List the locales you will consider to escape the cost of living crisis in Australia.

We live in a dog-eat-dog world. Bite or get bitten. Prices in the Great Southern Land are on the rise. This trend will continue. Interest rates are not being slashed. Grocery markups, the norm. More than ever, supermarkets are being scrutinised. Cheaper petrol has mile-long queues. Empty cinemas and department stores. People try to get by as they skip meals. Real estate and rent are exorbitant. Our city has been atop the world’s most expensive list. The beleaguered are thinking of exile options. With all the price jacking, where to? Thankfully, there are alternatives. Save for Chile, all of these places do not require a visa for Aussies. You can stay for up to ninety days. No worries. In one of them, we can remain indefinitely. Here are five destinations across five continents.

1. Auckland, New Zealand. What better way to consider the hypothetical than by invoking the land across the ditch. Eleven years ago, I spent four nights in this magical town. We toured Coromandel, which was two hours away. Likewise shopped at Sylvia Park, which was large but not on par with Macquarie Centre in Sydney. We visited museums, the art gallery, planetarium and zoo. My pal introduced me to his para Christian school friend. They seemed like zealots.
   
   The people are warm and friendly, ready and eager to lend a hand. The streets are very tidy, with temps similar to Sydney. It’s a bit rainier. Altogether, NZ’s largest and oldest metropolis reminds me of the Emerald City. The joints, banks, malls, cars, museums, and attractions are Sydney-esque. These days, the AUD is not as strong against the NZD.

I doubt of much relief. The essentials would still be through the roof. Interest rates and inflation, the same. Auckland offers two things that others don’t: familiarity and proximity. Have lived in Sydney for a long while? A similar environ won’t hurt. Furthermore, Auckland is three hours away. Closer to the Harbour City than Perth, Western Australia. If you ever need to go back and forth, then look no farther.

Last year, I phoned Ikea for an order update. The lass on the phone was helpful. I detected her Kiwi accent.

‘You’re from New Zealand,’ I told her.

‘Yes,’ she replied with a chuckle. I chortled, too.

Aussies don’t need a visa for NZ, just a valid passport. You can likewise stay in Aotearoa indefinitely. Last time, the customs process was breezy. Returning to Oz, I had jet lag. A long queue greeted the visitors. Being Aussies, we bypassed that conga line, flashed our passports, and were on our way.

2. Alaska, USA. Ah, the old Alaska solution. This first came to my attention from WAY back. See also: The Simpson Movie. I forgot about this option, until streaming Into The Wild on Netflix. The Sean Penn production had spectacular visuals. I wanted to fill a rucksack, sell my belongings, and relocate there permanently.

The glaciers, landscape, and fauna were out of this world. You could spend leagues in the outdoors without gawking at a soul. The ideal place to escape, the ending of a Bourne movie, the great unknown. See also: The Revenant.

All material possessions are superfluous. If our ancestors survived on stones, bread, and meat, then so could we. They didn’t have language skills or five star hotels. No Coca-cola, sports, Internet or typewriters. No Macs or Hugo Boss. No devices, cars, probably sans mobile coverage. Yet they subsisted and carried through. Just you and the earth. Perfect.

3. Patagonia, South America. In consonance with Alaska’s snow, why not Patagonia? The region offers as much, along with condors, the Andes, and Spanish speakers. You must brush up on your Spanish. Patagonia covers southern Chile and Argentina. The renowned author and explorer, Bruce Chatwin, wrote In Patagonia, a revered and highly original travel book. A few years ago, I was lucky to peruse a copy. Though written a while back, the read remains relevant.

Patagonia is like Alaska…on steroids. If the latter is vast, the former is endless. Stretches of space on all directions. Plenty of uninhabited wildlife. The area offers a bit of everything, from bustling cities to birds of prey, snow-capped peaks to winding roads. East is the Pacific Ocean, straight to New Zealand.

The unpredictable weather and plunging mercury wouldn’t bother me. The chilly nights and winters are fine; just pack the right garments. If you’re savvy, you’ll escape the fate of those football cannibals. In the 70s, their plane crashed in the Andes. Unlike Alaska and NZ, Patagonia presents a language barrier. With sumptuous topography, unchartered terrain, and a diverse history, count me in.

4. Iceland. Another snowy locale. In the middle of nowhere, this country is between Greenland and Europe. Iceland was a Danish territory before gaining independence in 1944. An Italian acquaintance told me of the Baltic weather and dreary days. McDonald’s has long gone. In addition, there’s a growing Pinoy diaspora.

I recall catching Walter Mitty with a mate. The flick was made for the cinemas. Upon seeing it, I surmised that I wanted to go. Walter was much better than the critics suggested. Had a strong cast and delightful visuals.

If you want to escape, full stop, this is as good as it gets. Alaska and Patagonia have some traces of civilisation. No offence, but outside of Reykjavik, time has changed little. Iceland is Europe’s most sparsely populated nation. Almost four of ten Icelanders call the capital home. Like being in the TARDIS, it takes some adjustment.

Most Icelanders speak English. If you yearn for rugged terrain, lots of space, and few critters, this is the pick for you.

5. Tangiers, Morocco. To be fair, an African metropolis must be included. Tangiers is not as well-known as the US or New Zealand. The city resembles Iceland and Patagonia, minus the remoteness. Indeed, Tangiers is not Morocco’s most famous tourist spot. See also: Marrakech, with its maze-like alleys and vibrant street markets. In a strategic location, the city is an hour south of Europe.

The mix of old and new, diversity and colour, has created a favourite filming location. Blockbusters like James Bond and Jason Bourne have all maximised the town’s exotic charm. The fight scene between Jason (Matt Damon) and Desh in Bourne Ultimatum has been lauded as one of cinema’s finest. A friend told me that the movie’s Oscars were ‘well-deserved.’

With its Mediterranean climate, Tangiers is the odd one out on this list. Definitely no snow, swooping condors, or sweeping valleys. Closer to Sahara than the Alps. More inhabitants and fellow tourists. English has become the most widely spoken second language. Learning basic French or Arabic is wise. In terms of being culturally rich and diverse, this locus is at the forefront.

There you have it. Five distinct loci in five continents. To recap: Chilean winters to Morrocan spices, Auckland sights to Alaskan wilderness. To paraphrase Shakespeare, to wander or not, that is the question.