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final thought: if you are looking for a mini-retirement and not going in to this thinking that "time in china = money down the road" i still think that japan, korea, and taiwan would all be more fun. hell, taiwan might be the best of both worlds.
Beavis is right - Shanghai is not a vacation spot or really a mini-retirement spot as defined by Tim Ferriss. When we think of a typical mini-retirement spot as defined by 4HWW we think of ski trips in Norway, scuba in Boracay, and other hedonistic activities.
4HWW actually also made an emphasis that mini-retirements can be concentrated times of accelerating learning and personal growth that would otherwise be unavailable if one's income and location were tied to a job.
I always travel with a very specific goal in mind. When I did Phuket, it was to lose ten pounds doing muay thai while sightseeing. In France, China, and Korea, I've always been working or studying abroad. I did Manila to network with contacts I had made beforehand.
VP doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who can sit around doing nothing for too long. 6-12 months in your twenties or thirties is a long time to not be doing anything productive for yourself. In my opinion, if my mini retirement isnt advancing my health (fitness vacations, fat loss vacation), wealth (business networking, career advancement) or relationships (marathon sex trip) then it's not worth it. If I'm paying for the plane ride and hotel over there, I have to get a very calculated return out of my trip.
If I already had an internet business that was making me more than enough cash, I would get into one of the following industries simply for fun and to break into elite social circles:
-Luxury Goods and Wines importing
I discussed this already but as emerging markets consumers have more money, their tastes increase. They are particularly eager to show that they can consume luxury goods because it means they've "made it." In China their apetite is particularly ravenous. Read this blog for more information about China luxury market:
http://www.jingdaily.com/
-Art gallery director, Art Dealer/Broker
Get involved with high class events and art auctions - Chinese and Asian recently minted millionaires are dishing out cash on art.....check it out at http://www.jingdaily.com
-Something with the modeling/fashion industry
Lots of upper class and elite events revolve around high end fashion. The hottest parties are always the "Louis Vuitton Party at Babyface" or "Calvin Klein Party at Bar Rouge" or something like that. If you become a node in that network you automatically have access to all kinds of powerful people.
-Events/nightlife planning
Same as above.
-Something with golf resorts, maybe development or management
Shitloads of golf resorts being built all over China right now. I dont know anything about golf but I imagine there is an opportunity of some sort there.
-Yachting, luxury maritime - perhaps brokerage or some client-facing role
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igu5G8rle3Q
In the above BBC documentary "Adventure Capitalist", a well-known VC travels the world and covers various British entrepreneurs and businesses trying to break into emerging markets like Brazil, India, Kenya. The one listed is Vietnam - I posted it because it shows a British yacht company trying to enter the Vietnam market and their unique trials and tribulations in trying to do so. You will see that in emerging markets it is all about your network, and the sooner you can make those industry connections the better. I've followed the maritime industry for some time and have been interested in the market for luxury goods of all kinds in Asia's emerging elite class.
That's the thing about emerging markets compared to developed markets. Developed markets are like a clear lake that is motionless. Let's say fish represent opportunities. In the clear lake there will be a smaller quantity of fish and when you try to grab one of them, they will see you coming and get away - on top of that, there are a billion other pro fishermen trying to all get those elusive few fish. An emerging market is like a muddy turbulent pond that is hard to see through and teeming with fish. As long as you position yourself correctly and keep shooting, you are bound to get something.
I have a fraternity brother who graduated with a horrible GPA. He went to Shanghai with no plans 2 years ago and is now a director at an art gallery. He's 25 years old. The kind of shit that young expats can pull off is crazy, you just have to get your foot in the door.
With VP's language skills I think he can carve out a position being some sort of broker for something, somewhere, somehow. There are just too many opportunities in China for ambitious and hungry young men who can think outside the box.