4HWW Tips & Tricks  Confirming Sufficient Market Size      - Writer's Market (www.writersmarket.com) Here you'll find a listing of thousands of specialty and niche magazines, including circulation and subscription numbers. I prefer the print version.      - Standard Rate and Data Services (www.srds.com) Check out this resource for annual listings of magazine and company customer mailing lists available for rent. If you're considering creating a how-to video for duck hunting, check out the size of customer lists from hunting gun manufacturers and related magazines first. Use the print version in libraries instead of paying for the somewhat confusing online access.
Finding Manufacturing or Products to Resell      - Thomas's Register of Manufacturers (www.thomasnet.com) (800-699-9822) This is a searchable database of contract manufacturers for every conceivable product, from underwear and food products to airplane parts.      - Dropship Source (www.dropshipsource.com) (877-637-6774) This site offers an extensive how-to guide for finding manufacturers willing to dropship product to your customers, which allows you to avoid prepurchasing inventory. If this fails, just order the product you'd like to resell from a competitor and Google the "from" shipping address. This will often lead back to the drop-shipper, who can then be contacted directly.      - www.ingrambook.com, www.techdata.com See these two sites for electronics, DVDs, and books.      - www.housewares.org, www.nationalhardwareshow.com (847-292-4200) For housewares, hardware, and related talent (on-screen demonstrators), also consider attending local or state fairs.      - www.expoeast.com, expowest.com See these sites for consumables and vitamin products.
Finding Public Domain Information to Repurpose      - "Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org) Project Gutenberg is a digital library of more than 15,000 pieces of literature considered to be in the public domain.      - LibriVox (www.librivox.org) LibriVox is a collection of audiobooks from the public domain that are available for free download.
Licensing Ideas to Others for Royalties      - InventRight (www.inventright.com) (800-701-7993) Stephen Key is the most consistently successful inventor I've ever met, with millions in royalties from companies like Disney, Nestle, and Coca-Cola. He is not high-tech but specializes in creating simple products or improving on existing products and then licensing (renting) his ideas to large corporations. He comes up with the idea, files a provisional patent for less than \$200, and then lets another company do the work while he collects checks. This site introduces his fail-proof process for doing the same. His techniques for cold calling alone are invaluable. Highly recommended.      - Guthy-Renker Corporation (www.guthyrenker.com) (760-773-9022) GRC is the 800-pound infomercial gorilla. It brings in more than \$1.3 billion per year in sales with mega-hits like Tony Robbins, Proactiv Solution, and Winsor Pilates. Don't expect more than a 2-4% royalty if you make the cut, but the numbers are huge enough to make it worth a look. Submit your product online.
Trolling Patents for Unexploited Ideas to Turn into Products      - United States Patent and Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov) (800-786-9199)      - www.autm.net For licensable technologies developed at universities, see "view all listings" under "Technology Transfer Offices."      - www.uiausa.org/Resources/InventorGroups.htm For inventors' groups and associations, call and ask if members have anything to license.
Becoming an Expert      - ProfNet via PR Leads (www.prleads.com/discountpage) Receive daily leads from journalists looking for experts to cite and interview for media ranging from local outlets to CNN and the New York Times. Stop swimming upstream and start responding to stories people are already working on. Mention my name to get two months for the price of one.      - ExpertClick (www.expertclick.com) This is another secret of the PR pros. Put up an expert profile for media to see, receive an up-to-date database of top media contacts, and send free press releases to 12,000 journaUsts, all on one website that gets more than 5 million hits per month. This is how I got on NBC and ended up developing a prime-time TV show. It works. Mention my name on the phone, or use "Tim Ferriss \$100" online, to get a \$100 discount.
Sample Muse Test Page      - The PX Method (www.pxmethod.com) This sales template was used to determine the viability of a speed-reading product, which tested successfully. Notice how testimonials, credibility indicators, and risk-reversal guarantees are used and how the pricing is put on a separate page so it can be isolated as a testing variable. Use this as a reference—it is a simple and effective model that can be copied.
Introduction to Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising      - "Google Adwords Tutorial (www.google.com/onlinebusiness)
Market Sizing and Keyword Suggestion Tools      - Overture (http://inventory.overture.eom/d/searchinventory/suggestion/)      - Google (https://adwords.google.com/select/main?cmd=KeywordSandbox)      - Wordtracker (www.wordtracker.com)      - Ask.com (www.ask.com; type in one term and see alternative terms to right) Brainstorm additional PPC search terms and determine the number of people who are searching for them.
Free and Paid Stock Photos      - Free Stock Photos (www.freestockphotos.com) One of many stock photo databases available on the Web. Photos are available in categories ranging from animals to ancient ruins, for both personal and commercial use.      - Getty Images (www.getty.com) This is where the pros go. Stock photos and film of anything for a price. I pay \$150-400 for most images I use in national print campaigns and the quality is outstanding.
Low-Cost Domain Registration      - Domains in Seconds (www.domainsinseconds.com) I have close to ioo domains with this service.      - Joker (www.joker.com)
Inexpensive but Dependable Hosting Services      - Go Daddy (www.godaddy.com)      - landl(www.landl.com)      - BlueHost (www.bluehost.com)      - RackSpace (www.rackspace.com; known for dedicated and managed servers)      - Hosting.com (www.hosting.com; known for dedicated and managed servers) Shared hosting solutions, where your site is hosted alongside other sites on a single server, are so cheap that I recommend using two providers, one as a primary and one as a backup. Put your site pages on each host and sign up with www.no-ip.com, which can redirect traffic (DNS) to the backup in five minutes instead of the usual 24-48 hours.
Free and Paid Stock Photos      - Free Stock Photos (www.freestockphotos.com) One of many stock photo databases available on the Web. Photos are available in categories ranging from animals to ancient ruins, for both personal and commercial use.      - Getty Images (www.getty.com) This is where the pros go. Stock photos and film of anything for a price. I pay \$150-400 for most images I use in national print campaigns and the quality is outstanding.
E-mail Sign-up Tracking and Scheduled Autoresponders      - AWeber (www.aweber.com)
End-to-End Site Solutions with Payment Processing      - Yahoo Store (http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/ecommerce) (866-781-9246) This is what Doug used. As little as \$40 per month with 1.5% per transaction. 24/7 support is excellent.      - eBay Store (http://pages.ebay.com/storefronts/start.html) Prices range from \$15-500 per month, plus eBay fees.
Simple Payment Processing for Testing Pages      - PayPal Cart (www.paypal.com; see "merchant") Accept credit card payments in minutes. There are no monthly fees (1.9-2.9% and \$.30 U.S. per transaction).      - Google Checkout (http://checkout.google.com/sell) Get \$10 in free processing for each \$1 spent on AdWords; 2% and \$.20 per transaction thereafter. This checkout option requires that customers have a Google ID. It is thus most useful as a supplement to one of the aforementioned payment solutions.
Software for UnderstandingWeb Traffic (Web Analytics)      - Google Analytics (www.google.com/analytics)      - Clicktracks (www.clicktracks.com)      - WebTrends (www.webtrends.com) How are people finding, browsing, and leaving your site? How many prospective customers are being delivered by each PPC ad, and which pages are most popular? These programs tell you all this and more. Google is free for most low-volume sites—and better than a lot of paid software — and the others cost \$30 and upward per month.
A/B Testing Software      - Offermatica (www.offermatica.com)      - Vertster.com (www.vertster.com)      - Optimost (www.optimost.com) Testing is, as you know, the name of the game, but testing all the variables can be confusing. How do you know which combination of headlines, text, and images on your home page results in the most sales? Instead of using one version for a period and then alternating, which is time-consuming, use software that serves up different versions of your home page to prospects at random and then does the math for you.
Low-Cost Toll-free Numbers      - TollFreeMAX (www.tollfreemax.com) (877) 8888-MAX TollFreeMAX allows you to have your own toll-free number; calls can be forwarded to any other numbers. Voicemail goes to your e-mail address.
Checking Competitive Site Traffic      - Alexa (www.alexa.com) See how much traffic your competition is getting and who is linking to them.
Freelance Designers and Programmers      - eLance (www.elance.com) (877-435-2623)      - CraigsList (www.craigslist.org)
Looking Huge—Virtual Receptionist and IVR      - Angel (www.angel.com) (888-692-6435) Get an 800 number with professional voice menu (voice recognition departments, extensions, etc.) in five minutes. Incredible.      - Ring Central (www.ringcentral.com) (888-898-4591) Offers toll-free numbers, call screening and forwarding, voicemail, fax send and receive, and message alerts, all online.
CD/DVD Duplication, Printing, and Product Packaging      - AVC Corporation (www.avccorp.com) (310-533-5811)      - SF Video (www.sfvideo.com) (800-545-5865)
Local Fulfillment (fewer than 20 units shipped per week)      - Mailing Fulfillment Service Association (www.mfsanet.org) (800-333-6272)
End-to-End Fulfillment Companies (more than 20 units shipped per week, \$500+ setup)      - Motivational Fulfillment (www.mfpsinc.com) (909-517-2200) The secret back-end infrastructure to campaigns from HBO, PBS, Comic Relief, Body by Jake, and more.      - Moulton Fulfillment (www.moultonfulfillment.com) (818-997-1800) 200,000-square-foot facility that offers real-time online inventory reports.      - National Fulfillment (www.nationalfulfillment.com) (800-449-0016) Located in central Tennessee to minimize ship times to all domestic locations.
Order-Taking Call Centers (per-minute charges) These call centers are known for being efficient order takers. In other words, if you give the product price in an advertisement (hard offer), are offering free information (lead generation), or don't need trained salespeople who can overcome objections, these are good options.      - West Teleservices (www.west.com) (800-232-0900) Employs 29,000 worldwide and processes billions of minutes per year. All the high-volume and low-price players use them.      - LiveOps (www.liveops.com) (800-411-4700) This pioneer in home-based reps often permits lower per-minute rates.      - Convergys (www.convergys.com) (888-284-9900)
Closer Call Centers (per-minute and/or per-sale commissions) These "call centers" are more appropriately called sales centers. Operators are commissioned and trained "closers" whose sole goal is to convert callers to buyers; these calls are in response to "call for information/trial/ sample" ads that don't feature a price (soft offers). These are the pros I work with, but expect higher costs.      - InPulse (www.inpulseresponse.com) (800-841-9000) Provides everything to manage your campaign, from scriptwriters to consultants to in-house trainers. Excellent reputation.      - Protocol Marketing (www.protocolmarketing.com) (800-677-2001) One of the classic sales-oriented call centers. I've used them for years.      - Triton Technology (www.tritontechnology.com) (800-704-7538) Commission-only sales center known for incredible closing abilities (see the movie Boiler Room and Alec Baldwin's character in Glengarry Glen Ross). Don't call unless your product sells for at least \$100.
Credit Card Processors (merchant account through your bank necessary) These companies, unlike options in the last chapter, specialize in not only processing credit cards but interacting with fulfillment on your behalf, removing you from the flowchart.      - TransFirst Payment Processing (www.transfirst.com) (800-745-2659)      - Chase Paymentech (www.paymentech.com) (800-824-4313)      - Trust Commerce (www.trustcommerce.com) (949-387-3747)
Affiliate ProgramSoftware      - My Affiliate Program (www.myaffiliateprogram.com) (888-224-6565)
Discount Media Buying Agencies If you go to a magazine, radio station, or TV channel and pay rate card — the "retail" pricing first given—you will never make it big. Save a lot of headache and expense—consider using ad agencies that negotiate discounts of up to 90% in their chosen media.      - Manhattan Media (Print) (www.manhmedia.com) (212-808-4077) Great agency with fast turnaround. I've used them since the beginning.      - Novus Media (Print) (www.novusprintmedia.com) (612-874-3000) Has established relationships with over 1,400 magazine and newspaper publishers and offers an average of 80% off of rate card. Clients include Sharper Image and Office Depot.      - Mercury Media (TV) (www.mercurymedia.com) The largest private DR media agency in the United States, they specialize in TV but can also handle radio and print. They offer full tracking and reporting to determine ROI.      - RevShare (TV) (www.revshare.com) (310-451-2900) "Pay for results, not time" is their motto. RevShare allows you to split order profits with TV stations instead of paying for time up front. This is known as "per inquiry," or "PI," in TV and other offline media.      - Marketing Architects (Radio) (www.marketingarchitects.com) (800-700-7726) The de facto leaders in radio DR but a bit on the expensive side. Almost all of the most successful DR products—Carlton Sheets No Money Down, Tony Robbins, etc.—have used them.      - Radio Direct Response (Radio) (www.radiodirect.com) (610-892-7300) Mark Lipsky has put together a great firm, with clients ranging from small direct marketers to Travel Channel and Wells Fargo.
Online Marketing and Research Firms (PPC campaign management, etc.) Starting small, find a local individual to help.      - SEMPO (www.sempo.org; see the member directory) (781-876-8866) Excellent mid-size firms.      - Clicks 2 Customers (www.clicks2cust0mers.com)      - Working Planet (www.workingplanet.com) (401-709-3123) The hard-hitting pros—small campaigns start at a few thousand dollars.      - Marketing Experiments (www.marketingexperiments.com) (This is my team.)      - Did It (www.did-it.com) (800-932-7761)      - Pepper Jam Search (www.pepperjamsearch.com) (877-796-5700)      - iProspect (www.iprospect.com) (617-923-7000)
Full-Service Infomercial Producers These are the companies that made Oreck Direct, Nutrisystem, Nordic-Track, and Hooked on Phonics household names. The first has an excellent DRTV glossary, and both sites offer excellent resources. Don't call unless you can budget at least \$15,000 for a short-form commercial or more than \$50,000 for a long-form infomercial.      - Hawthorne Direct (www.hawthornedirect.com) (641-472-3800)      - Scriptto-Screen (www.scripttoscreen.com) (714-558-3971)
Retail and International Product Distribution Want to get your product on the shelves of Wal-Mart, Costco, Nordstrom, or the leading department store in Japan? Sometimes it pays to have experts with relationships get you there.      - BJ Direct (International) (www.bjgd.com) (949-753-mi)
Celebrity Brokers Want a celebrity to endorse your product or be a spokesperson? It can cost a lot less than you think, if you do it right. I know of one clothing endorsement deal with the best pitcher in Major League Baseball that cost just \$20,000 per year. Here are the brokers who can make it happen.      - Celeb Brokers (www.celebbrokers.com) (310-268-1476) President Jack King was the person who first turned me on to this fascinating world. He knows it all inside and out.      - Celebrity Endorsement Network (www.celebrityendorsement.com) (818-225-7090)
Celebrity Finding      - Contact Any Celebrity (www.contactanycelebrity.com) It is possible to do it yourself, as I have done many times. This online directory and its helpful staff will help you find any celebrity in the world.
Making the Decision Easier      - iWorkWithFools (www.iworkwithfools.com) iWorkWithFools allows you to read or anonymously share work-related stories about the foolish co-workers and bosses most of us deal with daily.
Pulling the Trigger Together      - I-Resign (www.i-resign.com) This site provides everything from second-life job-hunting advice to, my personal favorite, sample resignation letters. Don't miss the helpful discussion forums and hysterical "Web consultant from London" letter.
Opening Retirement Accounts If you want an adviser and don't mind some fees, consider the following.      - Franklin-Templeton (www.franklintempleton.com) (800-527-2020)      - American Funds (www.americanfunds.com) (800-421-0180) If you will do your own investing and want no-load funds, check out these companies.      - Fidelity Investments (www.fidelity.com) (800-343-3548)      - Vanguard (www.vanguard.com) (800-414-1321)
Health Insurance for Self-employed or Unemployed More options and recommendations can be found on www.fourhourworkweek.com.      - "Ehealthinsurance (www.ehealthinsurance.com) (800-977-8860)      - AETNA (www.aetna.com)      - Kaiser Permanente (www.kaiserpermanente.org) (800-207-5084)
BrainstormingMini-Retirement Locations \- Virtual Tourist (www.virtualtourist.com) The single largest source of unbiased, user-generated travel content in the world. More than 775,000 members contribute tips and warnings for more than 25,000 locations. Each location is covered in 13 separate categories, like Things to Do, Local Customs, Shopping, and Tourist Traps. This is one-stop shopping for most mini-retirements. \- Escape Artist (www.escapeartist.com) Interested in second passports, starting your own country, Swiss banking, and all the other things I wouldn't dare put in this book? This site is a fantastic resource. When our president starts WWIII, you'll want to have an escape plan. Drop me a note from the Caymans or jail, whichever comes first. \- Outside Magazine Online Free Archives (http://outside.away.com) The entire archive of OutsideMagazine is available online for free. From meditation camps to worldwide adrenaline hotspots and from dream jobs to Patagonia winter highlights, there are hundreds of articles with beautiful photos to give you the walkabout itch. \- GridSkipper: The Urban Travel Guide (www.gridskipper.com) For those who love Bladerunner-like settings and exploring the cool nooks and crannies of cities worldwide, this is the site. It is one of Forbes's Top 13 Travel sites and is "high-falootin' and low-brow all in the same breath" (Frommer's). Translation: Much of the content is not G-rated. If four-letter words or a "world's sluttiest city" poll bothers you, don't bother visiting this site (or Rio de Janeiro, for that matter). Otherwise, check out the hysterical writing and "\$100 a day" for cities worldwide. \- Lonely Planet: The Thorn Tree (http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com) Discussion forum for global travelers with threads separated by region. \- Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com) A comprehensive forum on, you guessed it, family travel. Want to sell your kids for top dollar in the Eastern Bloc? Or save a few dollars and cremate Grannie in Thailand? Then this isn't the site. But if you have kids and are planning a big trip, this is the place. \- U.S. Department of State Country Profiles (www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/) \- World Travel Watch (www.worldtravelwatch.com) Larry Habegger and James O'Reilly's weekly online report of global events and odd happenings relevant to travel safety; sorted by topic and geographic region. Concise and must-see prior to finalizing plans. \- U.S. Department of State Worldwide Travel Warnings (http://travel.state.gov)
Mini-Retirement Planning and Preparation—Fundamentals \- Round-the-World FAQ (includes travel insurance) (www.perpetualtravel.com/rtw) This FAQ is a lifesaver. Originally written by Marc Brosius, it has been added to by newsgroup participants for years and now covers nuts and bolts from financial planning to return culture shock and all in between. How long can you afford to be away? Do you need travel insurance? Leave of absence or resignation? This is an around-the-world almanac. \- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www. cdc. gov/ travel) Recommended vaccinations and health planning for every nation in the world. Certain countries require proof of inoculations to pass through customs—get the shots well ahead of time, as some take weeks to order. \- Tax Planning (www.irs.gov/publications/p54/index.html) More good news. Even if you permanently relocate to another country, you will have to pay U.S. taxes as long as you have a U.S. passport! Not to fret—there are some creative legal sidesteps, such as form 2555-EZ, that can provide up to an \$80,000 income exemption if you spend at least 330 of a consecutive 365 days off U.S. soil. That's part of the reason my 2004 trip extended to 15 months. Get a good accountant and let them do the detail work to keep yourself out of trouble. \- U.S.-Sponsored Overseas Schools (www.state.gov/m/a/os) If the idea of pulling your children out of school for a year or two doesn't appeal, stick them in one of these 185 elementary and secondary schools sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in 132 countries. Kids love homework. \- Universal Currency Converter (www.xe.com) Before you get caught up in the excitement and forget that five British pounds does not equal five U.S. dollars, use this to translate local costs into numbers you understand. Try not to have too many "Those coins are each worth four dollars?" moments. \- Universal Plug Adapter (www.franzus.com) Carrying bulky cables and connectors is irritating—get a Travel Smart® allin-one adapter with surge protection. The size of a pack of cards folded in half, it is the only adapter that I've used everywhere without problems. Note that it is an adapter (helps you plug things in), but it is not a transformer. If the foreign wall outlet has twice as much voltage as in the United States, your gadgets will self-destruct. Yet another reason to purchase necessities abroad instead of taking them all with you. \- World Electric Guide (www.kropla.com) Figure out outlets, voltage, mobile phones, international dialing codes, and all sorts of things related to electric mismatching worldwide.
Cheap and Round-the-World Airfare \- Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) 400+ airlines worldwide; this is the starting point for pricing comparisons. \- Priceline (www.priceline.com) Start bidding at 50% of the lowest Orbitz fare and move up in \$50 increments. \- CFares (www.cfares.com) Consolidator fares with free and low-cost memberships. I found a roundtrip ticket from California to Japan for \$500. \- i-800-FLY-EUROPE (www.1800flyeurope.com) I used this to get the \$300 round-trip from JFK to London that left two hours later. \- Discount Airlines for Flights within Europe (www.ryanair.com, www.easyjet.com)
FreeWorldwide Housing — Short Term \- Global Freeloaders (www.globalfreeloaders.com) This online community brings people together to offer you free accommodations all over the world. Save money and make new friends while seeing the world from a local's perspective. \- The Couchsurfing Project (www.couchsurfing.com) Similar to the above but tends to attract a younger, more party-hearty crowd. \- Hospitality Club (www.hospitalityclub.org) Meet locals worldwide who can provide free tours or housing through this well-run network of more than 200,000 members in over 200 countries.
FreeWorldwide Housing — Long Term \- Home Exchange International (www.homeexchange.com) (800-877-8723) This is a home exchange listing and search service with more than 12,000 listings in more than 85 countries. E-mail directly to potential homes, put your own home/apartment on the site, and have unlimited access to view listings for one year for a small membership fee.
Paid Housing — from Arrival to the Long Haul \- Hostels.com (www.hostels.com) This site isn't just for youth hostels. I found a nice hotel in downtown Tokyo for \$20 per night and have used this site for similar housing in eight countries. Think location and reviews (see HotelChatter below) instead of amenities. Four-star hotels are for binge travelers; this site can offer a real local flavor before you find an apartment or other longer-term housing. \- HotelChatter (www.hotelchatter.com) Get the real scoop on this daily Web journal with detailed and honest reviews of housing worldwide. Updated several times daily, this site offers the stories of frustrated guests and those who have found hidden gems. Online booking is available.
\- Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) Besides local weekly magazines with housing listings, such as Bild or Zitty (no joke) in Berlin, I have found Craigslist to be the single best starting point for long-term overseas furnished apartments. As of this writing, there are more than 50 countries represented. That said, prices will be 30-70% less in the local magazines. If you have a tight budget, get a hostel employee or other local to help you make a few calls and strike a deal. Ask the local helper to not mention that you're a foreigner until pricing is agreed upon. \- Interhome International (www.interhome.com) Based in Zurich, more than 20,000 homes for rent in Europe. \- Rentvillas.com (www.rentvillas.com) (800-726-6702) Provides unique renting experiences—from cottages and farmhouses to castles—throughout Europe, including France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal.
Computer Remote-Access Tools \- GoToMyPC (www.gotomypc.com) This software facilitates quick and easy remote access to your computer's files, programs, e-mail, and network. It can be used from any Web browser or Windows-enabled wireless device and works in real time. I have used GoToMyPC religiously for more than five years to access my U.S.-based computers from countries and islands worldwide. \- WebExPCNow (http://pcnow.webex.com) WebEx, the leader in corporate remote access, now offers software that does most of what GoToMyPC offers, including cut and paste between remote computers, local printing from remote computers, file transfers, and more. \- GoldLantern WiFinder (www.goldlantern.com/homepages/wifinder.html) This tiny gadget, smaller than a matchbox, hangs from your keychain and enables you to find wireless Internet signals within 300 feet. It saves the iiberpain hassle of carrying around a laptop to find signals and even indicates signal strength.
Free and Low-Cost Internet (IP) Telephones \- Skype (www.skype.com) I haven't made a non-Skype international call since this free software debuted. It allows you to call landlines and mobile phones across the globe for an average of two to three cents per minute or connect with other Skype worldwide users for free. For about 40 Euros per year, you can get a U.S. number with your home area code and receive calls that forward to a foreigncell phone. This makes your travel invisible. Lounge on the beach in Rio and answer calls to your "office" in California. Nice. \- Vonage (www.vonage.com) Vonage offers a small adapter that connects your broadband modem to a normal phone. Take it on your travels and set it up in your apartment to receive calls to a U.S. number.
InternationalMulti-Band and GSM-Compatible Phones \- My World Phone (www.myworldphone.com) I'm partial to Nokia phones. Ensure whichever phone you purchase is "unlocked," which means that the SIM card can be swapped out in different countries with different providers. \- World Electronics USA (www.worldelectronicsusa.com) Good explanation of which GSM frequencies and "bands" function in which countries. This will determine which phone you purchase for travel (and perhaps home).
Tools for Off the Beaten Path "Satellite Phones (www.satphonestore.com) If you will be in the mountains of Nepal or on a remote island and want the peace of mind (or headache) of having a phone nearby, these phones work via satellite instead of towers. Iridium has been recommended for widest pole-to-pole reception, with GlobalStar in second place on three continents. Rent or purchase. \- Pocket-sized Solar Panels (www.solio.com) Satellite phones and other small electronics are of little use (skipping stones, perhaps?) if their batteries die. Solio is about the size of two packs of cards and fans out into small solar panels. I was surprised to find that it charged my cell phone in less than 15 minutes—more than twice as fast as a wall outlet. Adapters are available for almost anything.
What to Do Once You Get There—Career Experiments and More \- Transitions Abroad (www.transitionsabroad.com) This is the mother lode. See "Restricted Reading" for more details. \- Meet Up (www.meetup.com) Search by city and activity to find people who share similar interests all over the world. \- Become a Travel Writer (www.writtenroad.com) Get paid to travel the world and record your thoughts? This is a dream job for millions. Get the inside scoop on the travel publishing world from veteran Jen Leo, author of Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write from the Road. This blog was a Frommer's Budget Travel Top Choice and also features great practical articles about going gadgetless and low-tech travel. \- Teach Engrish (www.eslcafe.com) Dave's ESL Cafe is one of the oldest and most useful resources for teachers, would-be teachers, and learners of English. Features discussion boards and "teachers wanted" job postings worldwide. \- Turn Your Brain into Play-Doh (www.jiwire.com) Travel the world so you can instant message with your friends at home. This site lists more than 150,000 hotspots where you can feed your information OCD. Be ashamed if this becomes your default activity. If you're bored, just remember—it's your fault. I've been there, so I'm not preaching. It happens to the best of us from time to time, but get more creative. \- Test a New Career Part- or Full-Time (www.workingoverseas.com) This encyclopedia is an exhaustive menu of options for the globally minded. It is compiled and updated by Jean-Marc Hachey, the international careers editor of Transitions Abroad magazine. \$15 U.S. for one-year access. \- Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (www.wwoof.com) Learn and then teach sustainable organic farming techniques in dozens of countries, including Turkey, New Zealand, Norway, and French Polynesia.
Chat and E-mail in a Language You Don't Know \- Free Translation (www.freetranslation.com) Translate text from English into a dozen languages and vice versa. Surprisingly accurate, though the lost-in-translation 10-20% can get you in trouble/fun.
Become Fluent in Record Time \- Language Addicts and Accelerated Learning (www.fourhourworkweek.com) For all things language-related, from detailed how-to articles (how to reactivate forgotten languages, memorize 1,000 words per week, master tones, etc.) to mnemonics and the best electronic shortcuts, visit www.fourhour workweek.com. Learning languages is an addiction of mine and a skill I have taken apart and reassembled to be faster. It is possible to become conversationally fluent in any language in three to six months.
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