will decide they prefer the local lifestyle (Thailand and the Philippines in particular) and decide to settle in the partner’s country, usually without realising the full implications of such a move; others bring their new love back home (a wholly different exercise). Either way, some of these relationships work out and everyone gets what they want. However, I would guess that most don’t (not the first time, anyway).

But perhaps there is another, less obvious, underlying reason for so many men wanting to go on a cross-cultural relationship adventure. It may be found  not in ‘personal chemistry’, although science knows a lot about women and men being attracted to each other for various reasons. However, the answer is not likely to be among the clichés, misconceptions and generalisations that many Western men have and make about women from the East.

Common perceptions of  ‘Asian women’ are that they [all?] are more (naturally) beautiful, more loving, more caring, more loyal, more docile and more forgiving than their Western counterparts who are [all?] typically selfish, fickle, demanding, independent, aggressive.

What if the answer lay within the man himself? It could be due simply to his basic lack of self-confidence, especially with women from his own country. He feels he is just not naturally attractive to women, especially his own kind. He has also heard and read that Asian women don’t care about looks and age; in fact they actually prefer older men. He hasn’t heard or doesn’t want to believe that Asian women want financial security for their family more than anything else, and that as long as he continues to provide for them (which he will be obliged to do if he settles in his new partner’s country), he will be a great catch – even if he is old and smells. Love and loyalty are less important, and Asian men are typically at fault. Generalisations work both ways, but there is no stereotypical Western man either!

If any of that homespun psychology (I’m certainly not an expert!) strikes a note with you (or someone you know), then there is a completely new avenue you could explore – by looking within. I know many will shudder at the mention or thought of self hypnosis, but it can and has solved countless emotional problems, allergies, afflictions, addictions and even perceived illnesses. Science could possibly make you become naturally attractive to women – whether they are in your home country or Asia. Worth looking at, and much cheaper than foreign travel!

Many men simply don’t know the formula for flirting with women using the natural masculine qualities they are born with. But there definitely is one, and one essential element is being able to talk to women with confidence. Find out more about an ebook that explains it all in detail.

Visit our page with more downloadable resources for dating, romance and making love.

By the way, did you notice the date of this post? Valentine’s Day!

Anyone who has been to Bali appreciates its unique charm and attractions, and many return on vacation or to invest in a villa property development as a holiday home, rental or a place for their future retirement.

Investing in property overseas can be risky without proper research and due diligence, and Indonesia is no exception. Knowing all the ins and outs of local regulations, taxes, residence status, legal rights and potential costs involved in a property purchase are essential for a successful and potentially lucrative investment. The key is to deal only with an established and reputable developer. For those that may be concerned, this has nothing to do with vacation timeshare.

There are many real estate developments going on in Bali, a place where property prices are rising rapidly as the infrastructure improves. The recently-completed eastern coastal highway links the north of the island all the way to the capital and airport at Denpasar to the southern tip. This has made new and relatively undeveloped areas far more accessible from popular places like Sanur, Kuta and Ubud.

One of these new locations is Ketewel (a well-known surfing spot, with views of Mt Agung volcano to the north) and this is where Prof. Michael Doliveck and wife Marayam of Balifornian Tours and Villas have chosen to build the Purnama Residence, an exclusive compound of five luxurious villas, ideal for retirement living or as a part or full time vacation rental – at surprisingly reasonable prices.

Importantly, they do provide full details of the development, building and site plan of the property and ALL the ancillary costs, plus investment return projections, and are more than willing to answer any questions a potential investor might have before they visit Bali – or from those who would just like to vacation in luxury.

Visit the Balifornian Villas website or if you are already in Bali, call manager Yani on 0818 0540 6768 and arrange a meeting with her.  For a personal response from Michael Doliveck, please submit the form.

Bali Villa Property Investment or Rental Name: Email: Property Investment Property Rental We respect your email privacy Powered by AWeber Email Marketing Software

“How to Retire in Bali – and Live in Paradise” is Mike Henry’s second Bali guide for expats. A fairly longtime Bali resident himself, the latest book, published in late 2011, is aimed at anyone thinking of spending extended time or retiring in Bali.

How to Retire in Bali contains much more useful information than its title indicates. It is packed with the same no-nonsense comprehensive research and attention to detail as his previously reviewed “How to Start a Business in Bali“.

Planning and preparing for your move, banking, financial and property rental and ownership issues, cost of living, medical facilities, bureaucracy (immigration, taxes, licensing), the social life and entertainment are all covered.

This guide is relevant not only for potential Bali residents; there are comparisons to expat life in other Southeast Asian or Central American countries. There’s relevant information and aspects of foreign country living that should be digested by anyone thinking of moving overseas for retirement.

While Bali is not exactly the “tropical island paradise” it’s often described as, for some it comes pretty close. Whichever country you live in, you need to take the good with the bad and Bali is no exception. Having spent a couple of years there myself about six years ago now, I read that some of the less attractive aspects remain, but others have improved and the island has not lost its unique appeal. It suits a lot of expats and tourists very well.

Whether you have been to Bali before or not, after finishing the 110 easy-to-read pages of How to Retire in Bali, with its many invaluable references, recommendations and tips, you will have a better idea of whether this might the next place for you. An excellent read, highly recommended for anyone thinking of  retiring in Asia.

There are several books in print on teaching English in different countries where you don’t speak a word of the main local language, but the recently updated edition of “How to Teach English Overseas” by Matthew Kepnes is one that’s definitely worth downloading and reading on your mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Expanded to nearly 200 pages, it explains everything you could possibly need to know about this popular activity for early retirees as well as the ‘travel brigade’. It’s also worth a lot more than the paltry $9.99 price.

This is a comprehensive guide that eases the way from knowing what preparation is needed, to actually finding a suitable teaching job in another country. It teaches you what to expect before you start.

The pages include not only the author’s considerable personal teaching experience, but also that of others. Chapters include  an introduction to teaching English, TEFL Certificates, Teacher Requirements and Suitability, Different Types of Teaching Jobs, Benefits and Salaries, Country-specific facts (and local contact links) for Thailand, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Central & South America, Western & Eastern Europe, Russia, the Gulf States – even Ghana in Africa. Most importantly there are in-depth Q&A interviews with 14 teachers who have taught English in those countries. Nothing matches real life experiences.

I would have appreciated being able to get my hands on this book before venturing into unknown territory myself some years ago. Buying “How to Teach English Overseas” would have been an instant decision – and at $9.99, a ‘no-brainer’ – but Matt kindly sent me a review copy!

More on on the R-A Teaching English pages.

While higher speeds and lower ping times will be achieved from relatively nearby Vientiane, Bangkok or Hanoi servers, what happens in the real world upstream (between Vientiane and servers in say London or New York) is another story and of course download speeds will be affected by many different factors.

Using the well-known SpeedTest.net, I was quite surprised with some of the results. I used the 21 Mbps USB modem from Beeline, a 7.2 Mbps dongle from Unitel and Planet’s 4G WiMax Indoor CPE modem. While having seen increased speeds from local servers, I certainly wasn’t expecting to see over 5 Mbps download speeds and very low latency from many thousands of miles or kilometers away from Southeast Asia. Here are the results:

Unitel Lao (Star Telecom) HSPA – London, UK server

Unitel Lao HSPA – New York City, USA server

Planet Online Laos WiMax – London, UK server

Planet Online Laos WiMax – New York City, USA server

Beeline Lao HSPA+ (ex Tigo Millicom) – London, UK server

Beeline Lao HSPA+ (ex Tigo Millicom) – New York City, USA server

This was by no means a definitive test which, in fairness, ought to be made at different times of the day, night and week, using different local and overseas locations and servers.

Currently, Beeline’s new HSPA+ service using a high speed USB modem such as the ZTE MF 668A wins hands down. Both the ping times and download speeds were impressive and unexpected. Let’s hope as the subscriber base expands that performance doesn’t deteriorate too rapidly as it has with Unitel.

Here’s a more recent Beeline test using a Los Angeles, CA (US West Coast) server, done at 6.30 pm Wednesday 18th.

Beeline is part of VimpelCom, a huge Russian-owned mobile provider. I found even less latency to Moscow – 48ms.

Strangely, I have since received much higher ping rates using Pingtest.net from these and other locations. I am looking further into why there should be such discrepancy.

See the Lao Communications page on our website for details of phone and internet services in the Lao PDR.

The only problem is, a lot of them can’t afford to retire fully yet as they still need to earn money. Many will think they can simply move and open or buy some sort of business: a shop, restaurant, bar, guest house, even hotel. However, there’s quite a bit more to it than that. I know from my own experience!

“How to Start a Business in Bali” is a well- researched and written business guide by Bali entrepreneur Mike Henry. It’s 100 pages of fact without any attempt to disguise the truth. The reality is not all ‘doom and gloom’, however, as Mike has included in-depth interviews with several other successful Bali expat business owners, each from a different field of endeavour. This gives added invaluable insight into the topic. He also provides a list of resources essential for anyone planning on living and working in Bali.

Having lived on the exotic Indonesian island myself, about five years ago now, and trying to do just this, I also know the potential pitfalls. I wish I had had a  guide to work from at the time, as not a lot has changed regarding bureaucracy – something SE Asia has a wealth of, especially when foreigners try to start a business in Bali or, for that matter, somewhere else.

Quite simply, you need to know the local rules and follow them. It’s not only about starting and running a business, it’s interacting with the resident population, even if your customers are likely to be other expats and tourists.

And speaking of other expats in Bali, this is quite a strange community. Other foreigners living in the same place as you are not necessarily going to become friends. In fact it can be the opposite. There’s a lot of competition in some types of business, and you need to be careful not to tread on the wrong toes.

I would say this is the de facto (if not the only!) guide to opening a foreign-owned business in Bali or other location in Indonesia. This inexpensive pdf ebook is a ‘no-brainer’ for anyone thinking of going into business anywhere in Southeast Asia.

Learn more about “How to Start a Business in Bali“. Buy and download it for just US$25.00 by PayPal or credit card. Well worth it in my opinion, as it could help save you from financial ruin!

You can find all the information you need about Asia, part or full time retirement and how to earn extra income on the many pages of Retire-Asia.com.

We also have a compact R-A Mobile version as well as the associated RetireAsia App for Android which were launched in late December. There is limited content at the moment, but new pages are being added regularly and the App shows new topics immediately they are published on the website.

May we wish all our Retire Asia visitors and followers – young, mature, old or new – a happy and successful 2012!

Cruising Around Asia

Have you ever thought of taking a luxury mini voyage between Asian ports or visiting Asian cities by sea as part of a longer or even world cruise? Or perhaps you’re already living or retired in Southeast Asia, maybe inland and a long way from the sea, and want a break. A short cruise could be just what you need. Meet a different group of people, be wined, dined and entertained, then spend a few nights in a comfortable cabin with a balcony and view of the sea, stars, sunsets, coastlines and cities as you approach the port.

You can fly to your first Asian port destination then take a short cruise to other exotic places as part of your vacation plans before flying home again. It would certainly make a welcome change from the stress, discomfort and fatigue after numerous flights with indifferent (or no) food, airport delays, security checks and more that are unfortunately typical of air travel today for most of us. Cruise liners are renowned for the entertainment, comfort and cuisine included in the price. Most cruise ships offer internet via WiFi, but it can be expensive. If you need to stay connected while away from port, check pricing and plans available with the cruise ship company.

Asian cruise countries include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Korea and Japan. Imagine the excitement of the approach by sea then disembarking in Phuket, Singapore, Hong Kong or Shanghai.

Now try to compare it to landing at just another monstrous airport, retrieving your baggage, queuing for immigration and customs, then finding transport and eventually arriving at your hotel miles away in the city itself. Then going through it all again before taking off for your next destination. Wouldn’t you like a change from all that sometimes?

These 3 to 5 day sea voyages don’t cost as much as you might think; you can pay less than $400 for a cabin with its own balcony that lets you enjoy wonderful views of cities – views that you can only get from offshore. And it will give you an introduction to cruising before you consider taking a longer voyage in the future.

Learn more about inexpensive ocean cruises, including Asian mini cruises.
[iframe_loader ]