[Purrybonker]

Kevin:

Thanks for the thoughts, those sound much like those I hear from my boss. He's a financial wizard from your neck of the woods (you're kinda north-London bedroom community, right?) and still keeps a flat there. He keeps the flat as both a link to home and a probable place to retire - but then, he's the boring son of an Anglican preacherman. You know the type - probably mercilessly teased as a kid, even at that tony private school.

As to Canada, he says that he could potentially see himself living in Vancouver or Victoria or Toronto. Montreal has too much of a bohemian touch and Calgary has a bit of a climate issue. We've been known to shovel snow off our driveways in June in Calgary, but then we sometimes rake our lawns in February. Alberta has to put up with the uncertanties of weather rolling off the Rocky Mountains.

As to the nothern Territories - they have huge romantic appeal in the way of any new frontier, but life there would present numerous challenges (like bugs and high costs) to sustainability. That's obviously why they stay so empty. With an adequately developed tourism infrastructure, they do represent a rewarding place to visit. Raft the Nahanni River or fly into any fishing/wilderness camp for a mind broadening experience.

Good luck!