If anyone would like to explore and/or work in The Nether, I now have a portal at my house which leads to a secure outpost in the Nether. There are some basic items for work in the outpost, including a crafting table, furnace, and bed. I've coated the exterior of the tunnel leading to the main cavern with cobblestone to make it a bit more Ghast-resistant, but as always The Nether is pretty dangerous when Ghasts are around, so be careful (the bed is there for a reason).