Why Celebrities Don't Own Private Islands

With one notable exception, celebrities don't own private islands, even though they COULD. It seems like such an ultimate dream, to have your own isle, but it just doesn't work for famous people.

Why? It's too much like shooting fish in a barrel. With paparazzi so zealous these days, the privacy issue would be unbearable. With your own island comes problems like security and keeping your water space clear. Paparazzi could camp out in boats, offering the celeb no chance at normal life and no viable protection. Paul McCartney found this out the hard way in the 80's when he owned a small Caribbean Island.

Who's the exception? Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Airlines & Virgin Records, appropriately enough owns a Virgin Island. He bought Necker Island in the 80's. He occasionally uses it personally, but most often rents or lends it out to others including the late Princess Diana.

The celebrity version of a Portable Lifestyle goes more toward owning a few homes in key areas and frequent vacation rentals and hotel suite stays at secluded or high security upscale properties. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt have rented a huge mansion with acres of inaccessible land in France and a whole resort in Zambia. Celebs often visit French Polynesia due to its privacy and seclusion.

If you don't get too famous, you could buy your own island at some point. We've seen them on offer for as little as $150,000!

back to top

Virtual Income 2.0

Making money virtually is changing – and in a good way. Established authors are discovering that they'll make more if they publish through web means (Amazon has opened its own virtual publishing entity). New York Magazine recently did an extensive article on changes in publishing. And new drop ship services offer the easiest way YET to go virtual with options for physical shipping that don't tie you down & help you circumvent needing staff.

It's easier than ever to run a virtual business with more opportunities for income than ever before.

We think that it's the heyday for Portable Lifestylers. Since we started this trip in 2007, much has changed to make our way of life easier. Look for additional info from us on the changes in the near future. There's never been a better time to hit the road and take your life off of hold! We'll offer an update teleseminar soon so stay tuned for that.

back to top

The International Layover (part 2)

Last month we discussed some of the visitation rules practiced by many countries such as duration of visa stays and requiring proof of a planned exit. This month we would like to reveal some of the ways that we have saved time, money, and hassle while skipping across the Globe from country to country.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING:

1. Many people do not travel much for the first few years after they have had a new baby. However, airline policy allows infants to travel for free until they reach the age of two. It's true that they will not get their own seats (unless the flight is not full) and generally must be buckled in on your lap. But some airlines actually provide secure bassinets allowing both you and your baby complete comfort during long international flights. At no extra cost!

2. Since the length of visas and visa renewals vary significantly from country to country, it is important to plan your stays accordingly. We've lucked out a number of times when we took trips away from our then home-base by working around the dates stamped in our passports. When we were in Thailand, Kathryn scheduled her 2-week trip to teach in the US to begin just before our Thai visa expired thus saving her the hassle of a visa run. Earlier this year we took a 5-day trip to Hong Kong from the Philippines right before our visa renewal date and saved a bundle!

3. You can also save money or add additional locales to an already awesome trip by utilizing airline layovers. We did this when we were planning a flight to Costa Rica that just happened to pass through Panama City along the way. We booked our flight to include a week-long layover in Panama and visited two Central American countries for the price of one. And when we left the Philippines at the beginning of this month, we were able to get a short-term entry stamp onto China (and out of the airport) for next to nothing during the 8 hours we had between flights.

There are many other ways to maximize your adventure. You just need to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the visitation rules for each of your chosen destinations. We've had a ball planning our trips and it just keeps getting better and better!

back to top