Separation Anxiety

BirvidikBob

Active member
Joined
8 Mar 2008
Messages
130
Location
Wandering around the Med (currently Malta)
www.sailblogs.com
We’ve been full-time cruising for 15 years, and were looking forward to many more years of blundering our way around Europe. Now, however, the double whammy of Brexit and covid have put the block on our freedom of movement.

We’ve now been stuck in Portugal for well over a year now and we haven’t seen the boat once in all that time. By’eck we miss her.

On top of that, being rooted in one place for an extended period has put us on a collision course with bureaucracy. For your delectation:

www.sailblogs.com/member/birvidik

Have fun.
 

Adios

...
Joined
20 Sep 2020
Messages
2,390
Visit site
reminded me of getting my license converted in Kuwait. A study in efficiency minimisation and job creation. Must have been 10 stops on a tour of offices where very bored men in uniforms looked at the same bit of paper, gave me a steely glare as though they could do anything other then rubber stamp it and rubber stamped it. Took the whole day even with an essential guide thankfully paid for by my work but who weren't able to stop me having to accompany the pieces of paper.

Funny thing is all the people in the world with terrible bureaucracy say they got it from the British ?‍♂️ They've had 50 years to change it but seem to like it more than we do so I'm not accepting any blame.
 

rotrax

Well-known member
Joined
17 Dec 2010
Messages
15,447
Location
South Oxon, Littlehampton and Wellington, NZ.
Visit site
reminded me of getting my license converted in Kuwait. A study in efficiency minimisation and job creation. Must have been 10 stops on a tour of offices where very bored men in uniforms looked at the same bit of paper, gave me a steely glare as though they could do anything other then rubber stamp it and rubber stamped it. Took the whole day even with an essential guide thankfully paid for by my work but who weren't able to stop me having to accompany the pieces of paper.

Funny thing is all the people in the world with terrible bureaucracy say they got it from the British ?‍♂️ They've had 50 years to change it but seem to like it more than we do so I'm not accepting any blame.


Not true.

Perhaps you never experienced going through the Helmsted West German/DDR border crossing with 3 Speedway bikes and a race truck.

They had NVQ Level 5 in Bureaucracy and, I can assure you, no input at all from the British.

The French had their moments too.
 

cherod

Well-known member
Joined
2 Dec 2018
Messages
5,238
Visit site
a fine read indeed (y) ,,, not sure if you are proposing Trump as he is now out of work or perhaps Ken Clark himself , when after all the perfect person would be Alex Salmond
 

BirvidikBob

Active member
Joined
8 Mar 2008
Messages
130
Location
Wandering around the Med (currently Malta)
www.sailblogs.com
An engaging read, the perfect antidote to Trump parlance. A pleasure. You didn’t even hint at the Mr Drury link. Proper job. When will we see part 3? Mr Drury demands it.
As soon as I've got through the Helmsted West German/DDR border crossing with these 3 Speedway bikes and a race truck.
 

Stemar

Well-known member
Joined
12 Sep 2001
Messages
22,535
Location
Home - Southampton, Boat - Gosport
Visit site
The French had their moments too.
Oooooh yes, as that damned dog says.

Many of you will know of Asterix the Gaul and his sidekick, Obelix. There's a cartoon book called The 12 Labours of Asterix; one of the labours is to obtain a complete Form 12/27AcJ - 2, duly completed and signed off. Obelix has little patience and a fairly direct approach to life, so it ends up in the punch-up and general mayhem that has been the desire of most French people at some point.

Actually, Milady's experience dealing with the Consulate in London has been the exact opposite. They've been almost universally helpful and efficient, so maybe there is hope.

Being French, however, with the instinctive love of les rosbifs that comes with the striped T shirt and beret, I'm pretty sure they're busily recruiting old fashioned seat warmers to work in Channel port Immigrations and Customs
 

Adios

...
Joined
20 Sep 2020
Messages
2,390
Visit site
Being French, however, with the instinctive love of les rosbifs
The French love roast beef?

New one on me I honestly thought I was joking about food but I just looked it up, seems like they were ahead of the current trend of calling Englishmen gammons
 
Last edited:

Stemar

Well-known member
Joined
12 Sep 2001
Messages
22,535
Location
Home - Southampton, Boat - Gosport
Visit site
Les rosbifs is a terms the French use to be rude about we Brits, a bit like us calling them Frogs. It seems that once upon a time, we used to eat a lot of it, while they didn't. Then their cuisine improved, while ours, err, didn't.
 

Adios

...
Joined
20 Sep 2020
Messages
2,390
Visit site
Les rosbifs is a terms the French use to be rude about we Brits, a bit like us calling them Frogs. It seems that once upon a time, we used to eat a lot of it, while they didn't. Then their cuisine improved, while ours, err, didn't.
our food is like our weather
 

Adios

...
Joined
20 Sep 2020
Messages
2,390
Visit site
Disturbed maritime temperate?
bland and stodgy! India's is hot and spicy, Italy's is sunny and fresh etc Not sure how far I can carry the analogy but climate does seem to influence the food, Just look at Scottish food. I've very partial to the football snack of Bovril and meat pie but it just fits somehow
 

De.windhoos

Active member
Joined
29 May 2016
Messages
197
Visit site
ohh, your blog is a hidden gem!
In this day and age where people flock to vlogs, probably because reading beyond a title or headline is passé or not wake wick woke, it's a pleasure to read well crafted mind dribble.
 

mjcoon

Well-known member
Joined
18 Jun 2011
Messages
4,407
Location
Berkshire, UK
www.mjcoon.plus.com
ohh, your blog is a hidden gem!
In this day and age where people flock to vlogs, probably because reading beyond a title or headline is passé or not wake wick woke, it's a pleasure to read well crafted mind dribble.
"mind dribble "? Isn't that a smidgeon rude? I thought it was a bit more like spitting venom!
 

bigwow

Well-known member
Joined
26 Feb 2006
Messages
6,516
Visit site
Not true.

Perhaps you never experienced going through the Helmsted West German/DDR border crossing with 3 Speedway bikes and a race truck.

They had NVQ Level 5 in Bureaucracy and, I can assure you, no input at all from the British.

The French had their moments too.
Steve McQueen didn't have much trouble ;)
 

Other threads that may be of interest

Top