Travel and work make surprisingly good bedfellows. Some people may not think the obligation that is employment would compliment something as carefree and devoid of commitment as travel are an ideal mix, but if you’re up for a change in your lifestyle or are keen to travel long, term, there a lot of opportunities out there. This hold especially true if you’re a native English speaker.

You might be surprised to learn there are a number of recruitment agencies out there – head hunters if you will – looking for English speaking individuals who can commit to working for a specified period of time (usually a year) in a different country. Many of these jobs may be in your field already and they will provide you with invaluable experience both for your professional development and growth as a person.

Below are a list of a few destinations to consider if you are in the mood to live somewhere else, make money and see a side of life most never do.

Japan

If you decide to move to Japan for work, know that you’re in for one of the most fascinating cultural shifts on Earth. Heavily involved in business of all kinds and always on the look out for English teachers, Japan has many employment opportunities for people of all backgrounds. Tokyo is your best bet for the widest range of opportunities – you can start there and then once your contract is complete move somewhere else for different work. Be sure to get out and see all those classical Japanese attractions, from sumo tournaments to fish auctions and electronics districts. Japan really does have it all.

Australia

Sometimes you forget Australia is an option because of how far away it is, but depending on the type of work you’re looking for, it might be right up your alley. Enjoying a boom in the natural resource industry, Australia as a destination is great for those looking for adventure while living in an English-speaking country far removed from home. Western Australia is your best bet for the resources while the cities of Sydney and Melbourne offer the cosmopolitan flavour that can serve the needs of the business minded.

Kuwait

The small Middle-Eastern country has a lot to offer those seeking employment if you can meet up with the right recruiters. A beautiful country with a rich and vibrant history, Kuwait has opportunities for educators and the business minded, often for multi-year contracts. Best of all, by being situated in Kuwait opens the door to exploration of other Middle-Eastern gems. Who knows, you may love it so much you may never leave!

One of the most fascinating things in the evolution of travel over the years is the incorporation of technology into it. Hardly a new thing by any means, as travelers have always been using gadgets and gizmos dating back even as far as the earliest explorers with looking glasses and cameras, the fascination lies in how travel has developed around technology and vice-versa.

Within the last two decades, the explosion of affordable consumer technology has transformed the ‘don’t bring anything valuable’ mentality for the everyday traveler into an anachronism. Never before have tech jobs been more important to the travel sphere – it’s a very exciting time to be alive!

Looking even at the very limited field of photography in travel, one cannot help but be amazed at how something as previously complicated as picture taking could be so prevalent everywhere you go. Virtually every device these days comes equipped not just with a camera but a good camera, capable of taking hundreds of high quality pictures that can be stored or immediately uploaded for the world to see.

The sheer number of photo-sharing websites that have come about in the last decade is nothing short of amazing, impressing even more the value of skilled tech people for furthering people’s love of travel. The new and innovative ways people are using this technology to influence others and express themselves knows no limit.

Another field that has exploded in relation to travel is telecommunications, allowing people to stay connected with people back home and with the people they meet once they return home. Travel was once this pursuit with a great deal of risk attached – only the most foolhardy individuals took it on and there was a very real possibility that you would never hear from that person again. Now, you can instantly be in touch with people from almost anywhere in the world through a variety of mediums and services. Suddenly traveling isn’t as scary as it once was!

In the world we live in today, and very likely increasing in the years to come, travel and technology aren’t just a convenience – they are a necessity. Simple things like your daily commute and more complicated endeavours, like a round the world vacation, are improved and transformed through technology use. It doesn’t matter if you’re using the tech to share pictures, stay in touch or for some other means that doesn’t even exist yet, the value of this kind of innovation can’t be overstated. IT’s here to stay and there’s no limit to what IT can do.

When one is a golf aficionado, they would not dream of taking a vacation where there are no courses. And of course golfers want to take all inclusive golf vacations where the best greens are. So, to help, I narrowed it down to the top four best resorts with golf courses.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort – Pacific Dunes

Bando Dunes Golf Resort is located in Bandon Oregon. This golf-resort has a par 71 golf course sitting on 6,557 yards with a rating of 72.9 and a slope of 133. This-course is the sister to the Bandon Dunes on the Southern Oregon Coast and some believe this one is better. It has been a huge hit in the golfing scene since opening in the year 2001. This course just might be the only course in the states that plays like the “links” courses of Great Britain and Ireland. It even has the course covered dunes. Cliffside holes like #4, #11 and #13 get most of the well deserved attention. However, quirkier features like the 6th green, and the altering 9th greens, that give Pacific Dunes its character.

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach is the Number 1 ranked public golf course in the US and is located in Pebble Beach, California. It is a par 72 course with 6828 yards, a rating of 74.3 and a slope of 144. It is the host of many or numerous US Open tournaments and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am. Pro Golfer Jack Nicklaus was once asked by a reporter as to where he would want to play if he could only play one golf course for the rest of his life. His answer was of course, Pebble Beach. No matter what the cost, every golfer should play here at least once in their lives.

Whistling Straits – Straits Course

Whistling Straits is located in Sheboygan Wisconsin. It is a par 72 course with 7288 yards, a 76.7 rating and a slope of 151. This course is an ode to the raw freshness of Ireland but sculpted in the Wisconsin coast. This course is open, rugged and windswept and is a walking only links-style course. It has hosted PGA Championship tournaments, the US Senior Open and the Palmers Cup.

Pinehurst Resort and Country Club – Course 2

Pinehurst Resort and Country Club is located in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Its stats are as follows:

– Par: 72
– Yards: 7020
– Rating: 74.1
– Slope: 131

This golf course is famous because it tests the long and the short game with its length, topography, water features and green size. It is the way golf was meant to be played. Its strategic layout has made golfers of all skill levels laugh-and-cry at the same time. It is the site of more-championships than any other-course in the country. It has hosted the North and South Amateur, the 2005 US Open Championship, and the 2008 US Amateur. It is set to host the US Open again in the year 2014.

All of these resorts sound so great that I fear I only made your decision more difficult as to which one to choose. But either of these is a golfer’s paradise so there are no bad decisions!