I notice a lot of expat blogs mention wearing insect repellent like it's a normal part of everyday life. Where can you live without wearing it? Where is it a daily requirement?
I suspect that mountainous areas or breezy-beach areas with lots of American expats (Lake Chapala in Mexico, or the Central Valley in CR) will be OK with no repellent. Therefore, I would hypothesize that the presence of North Americans is probably an indicator for what I consider a decent climate. But maybe not a perfect indicator. There are lots of Westerners in Chiang Mai, for example, but I think that may still be an area where you better wear it? And then, not too many Americans live permanently in Medellin, yet it apparently has the world's perfect climate.
Why don't I just go to Medellin if it's so perfect? Well, I may. But nowhere is perfect in every way. Colombia is hard to get long-term visa for self and possible trailing family members unless you have formal local jobs or big bucks to invest; very hard to open a bank account if you're not locally employed; and high taxes on worldwide income if you live there more than a few months. Still going to visit! But I'd like to cast the net a little wider. Would Paraguay work (not the jungle part obviously)? What about Uruguay? What parts of Mexico? Any part of Southeast Asia?
Why didn't I just google it? On the web, the travel blogs, government websites and NGO malaria maps suggest insect repellent for almost everywhere I would consider (other than Japan). So this advice is useless. Kind of like the "beware, don't got there, they have crooks and short brown people there" stuff. So many cautions and "advisories" that they're useless. I'm not a big worrywart. If the PTB are advising to wear the stuff, but noone really bothers, that's te info I'm looking for.
Why post the question here on RVF? Because folks here are frequenting the same kinds of places I would consider for good women and a good life. Southeast Asia, North Asia, Latin America, Ethiopia, Ukraine... (Personally I'm not considering countries in NATO or EU, because I'm looking for a place with less PC culture.)
Background:
I'm a spoiled Southern Californian, leave windows open when I want, yet no bugs enter my house. But I did grow up in Northeast Georgia, sweaty and hot, lots of bugs, gnats in your face and ears in summer, but no insect repellent was necessary, unless going camping. Aircon was a necessity.
I suspect that mountainous areas or breezy-beach areas with lots of American expats (Lake Chapala in Mexico, or the Central Valley in CR) will be OK with no repellent. Therefore, I would hypothesize that the presence of North Americans is probably an indicator for what I consider a decent climate. But maybe not a perfect indicator. There are lots of Westerners in Chiang Mai, for example, but I think that may still be an area where you better wear it? And then, not too many Americans live permanently in Medellin, yet it apparently has the world's perfect climate.
Why don't I just go to Medellin if it's so perfect? Well, I may. But nowhere is perfect in every way. Colombia is hard to get long-term visa for self and possible trailing family members unless you have formal local jobs or big bucks to invest; very hard to open a bank account if you're not locally employed; and high taxes on worldwide income if you live there more than a few months. Still going to visit! But I'd like to cast the net a little wider. Would Paraguay work (not the jungle part obviously)? What about Uruguay? What parts of Mexico? Any part of Southeast Asia?
Why didn't I just google it? On the web, the travel blogs, government websites and NGO malaria maps suggest insect repellent for almost everywhere I would consider (other than Japan). So this advice is useless. Kind of like the "beware, don't got there, they have crooks and short brown people there" stuff. So many cautions and "advisories" that they're useless. I'm not a big worrywart. If the PTB are advising to wear the stuff, but noone really bothers, that's te info I'm looking for.
Why post the question here on RVF? Because folks here are frequenting the same kinds of places I would consider for good women and a good life. Southeast Asia, North Asia, Latin America, Ethiopia, Ukraine... (Personally I'm not considering countries in NATO or EU, because I'm looking for a place with less PC culture.)
Background:
I'm a spoiled Southern Californian, leave windows open when I want, yet no bugs enter my house. But I did grow up in Northeast Georgia, sweaty and hot, lots of bugs, gnats in your face and ears in summer, but no insect repellent was necessary, unless going camping. Aircon was a necessity.