My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
It is not on our doorstep - we are part of Europe.
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
The famous Liberal Democrat sense of humour strikes again, I see.
Difficult to argue that there is so much to see in Europe. I personally think that France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have the most beautiful landscapes of mainland Europe, but there's so much to see, from so many perspectives, as mentioned above.
It's not just the landscapes and food, it's the depth of culture, and it's meaning to us as fellow Europeans.
NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Twelve U.S. states asked a federal court on Wednesday to halt President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, arguing that he overstepped his authority by declaring a national emergency to impose across-the-board taxes on imports from nations that sell more to the U.S. than they buy.
A three-judge panel of the Manhattan-based Court of International Trade is hearing arguments in a lawsuit brought by the Democratic attorneys general of New York, Illinois, Oregon, and nine other states. They say the Republican president has sought a "blank check" to regulate trade "at his whim."
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
As by FAR the most well travelled PB-er, I can confirm that it is still a minor issue - shortish delays compared to EU citizens (10-15 minutes more on average, sometimes longer, sometimes it's actually quicker)
Once every 20 -30 flights it is REALLY annoying, and you coincide with some American planes coming in, or Chinese, and suddenly it can take 1-2 hours when EU citizens swan through
But that means the average Brit won't encounter this moe than once a decade, indeed maybe much less as the airports used to massive UK influx are well adapted (eg Portugal, Spain, Greece)
For sure. Pet owners being able to travel without forking out hundreds of £, and fishing small businesses being able to export more freely, is worth hugely more than a bit of extra queuing time at international airports.
A lot of us think you shouldn't be taking your mutt abroad in the first place frankly
I find it puzzling how much you want to interfere on other people's lives in areas that have impact on you.
You don't think a dog bringing rabies into the country would affect me?
The only person interfering in anyones life here is IanB2 by insisting on putting the whole country at risk potentially due to "its ma dog"
How many times has a dog brought rabies into the country since pet passports?
Seriously, what do you think the chances of you catching rabies off a dog brought in via the pet passport scheme?
There was a single European case of rabies in 2023, the first since 2019. The continent is effectively rabies free. Arguably the pet passport rules could be significantly relaxed with no risk.
Rabies is but one example all sorts of things could come come over with an animal. Simple fact is there is no reason to take a dog abroad....it doesnt no if its in switzerland or the scottish highlands. Its a dog its cartographical skills are nil.
Either kennel it, house sit it or take a holiday in the uk....taking a dog abroad is a want not a need and yes could well bring shit back with it. (Yes I know so could humans which is why they shouldnt be allowed back in either )
What about bats? They're quite well known for carrying various viruses that kills humans. Ahem.
There are a number of close relatives of rabies that are found in bats, including in the UK. It is rare for it to transmit to humans, but the very occasional cases of rabies contracted in the UK are usually one of these bat rabies rather than the main rabies virus.
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
The famous Liberal Democrat sense of humour strikes again, I see.
Difficult to argue that there is so much to see in Europe. I personally think that France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have the most beautiful landscapes of mainland Europe, but there's so much to see, from so many perspectives, as mentioned above.
It's not just the landscapes and food, it's the depth of culture, and it's meaning to us as fellow Europeans.
Well said. Also, the EU is an inspiration to us, politically - as fellow Europeans. Look across the Channel and we see Meloni in power in Italy, Le Pen closing in on Paris, Orban in Hungary, Chega coming from nowhere in Portugal. Geert Wilders in Holland, the Danish Social Democrats, the True Finns, the AfD in Berlin, the Romanians coming close, everywhere there is a sense of a new truly "European" Europe, getting better by the day
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
Yes, I would agree with all that. So does the Spectator
"And what goes for [great European] cheese also goes for: wine, dessert wine, most churches, classical music, chocolate, democracy, philosophy, beautiful towns (despite the graffiti), novels, paintings, sculpture, car design, romantic poetry, cobbled streets, scientific invention, sensible bin collection, the Enlightenment, mathematics, astronomy, high fashion, football, cricket, tennis, rugby, skiing, hockey (thank you, England), the Renaissance, Goethe, charcuterie, Raphael, the law of perspective, proper castles, village greens, toasted crumpets, toast, champagne, that little posh biscuit you get with an espresso in France, gin and tonic, Scotch whisky, calculus, the Beatles, snooker, Shakespeare, television, Picasso, Flaubert, Paris, Venice, Verona, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Bruges, Georgian housing, the piazza, Joyce, aperitifs, the theory of evolution, universities, habeas corpus, pizza, Freud, Aperol spritz, the internet, Isaac Newton and golf. They all come from western Europe – or they were adapted and absorbed by western Europe and then made so much better. As we did with cheese.
It is quite the list, is it not? It always surprises me that the Remain side in the Brexit campaign didn’t go with something like this – something exuberantly positive. Something proudly saying: we are European as well as British, and we Europeans are basically the best at everything, especially cheese. How could you not want to be in on that? It would have ignored all the downsides of the EU (from the democratic deficit to the mess that is the euro) – but it might have won. And won easily.
Why didn’t they try it? Probably because it would have seemed jingoistic, or racist, or brash. Or perhaps because they were dim."
The original quote was by the science-fiction author Ken MacLeod in the 90s/00s and was in the old newsgroups. I can't find it but the link is a quote of the quote from 2006.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
Always a bit of a predicament if you run out of reading material on holiday and have to resort to the dross left behind by previous guests in the hotel.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Some people don't want to wash pants & socks & tshirts in hotel sinks. I'm happy to, because I save money and time and faff. But some aren't.
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
The famous Liberal Democrat sense of humour strikes again, I see.
Difficult to argue that there is so much to see in Europe. I personally think that France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have the most beautiful landscapes of mainland Europe, but there's so much to see, from so many perspectives, as mentioned above.
It's not just the landscapes and food, it's the depth of culture, and it's meaning to us as fellow Europeans.
The southern Balkans are amazing. When I was in Prizren, the Maghrib call to prayer was my cue to find a bar for a chota peg, and for a lot of the locals too
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
Apple’s former chief designer Sir Jony Ive has joined OpenAI in a $6.5bn (£4.8bn) deal to challenge the iPhone. OpenAI on Wednesday announced the takeover of io Products, a San Francisco start-up founded by Sir Jony and a group of other ex-Apple designers just last year.
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
It is not on our doorstep - we are part of Europe.
"...but not RUN by Europe."
As of Starmer's deal it's "almost entirely not RUN by Europe".
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
What did you do on holiday?
Visit a launderette.
On my trip to NL, Germany and Austria last year it was about 2 hours one morning out of 17 days. There was a traditional Altbier house over the road so I could have had a beer while I waited. I chose not to, it had free WiFi so I did some online chores
Most people spend their holidays on a sunlounger which to my mind is a f***ing waste of time
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
The famous Liberal Democrat sense of humour strikes again, I see.
Difficult to argue that there is so much to see in Europe. I personally think that France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have the most beautiful landscapes of mainland Europe, but there's so much to see, from so many perspectives, as mentioned above.
It's not just the landscapes and food, it's the depth of culture, and it's meaning to us as fellow Europeans.
The southern Balkans are amazing. When I was in Prizren, the Maghrib call to prayer was my cue to find a bar for a chota peg, and for a lot of the locals too
Southern Albania is gorgeous. Culturally very particular, I thought, too ; curious mixtures of Greeks and other cultures, like the Tosks.
Some of the most beautiful and uncommercialised bits of the Spanish coasts shouldn't be missed, either. There's too much, really.
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
The famous Liberal Democrat sense of humour strikes again, I see.
Difficult to argue that there is so much to see in Europe. I personally think that France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have the most beautiful landscapes of mainland Europe, but there's so much to see, from so many perspectives, as mentioned above.
It's not just the landscapes and food, it's the depth of culture, and it's meaning to us as fellow Europeans.
The southern Balkans are amazing. When I was in Prizren, the Maghrib call to prayer was my cue to find a bar for a chota peg, and for a lot of the locals too
Southern Albania is gorgeous. Culturally very particular, I thought, too ; curious mixtures of Greeks and other cultures, like the Tosks.
Some of the most beautiful and uncommercialised bits of the Spanish coasts shouldn't be missed, either. There's too much, really.
I agree about Albania, although it probably needs to be visited off-season as it tends to fill up with Italians. Kosovo is a bit different as some of the locals still seem to do Islam (Yugoslavia wasn't an atheist state in the same way as Albania) If you stay anywhere near the old town you are woken up at silly o'clock by the muezzin.
Did my first post-Covid trip to Andalucia but didn't get away from the obvious places. Must go back
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
I can pack that number of clothes. I don't pack for contingencies. If I have an issue I can buy something there. I don't do beach holidays. I don't take towels. I don't bring back tat or duty free.
Leon makes a good point re the luggage in the cabin, but I have never had a problem. In fact you can normally also get your floor luggage in the overhead cupboard.
I'm intrigued? How many people now do package holidays? I just assumed most organised their own. Am I wrong? If you book an easyJet flight it is obvious that just about everyone is flying just with cabin luggage by the size of their bags. Only exception seems to be families with a baby. They don't want to check in luggage, wait to collect it and pay for the privilege.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
It's even easier if you just don't wash and smell a bit. A great British tradition.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
My main issue is that the stamps are all identical and so fucking boring.
That's what I wanted Starmer to really negotiate: more interesting passport stamps from European countries.
I hate it. I’m going to have to buy a new passport because it’s got full up of crappy little stamps saying Calais-Coquelles or Copenhagen on them.
I used to like it when the only stamps in there were at exotic crossing points in faraway lands.
So, you're saying Europe is a bit dull?
Frankly, I can't disagree.
You should look again. Europe is hands down the most beautiful, varied and holiday-worthy continent in the world. We take it for granted because it’s on our doorstep.
Vast range of climates and landscapes. The finest cities, architecture, history, culture, lifestyle.
The famous Liberal Democrat sense of humour strikes again, I see.
Difficult to argue that there is so much to see in Europe. I personally think that France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece have the most beautiful landscapes of mainland Europe, but there's so much to see, from so many perspectives, as mentioned above.
It's not just the landscapes and food, it's the depth of culture, and it's meaning to us as fellow Europeans.
The southern Balkans are amazing. When I was in Prizren, the Maghrib call to prayer was my cue to find a bar for a chota peg, and for a lot of the locals too
Southern Albania is gorgeous. Culturally very particular, I thought, too ; curious mixtures of Greeks and other cultures, like the Tosks.
Some of the most beautiful and uncommercialised bits of the Spanish coasts shouldn't be missed, either. There's too much, really.
I crewed for a friend sailing the Biscay coast of Spain from Santiago. Some lovely little ports and we were more or less the only tourists until we reached the Basque country.
My non exhaustive list of Labour people that must not be allowed on the front bench for the first time or again once Starmer is removed..... Wes Streeting Jonathan Reynolds Liz Kendall Rachel Reeves Brigitte Phillipson Lady Nugee Jess Phillips Kim Leadbetter Torsten Bell That 'of course not I've got a mortgage to pay' idiot David Lammy.
There you go Ange, perm a cabinet from the remaining bunch
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
Mrs Foxy and I travelled for 4 months in SE Asia with 10 kg packs back in the day.
In some ways it is easier. If travelling for 2 weeks the temptation is to take 2 weeks of clean clothes, when travelling for months you obviously can't.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
I just did 12 days in Bulgaria and Romania with a 40l Osprey Farpoint. Plan to do much the same for 6 weeks in SE Asia over Xmas and NY. 9.3kg including a 13" laptop.
Might need slightly more clothes in SEA due to it being hot and needing to change clothes more often but on the other hand anywhere you stay for more than 1 night you can get laundry done for a pittance.
If you are moving around you really don't want heavy luggage
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
I can pack that number of clothes. I don't pack for contingencies. If I have an issue I can buy something there. I don't do beach holidays. I don't take towels. I don't bring back tat or duty free.
Leon makes a good point re the luggage in the cabin, but I have never had a problem. In fact you can normally also get your floor luggage in the overhead cupboard.
I'm intrigued? How many people now do package holidays? I just assumed most organised their own. Am I wrong? If you book an easyJet flight it is obvious that just about everyone is flying just with cabin luggage by the size of their bags. Only exception seems to be families with a baby. They don't want to check in luggage, wait to collect it and pay for the privilege.
I have discoveed the joys of tat - or, rather, the well chosen souvenir. Something either mad and quirky - a free glass cup you got with that Lidl Tiramisu you shared with your kids in Florence which becomes an espresso cup at home - or something truly beautiful and artisan - a knife made by a Frenchman in a Templar cave, an exquisite piece of Uzbek pottery which shines with the turqouise light of Samarkand, when I use it in Camden Town
For decades I barely bought anything back, but for the last 10-15 years I have made amends. And it is extremely pleasing
My flat now glitters with these mementoes of all my travels. A simple sea shell from Antarctica. Dried lava from Erta Ale Ethiopia. Twelve thousand year old arrowheads from Karahan Tepe. A weird handmade bone and obsidian dagger from Armenia; an emptied tin of "Smack" dogfood from Japan which has become my penholder; an eerie witch's poppet from Siwa Oasis in remotest Egypt
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
I just did 12 days in Bulgaria and Romania with a 40l Osprey Farpoint. Plan to do much the same for 6 weeks in SE Asia over Xmas and NY. 9.3kg including a 13" laptop.
Might need slightly more clothes in SEA due to it being hot and needing to change clothes more often but on the other hand anywhere you stay for more than 1 night you can get laundry done for a pittance.
If you are moving around you really don't want heavy luggage
I am just giggling imagining the size of the panniers of some people here if they went on a cycling holiday.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
Mrs Foxy and I travelled for 4 months in SE Asia with 10 kg packs back in the day.
In some ways it is easier. If travelling for 2 weeks the temptation is to take 2 weeks of clean clothes, when travelling for months you obviously can't.
I travel more than most and here are three things I've learned, mostly the hard way::
- a light pack makes a happy traveller - always treat every opportunity to pee as if it's going to be your last - there's always another church or art museum, but interesting people, good food and decent weather are priceless.
I mean, my God. How bad can you get at politics, to fuck that up? If you haven't got a deal, don't mention it. Instead Labour have made a big thing of it it, yet it won't happen, which means lots of irritated Britons in the summer who will now vaguely think even worse about this shitshow of a government
Starmer is rubbish at politics. It also doesn't help that he has a whiny voice and no charisma. He's probably quite competent at doing things if office, but it won't take much for Labour to be in a real pickle come the next general election.
Really good politicians are all alchemists. In some way they are constantly turning lead into gold, and spinning dross into shimmering fabric. Clinton, Obama, Blair, Thatcher.
So far, nothing present or on the horizon in UK politics. A complete blank.
The most recent instances of this have been true oddities, parodies of the real thing. Boris, Farage and the supreme master of the pandemonium, the like of whom we shall never see again, Trump. It is hard to remember that day after day we are being given diabolic masterclasses by a malign genius and one day it must stop.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
Well yes. I've got three kids. I can only really do these things during school holidays, when its prohibitively expensive. I'm reasonably well off, but nit so well off that I can go jetting off abroad willy nilly. And even if I could I have family responsibilities. So I holiday mostly in Britain. But when we go, we go for a week. Hard to get clothing for a week into hand luggage. Especially for winter holidays. I'd say I'm not unusual in this.
Football has a weird way of dragging you in. I was barely aware of this match til you guys started talking about it on here. I thought, fuck it, check it out - so I watched the last hour
By the last 15 minutes I was an ardent Sours fan (the underdogs, no trophies) - clutching my head at every near miss by United
Now I do not care again. But football made me care for an hour, not sure any other sport has that instant ability
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
I just did 12 days in Bulgaria and Romania with a 40l Osprey Farpoint. Plan to do much the same for 6 weeks in SE Asia over Xmas and NY. 9.3kg including a 13" laptop.
Might need slightly more clothes in SEA due to it being hot and needing to change clothes more often but on the other hand anywhere you stay for more than 1 night you can get laundry done for a pittance.
If you are moving around you really don't want heavy luggage
I am just giggling imagining the size of the panniers of some people here if they went on a cycling holiday.
I did a month long cycle tour from Copenhagen to Rotterdam just with rear panniers when I was 18, with a mate. One carried the tent and the other the cooking stuff and food, leaving a single pannier for clothes. We must have whiffed a bit but were outdoors and camping, so tolerable.
Football has a weird way of dragging you in. I was barely aware of this match til you guys started talking about it on here. I thought, fuck it, check it out - so I watched the last hour
By the last 15 minutes I was an ardent Sours fan (the underdogs, no trophies) - clutching my head at every near miss by United
Now I do not care again. But football made me care for an hour, not sure any other sport has that instant ability
I was praying Spurs would hold on, I wouldn't have been able to cope with 30 minutes of extra time of this shite.
Speaking as a Liverpool fan I would remind you all Klopp lost the Europa League final in his first season with Liverpool.
Manchester United should stick with Amorim.
Top trolling!
I haven't gotten over this stat.
0.92 - Ruben Amorim has won 24 points in 26 Premier League games, a points per game ratio of 0.92. This is lower than Paul Jewell's Premier League points per game (0.94), who managed 24 winless games at Derby when they finished on 11 points in 2007-08. Concerning.
The Enhanced Games - a controversial new event which promotes banned performance-enhancing drugs - says one of its athletes has beaten a long-standing world record.
Organisers said Greece's Kristian Gkolomeev swam 20.89 seconds in a 50m freestyle time trial in the US in February, 0.02 seconds quicker than the world record set by Brazil's Cesar Cielo in 2009.
Gkolomeev, who finished fifth at the 2024 Olympics in 21.59, began taking banned substances after signing up for the Enhanced Games in January.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
I just did 12 days in Bulgaria and Romania with a 40l Osprey Farpoint. Plan to do much the same for 6 weeks in SE Asia over Xmas and NY. 9.3kg including a 13" laptop.
Might need slightly more clothes in SEA due to it being hot and needing to change clothes more often but on the other hand anywhere you stay for more than 1 night you can get laundry done for a pittance.
If you are moving around you really don't want heavy luggage
I am just giggling imagining the size of the panniers of some people here if they went on a cycling holiday.
I did a month long cycle tour from Copenhagen to Rotterdam just with rear panniers when I was 18, with a mate. One carried the tent and the other the cooking stuff and food, leaving a single pannier for clothes. We must have whiffed a bit but were outdoors and camping, so tolerable.
I don't understand why people find this so difficult. You just find a hostel or something to wash your stuff every 5 days or so. Have a spare pair of cotton clothes for after you've showered and at the pub.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
Mrs Foxy and I travelled for 4 months in SE Asia with 10 kg packs back in the day.
In some ways it is easier. If travelling for 2 weeks the temptation is to take 2 weeks of clean clothes, when travelling for months you obviously can't.
Wife and I walked the South Downs way over 6 days some years ago. Abiding memory is that we didn’t need half the stuff we carried. I’ve heard it said you should pack what you think you will need, then take it out and discard half before packing again.
Made of sheep’s jaw, twine, and golden obsidian from the shores of Lake Sevan, Armenia. Sold to me by the man who made it - the world’s only handmade bone and obsidian dagger maker - up in the High Caucasus. Also, his dagger stall was outside a Silk Road caravanserai dating from about the 5th century.
And after I bought this he insisted I drink far too much mulberry vodka with him and his wife, on the Caucasus peaks, in the dry cold sun
You can’t put a price on that. And that’s what hold luggage is for. Things like this, wrapped in all your dirty laundry so it cannot break. And now every time I look at it I get a buzz of the exotic. Armenia!
I mean, my God. How bad can you get at politics, to fuck that up? If you haven't got a deal, don't mention it. Instead Labour have made a big thing of it it, yet it won't happen, which means lots of irritated Britons in the summer who will now vaguely think even worse about this shitshow of a government
Starmer is rubbish at politics. It also doesn't help that he has a whiny voice and no charisma. He's probably quite competent at doing things if office, but it won't take much for Labour to be in a real pickle come the next general election.
Why is Starmer hated so much by some on the Right? It's such a mystery to me.
Oh - just a minute. It couldn't be anything to do with him having thrashed the Tories to Kingdom Come at the last election, could it?
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
Well yes. I've got three kids. I can only really do these things during school holidays, when its prohibitively expensive. I'm reasonably well off, but nit so well off that I can go jetting off abroad willy nilly. And even if I could I have family responsibilities. So I holiday mostly in Britain. But when we go, we go for a week. Hard to get clothing for a week into hand luggage. Especially for winter holidays. I'd say I'm not unusual in this.
Well yes. I passed that stage years ago. When we had kids we did camping for softies in France. Initially using Canvas or Eurocamp, then organising it ourselves. Struggled to get everything in a car, let alone a bag. It was also a cheap holiday. We also took them skiing, but avoided the expensive winter holiday and took them glacier skiing in the summer. Not exciting skiing for me, but I was teaching the kids.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
I just did 12 days in Bulgaria and Romania with a 40l Osprey Farpoint. Plan to do much the same for 6 weeks in SE Asia over Xmas and NY. 9.3kg including a 13" laptop.
Might need slightly more clothes in SEA due to it being hot and needing to change clothes more often but on the other hand anywhere you stay for more than 1 night you can get laundry done for a pittance.
If you are moving around you really don't want heavy luggage
I am just giggling imagining the size of the panniers of some people here if they went on a cycling holiday.
I did a month long cycle tour from Copenhagen to Rotterdam just with rear panniers when I was 18, with a mate. One carried the tent and the other the cooking stuff and food, leaving a single pannier for clothes. We must have whiffed a bit but were outdoors and camping, so tolerable.
I don't understand why people find this so difficult. You just find a hostel or something to wash your stuff every 5 days or so. Have a spare pair of cotton clothes for after you've showered and at the pub.
It depends on the trip.
When moving about light luggage is great, and anywhere warm means only light clothes needed, on the other hand if just staying in one place on holiday, then hold luggage is no hassle and gives more variety of outfits for day and evenings, especially in colder climates. Horses for courses.
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
He doesnt want to solve the issue, he just wants it to go into the long grass for a bit so people stop talking about it and spend their evenings pleasuring themselves to his trade deals
Why is Starmer hated so much by some on the Right? It's such a mystery to me.
Oh - just a minute. It couldn't be anything to do with him having thrashed the Tories to Kingdom Come at the last election, could it?
I don't hate him, I just think he's a rubbish PM. That said right now I'd probably vote for him, as the other options are wrose. But his thrashing of the Tories was more a function of the Tory vote imploding, Labour's support is wafer thin. If Starmer doesn't deliver, and he's made some bold promises, Labour are going to find the next general election very difficult. I want him to do better, because I sure as hell don't want a Reform government.
I mean, my God. How bad can you get at politics, to fuck that up? If you haven't got a deal, don't mention it. Instead Labour have made a big thing of it it, yet it won't happen, which means lots of irritated Britons in the summer who will now vaguely think even worse about this shitshow of a government
Starmer is rubbish at politics. It also doesn't help that he has a whiny voice and no charisma. He's probably quite competent at doing things if office, but it won't take much for Labour to be in a real pickle come the next general election.
Why is Starmer hated so much by some on the Right? It's such a mystery to me.
Oh - just a minute. It couldn't be anything to do with him having thrashed the Tories to Kingdom Come at the last election, could it?
Nah, he didn't. He stood and watched while they flagellated themselves into irrelevance.
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
I mean, my God. How bad can you get at politics, to fuck that up? If you haven't got a deal, don't mention it. Instead Labour have made a big thing of it it, yet it won't happen, which means lots of irritated Britons in the summer who will now vaguely think even worse about this shitshow of a government
Starmer is rubbish at politics. It also doesn't help that he has a whiny voice and no charisma. He's probably quite competent at doing things if office, but it won't take much for Labour to be in a real pickle come the next general election.
Why is Starmer hated so much by some on the Right? It's such a mystery to me.
Oh - just a minute. It couldn't be anything to do with him having thrashed the Tories to Kingdom Come at the last election, could it?
Look at Starmer’s poll ratings and it is clear he has lost the room across a broad spectrum of politics
And I don't hate Starmer, nor am I a Farage supporter but to characterise this as a right hate thing is nonsense
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
Mrs Foxy and I travelled for 4 months in SE Asia with 10 kg packs back in the day.
In some ways it is easier. If travelling for 2 weeks the temptation is to take 2 weeks of clean clothes, when travelling for months you obviously can't.
Wife and I walked the South Downs way over 6 days some years ago. Abiding memory is that we didn’t need half the stuff we carried. I’ve heard it said you should pack what you think you will need, then take it out and discard half before packing again.
The difficulty is knowing which half.
It's like the old adage about medical textbooks. Half of it is wrong, but nobody knows which half.
I always travel with a compact umbrella, torch, and foot cream. Each has proven indispensable on multiple occasions.
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
The thing is nobody bought the we didn't break our promises with the spin over employer VAT rise, so they might as well just raised income tax. Would have been less damaging economically.
I mean, my God. How bad can you get at politics, to fuck that up? If you haven't got a deal, don't mention it. Instead Labour have made a big thing of it it, yet it won't happen, which means lots of irritated Britons in the summer who will now vaguely think even worse about this shitshow of a government
Starmer is rubbish at politics. It also doesn't help that he has a whiny voice and no charisma. He's probably quite competent at doing things if office, but it won't take much for Labour to be in a real pickle come the next general election.
Why is Starmer hated so much by some on the Right? It's such a mystery to me.
Oh - just a minute. It couldn't be anything to do with him having thrashed the Tories to Kingdom Come at the last election, could it?
I disliked him when he was toiling in opposition.
Saying it was ‘a matter of principle’ to enact the referendum result in 2017, then blocking every deal, then calling for a second referendum in 2019 and saying he would campaign for remain ‘as an important point of principle’ before seeing the deal was early evidence he was a shyster. People wouldn’t have it, but know they know
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
And if they hadn’t promised that before the election what would have happened. The public I’m afraid mostly live in la la land , want good public services but don’t want tax rises to pay for them .
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
The thing is nobody bought the we didn't break our promises with the spin over employer VAT rise, so they might as well just raised income tax.
And the absolute clown didn't need to make any of those pledges that he's now stuck with. It's not like the Tories were going to hold on
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
And if they hadn’t promised that before the election what would have happened. The public I’m afraid mostly live in la la land , want good public services but don’t want tax rises to pay for them .
He'd have had a 120 majority instead of a 160 one and less baggage
I honestly wonder if Starmer is, if not some kind of double agent, then someone who is SEVERELY compromised by foreign powers, such that he has to make insane anti-British decisions
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
The thing is nobody bought the we didn't break our promises with the spin over employer VAT rise, so they might as well just raised income tax. Would have been less damaging economically.
Indeed, as I keep saying Starmer may be competent and have the right ideas (broadly speaking, but I'm not convinced about the plans) but he's politically inept. He's lightyears away from someone like Blair, and even Brown showed more sense.
Staunch Brexiteers have resorted to claiming they actually like queueing at airports in a desperate attempt to criticise the new UK-EU deal.
I fail to see how this is a major issue (admittedly I don't do much travelling!) How often do most people go through passport queues in the EU every year. Once, twice at most? Does it usually take hours for non-EU arrivals to be processed?
I've been to the EU three times since Brexit. Arguably Brexit has added 10 minutes to getting through passport control. But that's time you'd just be waiting at baggage reclaim anyway. You get through the airport no less quickly. Its impact on getting into the country is zero.
Who the heck puts baggage in the hold on a trip to Europe?
Whereas I normally get through quickly I had a 3 hour wait at Lisbon.
If you land at an International airport rather than a tourist airport and it coincides with a plane from USA or China for instance you are stuffed.
PS Just 3 times since Brexit?
You think people going on a fortnight's holiday only take hand luggage?
Er yes. Most do just that. See my other post. I didn't for long trips to the US, but otherwise yes. You can take a big enough bag on easyJet and can pay extra for a bigger second bag. One is enough for me, but my wife goes for the second, but we really don't need it. That gives us 3 medium sized bags. We would be allowed a 4th.
What on earth do you take that needs hold luggage?
Two weeks worth of clean clothes, range of footwear beach towels (if not provided by hotel), toiletries, space for any souvenirs or other tat bought while away.
Hand luggage contains passports, tickets, medicines and, on the return, duty free booze.
You can make a T shirt do 2 days easy, I air them before the second wearing. Ditto socks.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
My son and his girlfriend just did 9 months touring SE Asia with sub-7 kg packs.
Mrs Foxy and I travelled for 4 months in SE Asia with 10 kg packs back in the day.
In some ways it is easier. If travelling for 2 weeks the temptation is to take 2 weeks of clean clothes, when travelling for months you obviously can't.
Wife and I walked the South Downs way over 6 days some years ago. Abiding memory is that we didn’t need half the stuff we carried. I’ve heard it said you should pack what you think you will need, then take it out and discard half before packing again.
The difficulty is knowing which half.
It's like the old adage about medical textbooks. Half of it is wrong, but nobody knows which half.
I always travel with a compact umbrella, torch, and foot cream. Each has proven indispensable on multiple occasions.
I honestly wonder if Starmer is, if not some kind of double agent, then someone who is SEVERELY compromised by foreign powers, such that he has to make insane anti-British decisions
And the timing....
They are 'signing a deal to protect Uk/US access to the base' - or, or, don't give away the territory you own that it's on?
I honestly wonder if Starmer is, if not some kind of double agent, then someone who is SEVERELY compromised by foreign powers, such that he has to make insane anti-British decisions
And the timing....
And it will cost £10bn and so people will be able to say any benefit from EU deal immediately offset by this....
I honestly wonder if Starmer is, if not some kind of double agent, then someone who is SEVERELY compromised by foreign powers, such that he has to make insane anti-British decisions
And the timing....
And it will cost £10bn and so people will be able to say any benefit from EU deal immediately offset by this....
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Starmer needs to stop digging and just announce the new threshold in June .
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Yep, but they are only in the mess because they ruled out increasing employee NI, VAT, income tax, etc. A genuinely stupid policy decision which has caused Labour to make all sorts of half-baked decisions in order to try and raise a few quid.
And if they hadn’t promised that before the election what would have happened. The public I’m afraid mostly live in la la land , want good public services but don’t want tax rises to pay for them .
He'd have had a 120 majority instead of a 160 one and less baggage
He could have merely fudged it with a "no plans to do so, but we'll need to see the books". You get in, express horror, and put up taxes to clean up the "Tory mess". People won't like it, but people don't like a Labour government whacking pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and so on, either.
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Plus, Mauritius is obviously in cahoots with China - this is from five days ago:
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
I honestly wonder if Starmer is, if not some kind of double agent, then someone who is SEVERELY compromised by foreign powers, such that he has to make insane anti-British decisions
And the timing....
And it will cost £10bn and so people will be able to say any benefit from EU deal immediately offset by this....
He's either terrible, or a traitor, or both
He's lucky it's sausage fingers at Bucky P, Liz would have none of this nonsense.
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Plus, Mauritius is obviously in cahoots with China - this is from five days ago:
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Plus, Mauritius is obviously in cahoots with China - this is from five days ago:
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
Britain is such a pathetic walkover they aren't even bothering to hide it. My God. AND we are paying
Starmer deserves every ounce of contempt he is about to receive, and for the rest of time. I hope that fat fuck is haunted to his grave
I'm struggling to understand how we can hand over sovereign territory without any parliamentary vote. We couldn't trigger Article 50 without parliament voting but we can give up the Chagos?
I don't go on holiday with young children to spend my time there cooking them food and doing their laundry. That's more-or-less what the holiday is intended to escape.
So yes, I'll pay for checked baggage and wait what is typically 15 minutes to bring whatever the hell I think might make holiday feel like a holiday.
Funnily enough, I took a different approach travelling solo at 21. I also don't need a checked bag for business travel.
There's no one size fits all. Which is a good thing, as planes aren't designed for everyone to have their bags overhead.
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Plus, Mauritius is obviously in cahoots with China - this is from five days ago:
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
Britain is such a pathetic walkover they aren't even bothering to hide it. My God. AND we are paying
Starmer deserves every ounce of contempt he is about to receive, and for the rest of time. I hope that fat fuck is haunted to his grave
The Chagossians want nothing to do with the Mauritians. It's like us giving Gibralter, and a chest of gold, to Armenia just because we used to store files for Gibralter and Armenia in the same room. He's a complete tool.
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
I don't understand why we don't just give it to the USA
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Plus, Mauritius is obviously in cahoots with China - this is from five days ago:
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
Made of sheep’s jaw, twine, and golden obsidian from the shores of Lake Sevan, Armenia. Sold to me by the man who made it - the world’s only handmade bone and obsidian dagger maker - up in the High Caucasus. Also, his dagger stall was outside a Silk Road caravanserai dating from about the 5th century.
And after I bought this he insisted I drink far too much mulberry vodka with him and his wife, on the Caucasus peaks, in the dry cold sun
You can’t put a price on that. And that’s what hold luggage is for. Things like this, wrapped in all your dirty laundry so it cannot break. And now every time I look at it I get a buzz of the exotic. Armenia!
I have one of those Swiss army knives with everything on it. No idea what some of it does. Probably for getting scouts out of horses hooves. Essential for the cycling holiday which fortunately doesn't involve a flight.
This year's trip is 10 days along the Canal du Midi, plus another waterway for which we needed a licence! All the luggage in 2 small pannier bags plus tools and stuff in a bag between the pannier bags.
Staying in a convent and a prison on the trip. Obviously not currently used for that.
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
Plus, Mauritius is obviously in cahoots with China - this is from five days ago:
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
Britain is such a pathetic walkover they aren't even bothering to hide it. My God. AND we are paying
Starmer deserves every ounce of contempt he is about to receive, and for the rest of time. I hope that fat fuck is haunted to his grave
I'm struggling to understand how we can hand over sovereign territory without any parliamentary vote. We couldn't trigger Article 50 without parliament voting but we can give up the Chagos?
Article 50 vote was forced by Gina Miller etc als court case - the argument being it took away rights guaranteed by previous parliamentary votes so required a new act. Treaties are, in general, part of the reserved powers of the royal prerogative
Re Chagos, just give the islands gave to the Chagossians if they agree to let us keep sovereign control of the base a la Akrotiri/Dhekelia and offer them financial support and, if they wish, run their defence and foreign policy. No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
I don't understand why we don't just give it to the USA
We use it and it's our only sovereign military base 'East of Aden' now so keeping it seems sensible. The islands around we have zero inhabitants on so they can just be given away in a cracker - but should be returned of course to the people we evicted. It's just the base that matters so why did we not negotiate to keep sovereignty of it?!
Comments
I join you in saluting it
https://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/007523.html#124568
The original quote was by the science-fiction author Ken MacLeod in the 90s/00s and was in the old newsgroups. I can't find it but the link is a quote of the quote from 2006.
Don't do beaches but often carry a micropore towel
Toiletries are all 100ml. They have toiletries abroad, you know.
One extra pair of shoes is enough. My regular trainers are running shoes, so I can run in them too.
If necessary there are laundrettes or in SE Asia, laundry is about 50p a kilo
Always a bit of a predicament if you run out of reading material on holiday and have to resort to the dross left behind by previous guests in the hotel.
Visit a launderette.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/05/21/sir-jony-ive-joins-openai-in-65bn-deal-to-topple-iphone/
Liz Kendall looking like she's chewing a wasp for a change. She has no redeeming features to her politics or personality
Most people spend their holidays on a sunlounger which to my mind is a f***ing waste of time
Some of the most beautiful and uncommercialised bits of the Spanish coasts shouldn't be missed, either. There's too much, really.
Did my first post-Covid trip to Andalucia but didn't get away from the obvious places. Must go back
Leon makes a good point re the luggage in the cabin, but I have never had a problem. In fact you can normally also get your floor luggage in the overhead cupboard.
I'm intrigued? How many people now do package holidays? I just assumed most organised their own. Am I wrong? If you book an easyJet flight it is obvious that just about everyone is flying just with cabin luggage by the size of their bags. Only exception seems to be families with a baby. They don't want to check in luggage, wait to collect it and pay for the privilege.
Wes Streeting
Jonathan Reynolds
Liz Kendall
Rachel Reeves
Brigitte Phillipson
Lady Nugee
Jess Phillips
Kim Leadbetter
Torsten Bell
That 'of course not I've got a mortgage to pay' idiot
David Lammy.
There you go Ange, perm a cabinet from the remaining bunch
In some ways it is easier. If travelling for 2 weeks the temptation is to take 2 weeks of clean clothes, when travelling for months you obviously can't.
Might need slightly more clothes in SEA due to it being hot and needing to change clothes more often but on the other hand anywhere you stay for more than 1 night you can get laundry done for a pittance.
If you are moving around you really don't want heavy luggage
For decades I barely bought anything back, but for the last 10-15 years I have made amends. And it is extremely pleasing
My flat now glitters with these mementoes of all my travels. A simple sea shell from Antarctica. Dried lava from Erta Ale Ethiopia. Twelve thousand year old arrowheads from Karahan Tepe. A weird handmade bone and obsidian dagger from Armenia; an emptied tin of "Smack" dogfood from Japan which has become my penholder; an eerie witch's poppet from Siwa Oasis in remotest Egypt
You are missing out
Manchester United should stick with Amorim.
- a light pack makes a happy traveller
- always treat every opportunity to pee as if it's going to be your last
- there's always another church or art museum, but interesting people, good food and decent weather are priceless.
So far, nothing present or on the horizon in UK politics. A complete blank.
The most recent instances of this have been true oddities, parodies of the real thing. Boris, Farage and the supreme master of the pandemonium, the like of whom we shall never see again, Trump. It is hard to remember that day after day we are being given diabolic masterclasses by a malign genius and one day it must stop.
But when we go, we go for a week. Hard to get clothing for a week into hand luggage. Especially for winter holidays.
I'd say I'm not unusual in this.
Football has a weird way of dragging you in. I was barely aware of this match til you guys started talking about it on here. I thought, fuck it, check it out - so I watched the last hour
By the last 15 minutes I was an ardent Sours fan (the underdogs, no trophies) - clutching my head at every near miss by United
Now I do not care again. But football made me care for an hour, not sure any other sport has that instant ability
Well done to Spurs, Palace, and Newcastle.
0.92 - Ruben Amorim has won 24 points in 26 Premier League games, a points per game ratio of 0.92. This is lower than Paul Jewell's Premier League points per game (0.94), who managed 24 winless games at Derby when they finished on 11 points in 2007-08. Concerning.
https://x.com/OptaJoe/status/1923489110863274041
Organisers said Greece's Kristian Gkolomeev swam 20.89 seconds in a 50m freestyle time trial in the US in February, 0.02 seconds quicker than the world record set by Brazil's Cesar Cielo in 2009.
Gkolomeev, who finished fifth at the 2024 Olympics in 21.59, began taking banned substances after signing up for the Enhanced Games in January.
It's as mysterious as why Diane picked out Angela of all the cabinet to name as someone talented who could lead if Keir went.
Scoobyesque mystery
Look at it. LOOK AT IT
Made of sheep’s jaw, twine, and golden obsidian from the shores of Lake Sevan, Armenia. Sold to me by the man who made it - the world’s only handmade bone and obsidian dagger maker - up in the High Caucasus. Also, his dagger stall was outside a Silk Road caravanserai dating from about the 5th century.
And after I bought this he insisted I drink far too much mulberry vodka with him and his wife, on the Caucasus peaks, in the dry cold sun
You can’t put a price on that. And that’s what hold luggage is for. Things like this, wrapped in all your dirty laundry so it cannot break. And now every time I look at it I get a buzz of the exotic. Armenia!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRmH3-TWRWk
Waiting till November and with a chance payments might not go out in time would be political idiocy of the highest order !
Oh - just a minute. It couldn't be anything to do with him having thrashed the Tories to Kingdom Come at the last election, could it?
When moving about light luggage is great, and anywhere warm means only light clothes needed, on the other hand if just staying in one place on holiday, then hold luggage is no hassle and gives more variety of outfits for day and evenings, especially in colder climates. Horses for courses.
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/05/21/labour-keir-starmer-amelia-hansford-opinion/
And I don't hate Starmer, nor am I a Farage supporter but to characterise this as a right hate thing is nonsense
It's like the old adage about medical textbooks. Half of it is wrong, but nobody knows which half.
I always travel with a compact umbrella, torch, and foot cream. Each has proven indispensable on multiple occasions.
Saying it was ‘a matter of principle’ to enact the referendum result in 2017, then blocking every deal, then calling for a second referendum in 2019 and saying he would campaign for remain ‘as an important point of principle’ before seeing the deal was early evidence he was a shyster. People wouldn’t have it, but know they know
I honestly wonder if Starmer is, if not some kind of double agent, then someone who is SEVERELY compromised by foreign powers, such that he has to make insane anti-British decisions
And the timing....
No need for irrelevant Mauritius to be involved at all
"Mauritius and China to Further Strengthen Bilateral Relations"
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/top-stories/mauritius-and-china-to-further-strengthen-bilateral-relations/ar-AA1ETelT
Britain is such a pathetic walkover they aren't even bothering to hide it. My God. AND we are paying
Starmer deserves every ounce of contempt he is about to receive, and for the rest of time. I hope that fat fuck is haunted to his grave
So yes, I'll pay for checked baggage and wait what is typically 15 minutes to bring whatever the hell I think might make holiday feel like a holiday.
Funnily enough, I took a different approach travelling solo at 21. I also don't need a checked bag for business travel.
There's no one size fits all. Which is a good thing, as planes aren't designed for everyone to have their bags overhead.
He's a complete tool.
This year's trip is 10 days along the Canal du Midi, plus another waterway for which we needed a licence! All the luggage in 2 small pannier bags plus tools and stuff in a bag between the pannier bags.
Staying in a convent and a prison on the trip. Obviously not currently used for that.
Treaties are, in general, part of the reserved powers of the royal prerogative
It's just the base that matters so why did we not negotiate to keep sovereignty of it?!
Lol. Not on manoueveres though