Retiring to India

Shakyamuni

Going back to India in three weeks time. Looking into the possibility of retiring there - actually Northern India, preferably a hill station, although Dharamsala would do just fine .

Does anybody know of anybody who has done this? I'd be keen to know. I am also thinking about opening a guest house there, catering to Western tourist/pilgrims, that sort of thing...

Merchant

Having to get new exit/entry stamps every six months is a problem. An Indian "green card" for permanent residence will be very difficult to come by.

For my retirement, I have every intention of just melting into the Indian crowd, setting up in some nice village somewhere, lying low and daring Visa and Mastercard to come after me.

Shakyamuni

Thanks, Merchant, but I would have thought that being British might carry more weight. I haven't looked into it seriously yet but when I am there (soon!) I'll do my research - might have more to offer by way of advice then...

On the other hand, I suppose if I cashed in everything, I could live there anyway for the rest of my life, or what's left of it...

Merchant

When you find something out, let me know. By the time I retire, America's social security (pension scheme) will be wiped out, riots and civil unrest will be common, and a military goverment will be installed. I'd rather eat mangoes in Tamil Nadu.

Shakyamuni

Well, it's a bit like that here - State pension is dwindling by the month, we're running out of oil, we're being taxed up to the hilt, we're letting in anybody who wants to come - we seem to have a soft spot for quasi-terrorists! Yeah, I'd rather be eating tiffin of a fine summer's afternoon in Shimla!!

bongdongs

But India has no pension system, already has riots on the streets, civil unrest is common (havent you heard of the truckers strike) and a <select from following: conservative, hindu right-wing, quasi-fasist, murderous ...> goverment has just been kicked out of power


btw, I hear it was quite popular in the dot-com bust of 2000-01 to collect unemployment from Uncle sam and spend some vacation time in Costa Rica.

lobo

I wonder if been british does hold more weight?
Cant u just cross over into nepal every 6 months and get your visa re newed?
I wonder if they will pay your pension into an indian bank or if you will somehow have to transfer it?
When are you retiring shakyamuni?

Shakyamuni

As I understand it, when one retires, you get your pension paid irrespective where you are in the world. This is of course UK nationals...

Bryan

Shaky
Yep your pension is paid to you where ever you are in the world
As for retiring ...India is as good a place as any
Met a number of older travellers who are doing what you are planning though they are not opening a business. More travelling and doing there thing

If youa re heading to Dharamshala you'll meet many more, lets say, distinguished travellers...amazing people most of them and very much younger in the mind than many of the oh so cool 20 somethings I met

There is a German woman who runs a guesthouse in Bagsu / lower dharamkot though she has an Indian husband...Amazing house btw.

There are quite a few elder artists etc also living long term in the valley below McLeod and other longer termers in Dharamkot

BTW Shaky as for letting anyone in...Isn't that kind of what your planning on doing in India???

Let more in and give Scotland a more colourful flavour
As most of us now native jocks originate from places outwith scotland and as a race we ran the empire and colonised most of it its about time we took in those who seek a better life

Hope that helps
Good luck
Bryan

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Shakyamuni

Thanks Bryan, just really fed up with this country we call the UK. When I went to Northern India last year I felt as though I was coming home - deja vu - a felt reincarnated... and as for Nepal - absolute heaven on earth.

Going up to Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj, Varanasi and Bodh Gaya...

It's getting back on that plane from New Delhi

lobo

Im heading up to northern india this october should be fun.
I have though of nepal as well, how did u find nepal shakyamuni? How about retiring there?

eater

i am also looking at retiring in India....but in Mumbai (North...Juhu)....first get the PIO card, then a flat/apartment,....a friend of mine travels back and forth every 6 months (Canada to Rajkot)....is that best of both the worlds?

I haven't had a chance to talk to him recently, last year he reported how he was enjoying the stay in India and Canada.

Shakyamuni

Well, you'd be doing yourself a favour by getting a tourist visa BEFORE you leave New Delhi! You can get one at the airport (Kathmandi airport that is)but be prepared for a long wait. I got met at the airport by the driver attached to the Encounter Hotel in Kathmandu - then he put a garland of small flowers around my neck - so that was a nice touch.

Did the Durbar Square tour, visited Bhaktapur, the famous Buddhist Swayambhu Temple (Monkey Temple), Boudhanath, Pashupatinath (funeral pyres) and last but not least, Nagarkot. You've got to go there. You drive up there late in the afternoon for an overnight stay. But be up at around 05:00 and wait for sun-up! Then you'll see one of the most glorious vistas of the Himalayas - you won't want to come away from this magnificent setting - truly awe-inspiring!!

And then do what I did, just spent hours checking out all the craft shops in Kathmandu, and of course some fantastic eating places (if you like curry!!!).

Hope this helps.

Oh, and by the way, I heard nothing of Maoist problems when I was there. Seemingly they wouldn't bother Westerners anyway!

sky888

That is what most of the Indian-Singaporean have in mind when they got older..

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Shakyamuni

I'm an India lover - always have been - always will be. As crazy as it might seem, I have been seriously considering going back to India (Himachal Pradesh) with a view to retiring up there somewhere.

Are there any IMers who are currently enjoying this dream? Or are there any IMers considering it like me? When in McLeodGanj last year I visited the Tibetan Buddhist monastery of Tse Choling. You can rent a single room there with two meals a day for $5.00. So you could more or less stay there for 10 years at a cost of about £10,500. Oh, and it has the most stunning view over the Kangra valley.

For a one-time, aging hippy, it seems like a great deal.

Any alternatives?