Best Place to Live?

My area offers some of the most interesting climates of all. As a result, this shows off some of the benefits and disadvantages of each climate, whether you were to live in Sweden, or in the tropics. Here we have four seasons, not just one or two. So, sometimes I'm compelled to ask myself...what is the best place to live? So here's a rundown of various places on Earth, much of them my faves:
1) China; This is one of those place with a very diverse range of weather, from extremely high peaks, to jungles, and some really warm yet continental climate, as well as some extremely frigid and dry desert.
2) Canada & AK. Alaska is an interesting place. Given the fact that it lies at a longitude of about 65 degrees or so, you'd probably think it's incredibly cold, at least during much of the year. Although this isn't always true, think about how the cool climate compares to that of a tropical one. Here you'd have average winter temperatures of anywhere between roughly 35 down to well below 0. And then again, there is still the annoying wind chill, which can make things crazy during a snow storm. Boat loads of snow can fall on high elevation, which result in a place that is just insane. Fall is also a bad time of year here, because the intense low pressure that prevails, causing intense winds. Despite all of this, it can be quite pleasant in summer in Alaska, even far inland. Now for Canada, it is quite a lot like Alaska. And just like AK, the west coast is a very moderate climate, yet extremely miserable nonetheless. It's simply amazing how, at a longitude of over 60 degrees, one can still find a climate in which the average winter temperature can be in the thirties. For instance, other areas of America, which are on low elevation can be much, much colder than this and they are at a mere 40 or so degrees longitude!
3) The tropics; Would you rather live in a cold climate, or one which is hot and humid? The tropics offer up some terrifying snakes and spiders, and insects. And they're also home to some truly bad diseases.
The verdict?
Each climate has it's benefits/cons. IMO, there is no clear winner. In a place like Alaska, there are no insects for the most part. However, you need to keep in mind the fact that the territories out there make it really tough during much of the year. And the tropics, they are really wet and muddy for the most part. And in Alaska you'd probably be more than a walking distance from your neighbors, or any resources such as fuel. You don't need to worry so much about freezing or keeping things cool. Yet out there, even in a place that's not all that cold, such as Canada, it is truly terrible how cold it is. It is literally as bad as being in the desert, with the only exception that instead of it being hot it's frigid, at least some times of the year. It is still easier to hide in a winter landscape rather than in the desert such as the Sahara.
Health
Interestingly, many places that are cold are dry, just like deserts. Yet how easy is it to protect yourself from heat, rather than cold? Is it really better if you're injured out in the cold, rather than in warm? The "myth" is that cold helps ease pain. That's not always true. For one, cold is like a painkiller. It's something that can only be temporary for the now. When it comes to diseases, I would bet on a cold climate. After all, colder temps aid in immunity, especially when you sleep.
Not out of the Dark
Unfortunately, in the arctic, one usually worries about danger from animals such as bears. This may seem like a worse danger than that from insects. However, it is generally easier to defend against these things than it is from disease infested insects, even though that sounds ironic in itself.
Now in the temperate areas of the world is where the qualities of both worlds come together, yet not exactly how you would probably expect. Much of everything that shares the likes of the Arctic or the tropics is adapted to survive the seasons. So it is just not right to say that in summer, a temperate climate equals a tropical one, or in winter it is equivalent to the arctic. In fact, the plants and animals, at least a lot of them, are different in many ways. We won't talk about that here; in moderate climates, however, the weather is often far too gloomy for many. Yet these climates offer some of the most densely populated forests in the world.
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The water cycle is another factor that helps determine whether cold or warm climates are preferrable. For instance, in the Arctic, or in temperate areas, the thawing and freezing of water is a serious concern. It can cause ice buildup, which can result in downed wires as well as rupture pipes. Meanwhile, the temperature changes associated with temperate climate can be a serious threat, even in summer. These changes can sporadically cause intense low pressure, akin to that of hurricane season. However, hurricanes are caused mainly by warmth, whereas severe weather is less abundant here on Earth, and the winds have potential to be more potent. And this brings us to an interesting point. Because while we're on the topic of water, you need to remember that in temperate climates, and the tropics especially, there can be more flooding. We are still a far ways away from determining where our resting place will be. Yet there is still another place I'd like to think about, and which I assume is the answer to "Where is the best place on Earth?"
And that answer I will guess would go to somewhere on high elevation. Why? At high elevation, many of these risks are mitigated, or eliminated as a matter of fact. We are still left with the problems of severe wind, frigid conditions, and perhaps there is something I haven't mentioned. The Himalayas are one of the most interesting places for me to live someday; Why? Well because it's "up there somewhere", that is, it's more or less devoid of air, because it's breathtaking you know. And see, that's a place I've never been to. Somewhere where the air is thin. I mean, I'd like to take some time and stay up there for awhile. What are the health benefits from being up there? I suppose the only way to know for sure would be to actually stay there for years. And better yet, get up every morning and jog around for 20 miles or more. See, the lack of air can be a problem and well, a goo thing. After all, high elevation supplies us with cleaner air. The particulates up there are more sporadic (if you ask me, that is). And it's not just the air that's cleaner, but also the water. How would it affect health to drink super pure water for an extended amount of time. For example, the water you drink, even if it does come from somewhere other than urban, could have (for sake of example) 43 PPM, while the water from the Himalayas, or some other mountain chain, could be a mere 5 PPM. And yet the lack of vitamins, minerals, etc. in that water, when it comes from the mountains, is practically negligible; Why? Well, it's true we need a daily amount of such things to keep us running. Yet, if you were to constantly drink ultra clean water every day for an extensive amount of time, then guess what? Something "magic" might just happen. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a scientist when it comes to these matters. However, this is just my theory on how things work. So, back to the topic; the water would start to drain away nutrients away. Yes, that's right. However, there is always a silver lining to everything, is there not? After all, it is a scientifically documented phenomenon how we are able to adapt over time, and evolve. So then why could we eventually evolve, and then our digestive system would then be able to prevent the draining of nutrients away from our system? I mean, it could learn over time what is good for us and what is not. Then when we get back "down to the ground", or just to lower elevations, we may start eating healthy foods which we might not have had access to in the mountains, and we would then be "programmed" to have access to more nutrients than we would have otherwise. We would now be able to accept more vitamins, minerals, etc. to aid in vitality. And I assume living in Himalayan country would also help you age more slowly. However, that is mere speculation.
So, although we haven't really been able to answer any questions posted in this post, it still ceases not to leave us with a sense of wonder and perhaps all of this you will find inspiring down the path.
T