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Europe in 2021

Do you have no aspirations to see the big wide world outside of the EU Romke? You’d need all of the things you mention.
OK, here we go.

In my 72 years I've lived in Indonesia, visited Canada, the USA, Japan and Namibia, worked and lived in four European countries (the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, France), and spent endless months landrovering in Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Senegal and Mali. I speak Dutch, English, French and German and have a good understanding of Italian and Spanish. My first wife (and the mother of my children) was French, my second is British and I had an Italian girlfriend in between. I'm now at the age of wanting to take things a bit easier and my travel aspirations are "limited" to the big wide world of 30-or-so countries that I can reach without ferries, tunnels and cumbersome paperwork.

Your turn.
 
No we're a mid-Atlantic freewheeling geo-political powerhouse now, part of a trading bloc with St Helena and Tristan da Cunha, didn't you get the memo?

I think that our application to join the Trans-pacific Trade Agreement relocates the British Isles to the south west of Tureia.
 
As long as it means I can visit without having to surrender my cheddar cheese sandwiches I don't care where we are moved to.
 
I think that our application to join the Trans-pacific Trade Agreement relocates the British Isles to the south west of Tureia.
Must admit I just had to look that one up but I find that its lagoon has no navigable entrance so trading opportunities will presumably be limited.
 
OK, here we go.

In my 72 years I've lived in Indonesia, visited Canada, the USA, Japan and Namibia, worked and lived in four European countries (the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, France), and spent endless months landrovering in Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Senegal and Mali. I speak Dutch, English, French and German and have a good understanding of Italian and Spanish. My first wife (and the mother of my children) was French, my second is British and I had an Italian girlfriend in between. I'm now at the age of wanting to take things a bit easier and my travel aspirations are "limited" to the big wide world of 30-or-so countries that I can reach without ferries, tunnels and cumbersome paperwork.

Your turn.
Interesting life, good for you Romke.
 
Interesting life, good for you Romke.
and by the way I feel absolutely no need to enter any sort of competition with you. I’m 70 and can trump you on some things not others. I’ll leave it at that.
 
Exactement! If I need a passport I have to take a train to Paris, pay 300 euros at the embassy and take the train back. All for just one country. Not worth it!
(And FYI: my wife is a British national and we have family and friends in the UK.)
Travel to Paris and pay 300 euros for a passport, sounds like the dark ages. If I need a UK passport I apply online, maybe walk to the Post Office, send in the application +£75 then wait for the Postman to push it through my letter box about 14 days later.
As for visiting the EU, doubtful, I have a passport, health insurance, breakdown insurance, green card, so all I need is an international driving license which entails a very pleasant walk across the fieldsto the main Post Office and back with my license in my pocket - be back home door to door in under one hour. No problems!
 
As for visiting the EU, doubtful, I have a passport, health insurance, breakdown insurance, green card, so all I need is an international driving license which entails a very pleasant walk across the fieldsto the main Post Office and back with my license in my pocket - be back home door to door in under one hour. No problems!
The last time I had to obtain an international driving permit (IDP) it certainly wasn't that simple. I went to three different post offices, at two of which it was: "yeah I know the website says we do but we don't". It was a right PITA, and remember these things only last a year and you then have to go through the whole stupid thing again.

Can only hope Post Office has got its act together now.
 
The last time I had to obtain an international driving permit (IDP) it certainly wasn't that simple. I went to three different post offices, at two of which it was: "yeah I know the website says we do but we don't". It was a right PITA, and remember these things only last a year and you then have to go through the whole stupid thing again.

Can only hope Post Office has got its act together now.
In 2019 that was exactly how I did it. Then my wife walked in the next day to get hers. Easy. 12 months is fine for us.
 
In 2019 that was exactly how I did it. Then my wife walked in the next day to get hers. Easy. 12 months is fine for us.
Great, glad you enjoyed it and want to do it every year. Myself, I'm really looking forward to booking and paying for a vet visit for an AHC every time we want to pop over to France for the weekend with the dog. Hey, maybe we can all enjoy being made to travel back to our home village every census time, I really don't get why they ever stopped that.
 
I have been having a tidy up and found an international driving licence that was issued to me in October 2005, but for the life of me I don't remember why I needed it. Even if I was somewhere that it was required I wasn't asked to show it.
 
Travel to Paris and pay 300 euros for a passport, sounds like the dark ages. If I need a UK passport I apply online, maybe walk to the Post Office, send in the application +£75 then wait for the Postman to push it through my letter box about 14 days later.
As for visiting the EU, doubtful, I have a passport, health insurance, breakdown insurance, green card, so all I need is an international driving license which entails a very pleasant walk across the fieldsto the main Post Office and back with my license in my pocket - be back home door to door in under one hour. No problems!
Nope, there is no need to obtain an international driving licence for the EU, a current UK photo licence is accepted following agreements reached subsequent to the end of the transition period.
A current EHIC is also still valid and/or you can obtain a Global Heath Card from the NHS to ensure you can access health care all the EU countries.
Most if not all telephone companies have advised that no roaming charges will be imposed for travel in the EU.
Amazing hey, who knew that the sky would not fall in when we left the EU.
 
You DON't need an IDP for the EU.

Screenshot 2021-02-09 at 17.55.27.jpg
 
The last time I had to obtain an international driving permit (IDP) it certainly wasn't that simple. I went to three different post offices, at two of which it was: "yeah I know the website says we do but we don't". It was a right PITA, and remember these things only last a year and you then have to go through the whole stupid thing again.

Can only hope Post Office has got its act together now.
They have. Simple process done at the counter. Just need your drivers license, a passport sized photo and some dosh.
 
I don’t get it why people have to find fault with others on here. Surely we’re all in this together and a bit of friendship goes a long way.
Only being lighthearted mostly, that said there are some nasty minded on here.
 

Duty Free allowance/person​

Alcohol​

  • 42 litres of beer
  • 18 litres of still wine
  • 4 litres of spirits OR 9 litres of sparkling wine, fortified wine or any alcoholic beverage less than 22% ABV
Plus you should be able to buy any amount of EU alcoholic beverages ex EU taxes and declare to UK customs and pay UK taxes if you wish.
Hi Welsh,

any idea of how much duty would be due on alcohol purchases which exceed the new allowances?
 
Hi Welsh,

any idea of how much duty would be due on alcohol purchases which exceed the new allowances?
It’s £2.28 per bottle of still wine over 7.5% alchohol content, spirits are £28.74 per litre of pure alcohol- so a 0.7 litre bottle of vodka at 40% would be 0.7x0.4x£28.74.

There is then 20% vat on the whole lot.

Once you are over the personal allowance limits you pay it on every bottle you bring back, not just the quantity In excess of the allowance.

Even within the limits it’s down to you to prove it’s for your personal consumption, if it’s not, duty is payable.
 
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