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@hippietrail did I see it right you are coming toward Europe? If so, I think I can promise a bed for a couple of nights, 25 km from Amsterdam, use of bicycle or 'bent trike included of course.

hippietrail

@Willeke: i haven't made up my mind for sure so let's see - thanks!

Willeke

Promise is not time bound, usual changes can occur, of course.

I have registered for that bike share site you mentioned a while ago.

hippietrail

oh i have no recollection (-:

Willeke

7:41 AM

bike-sharing.org

But I bet it was the time of day or the stress of too many days searching online.

(unless I am mixing people again.)

hippietrail

i do that all the time online. but sometimes i find something online, post about it, forget it

Willeke

As long as you re-find the useful ones, (or make a note where you can find that.)

hippietrail

TSE (-:

Willeke

I might adjust one of my travels this year to where I can find a bike. Belgium, pretty well covered. Ghent itself has 19 or so entries, must have something available, but if not I can go anywhere in the area.

hippietrail

flat bits are easiest (-:

Willeke

7:57 AM

Where I live is like a pancake, I am not going to use a bike in hills 'anything higher than 50 meter is hill'.

But I expect inner city use rather than going out for a long tour.

hippietrail

i hear

hippietrail

8:10 AM

i might pop into qapqal on my way. they have a funky language there.

Willeke

Good reason to select places to visit. ;)

hippietrail

xibe there then over the border there's dungan

hippietrail

9:08 AM

察布查尔锡伯自治县 here i come!

Nean Der Thal

9:22 AM

@hippietrail try now

PC took a nap ;)

Nean Der Thal

9:48 AM

ok i just made up a decision...

i am gonna get flying license.. just for fun..

2

hippietrail

10:18 AM

i thought my plan to get a bag today was pretty big

Mark Mayo

11:18 AM

hi from KL!

@NeanDerThal ooh fun.

I did my intro lesson like 13 years ago, loved it and figured when I stopped being a student I'd get my PPL, then life and travel came along :?

@GayotFow I voted to close that cheap travel question as too broad

it depends a lot even on where you're from - visa costs differ depending on your citizenship, for example.

Flight costs are higher from some areas than others (Britain to NZ return is cheaper than NZ to Britain return)

and the more you travel, the better you get at it and at reducing costs

10-9 to Aus in the rugby currently. I need a tv, dammit!

Gayot Fow

12:23 PM

@MarkMayo Irony. I voted to close as soon as it was posted, like in the first minute. But somebody barked at me saying it was OK and topical. So I retracted, then said WTF and answered it. I do agree with you however :)

@hippietrail Do you know which one it is? It's hard to get those broadcasts. I think you'll like it for a new experience

Willeke

@NeanDerThal I too had a first trial lesson, (Kaikoura in New Zealand) and wanted to learn enough to get a license. Practical reasons stopped me so far, (lack of money being the foremost, distance from an airfield with a school being second) but it is still a dream. (When I win big in that lottery......)

Mark Mayo

@Willeke where are you now?

not Kaikoura, surely?

Netherlands, got it

Willeke

Yes, it was on holiday that I did that one lesson. I live in the Netherlands and flying here expensive.

Besides, not having a driving license makes getting to airfields a bit hard.

Mark Mayo

Kaikoura, of all places, that's gold :)

Willeke

12:40 PM

It was that or going on an air tour trying to see the whales. I made the right choice, IMO

NZ turned out cheaper than I had budgeted for, which allowed a few niceties, like white water rafting and swimming with dolphins in the ocean.

I was limited in travel time (no option for more than 7 weeks of holidays in one go,) do using the money was the better option.

Nean Der Thal

NZ is a good place for me

I do not need a visa to go there.. not sure if i want to get flying lessons i will need one or not.. i will look into that...

money is an issue.. but i am known for not planning my money.. i have no savings whatssoever.. so it is cool with me.. as long as i have food i am ok..

I would prefer the US.. but the US the security thing is too much. especially me being an arab.. just a pain in the butt..

but nothing beats the US in this field..

I would prefer the US.. but the US the security thing is too much. especially me being an arab.. just a pain in the butt..

lots of airports and lots of options.. large country with at least one part of it being good to fly at any given day in the year..

Willeke

I was in NZ in 1999, in that time foreigners were having flying lessons, staying long term in Kaikoura, but of course things might have changed, specially after 2001.

Nean Der Thal

flying here costs 100,000 USD for the private license.. too much!

Willeke

Not sure how much it is here but those last words apply, 'too much'. And that is not counting the costs of keeping enough air hours.

Gayot Fow

@NeanDerThal Is that part of our bet? Or prompted by our bet?

Nean Der Thal

12:51 PM

no.. it is just something i woke up thikning about..

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO yeah, flat out naughty

@NeanDerThal Any way that I can help? Get some details for lessons in the UK? There are tons of air fields around London providing lessons

Nean Der Thal

London will be expensive..

but it will be good choice... 6 hrs direct flight is really good for me..

Gayot Fow

Only for parts of it. For a sea plane you only need one of the higher ups to give a signature

Nean Der Thal

london will really be good choice, i am not a stranger to london.. been there zillion times..

and, i can find "my food" and shiesha!

10

Q: Where can I combine a vacation and learning to fly with a tourist visa, rather than needing a student visa?

I have 45 days vacation (I haven't decided when yet), I do not have a problem getting any visa, I have free tickets to any where in the world.. I just need to go to place where I can learn flying small airplanes like Cessna or so (private pilot license) while having a nice vacation at the same ti...

air-travel visas study

Gayot Fow

There's a brand new field north of here that gives lessons and the area is bucolic enough that you could stay for a pittance!

Nean Der Thal

12:56 PM

u have a name so i can research?

i can easily obtain UK visa..

Willeke

UK pittance is still nowhere near free, unless you can stay couch surf style.

Gayot Fow

Yes, it's in Peterborough --- about 50 miles north of the M25, a brand new field!

refurbished anyway

Nean Der Thal

the school name is the same?

Gayot Fow

Yeah, but there are several instructors operating at any field. Here's something I can do

I have pilot magazines

on pdf that I look at

Nean Der Thal

nice!

Gayot Fow

1:00 PM

I can zip some up and send you a zip file

I am going to Dallas on Monday. 1st leg is in to Boston

Nean Der Thal

that will be so cool

Gayot Fow

Then puddle jumping

I can put a zip file together this evening or tomorrow

you don't want the entire archive because it would be too large

Nean Der Thal

yes..

once it is ready i will put my email here for a brief time so you can email it to me.. and i will be thankful!

Gayot Fow

Plus you can start comparing prices for the Lightspeed headset.

yeah, that's fine

And get the Lightspeed bag; pilots like it if you know what you're doing

Nean Der Thal

lately, there was an error in the HR system.. when they fixed it, it turns out that i had a huge vacation balance i never used.. and due to that error it was not showing.. i have currently 190 days!

i can use them anytime i want, as long as i do not exceed 60 days a year..

so, i wanna use them well..

not only to faten myself..

this school in france:

> Assuming the minimum 45 hours of training, and satisfactory progress achieved during that time, the costs are about 8,500 euros, excluding accommodation and ground school.

cosmoflightschool.com/faq.php

8,500 EU is really doable..

Gayot Fow

1:06 PM

You can get a used communicator dirt cheap in UAE I bet.

Nean Der Thal

i have plenty of friends who are pilots...

they will be of help.. 90% of them studied in the US, the remaining 10% in the philippines..

Gayot Fow

Robin HR-400

Nean Der Thal

but they planned to be commerical jet pilots... not me.

Gayot Fow

Go private.........

Nean Der Thal

there is the aerobatics license.. or something like that...

i want that!

Gayot Fow

1:09 PM

You might want to go one step up from the Robin HR-400

Nean Der Thal

of course..

Gayot Fow

You need to reach into Europe from Arabia

Nean Der Thal

i always awanted to fly a piper cub

one of my favorite planes..

Gayot Fow

Consider the range. Remember that at school is where you will make your first round of contacts :) so choose wisely

Nean Der Thal

in middle of france... sounds not really interesting..

i do not speak the language.. not even a single word...

Willeke

1:13 PM

Even in France all to do with Flying should be in English, but the rest is sure to be in French.

Nean Der Thal

arabs are not the most welcomed people in france..

and in the middle of france..

and i do not speak the language..

bad idea..

Willeke

The UK is quite a bit more expensive now, due to the poor condition of the euro, relatively speaking.

Nean Der Thal

UK is always expensive..

Willeke

Have you looked at Belgium and the Netherlands? You will still not speak the language but the schools are more likely to be in English and all or most young locals speak English.

Gayot Fow

You could lean in Arabia

Nean Der Thal

1:16 PM

super expensive here..

and all u see from above is deserts..

desertssssssssssssssssssss.

still UK is a good choice..

Willeke

There are also coastal areas. And how about India? I do not know much but I do know that English is widely spoken and more likely than in France.

Nean Der Thal

if it was in the 10,000 EU range.. thats ok

@Willeke india.. thank you.

Willeke

YW

Nean Der Thal

i know a guy who flew some hours in south africa..

Willeke

I am checking out a site in Belgium, (first one I found with prices.) For those parts of the course that do not involve being in the air you pay €900, flying costs are based on price for the fuel, €2.24/min plus teacher at €0.75/min or solo flight €0.40 min, and they expect 60 hour of lessons.

Oh, yes, you also need to be member of the club, an other €225

Nean Der Thal

1:26 PM

that seems comparable to the french school..

Willeke

So say €3 per minute, that brings it up to €10800 for the plane, about €12000 for the whole. (I knew it was out of my range.)

Nean Der Thal

check the prices here: cosmoflightschool.com/order.php

Willeke

The difference in the number of hours, the Belgium one allows for 60.

I did not look for an English language version: ebul.be/nieuws/luchtvaart/157-leer-bij-ons-vliegen.html

Nean Der Thal

EU lost around 25% of its value when converted from my currency...

while USD has a fixed exchange rate..

so, €12000 is around 49,000 SAR now..

while it was like 70,000 SAR a year or two ago..

Gayot Fow

I will tell you when the zip is ready

Nean Der Thal

1:32 PM

thanks

take my email now, once you copy it i will delete it

Gayot Fow

@Willeke, certainly you are welcome to get a copy also. Of course you are welcome!

Willeke

No thanks, no way I can afford learning to fly.

Gayot Fow

@MarkMayo, you are more than welcome also. I would be flattered to include you!

Nean Der Thal

@GayotFow copied?

Gayot Fow

It went too fast!

ok delete it

I can put it in dropbox!!!!

we are getting very modern here :)

Nean Der Thal

1:35 PM

@Willeke the thing is, even me if i think correctly i shouldnt be able to.. but i take life with least worries.. i do not care..

i have a family.. but my wife always supports me in this stuff.. plus, i will bribe her and the kids.. i will ask her to come with me for a week or two ;)

Willeke

@NeanDerThal I will be happy to scrape the money together for a diving course, at less than €1000. The €10,000 is out of reach unless I win that lottery in which case I will likely go for the nearest school

Nean Der Thal

loans in my country is really good.. they are controlled by the government, interests are like 1.9%...

and, the bank can not take more than the third of your monthly income as payments..

so, a loan is always a good option, and it will never expand by time even if you are late..

and, banks are always happy to rearrange things..

Willeke

One third of my monthly income is the rent, or the money for food.

Nean Der Thal

rent is no issue..

my company gives me an annual housing allowance.. they do not pay it in the monthly salary.. which is a good thing..

Willeke

I might be able to get a loan, I will not be able to pay it off. I am not in the income bracket that can afford to learn to fly.

Nean Der Thal

1:40 PM

my point is, even me,

but i take risks ;)

@Willeke maybe u can answer something....

i am not really following the news..

but will greece leave the EU zone?

or not?

Willeke

Your bet is as good as mine. For now they stay in but they have to cut expenses more than they already do and the people are very tired of that.

They voted for a government that would stop it but that government agreed to yet one more loan.

Nean Der Thal

ooh..

i guess if one managed to leave,,, many will follow..

Willeke

If they leave it will be in the longer run, say no sooner than a year from now, the expectations are. Even when the decision is made, it will take time to sort things out.

I bet most will not follow, as it will be at huge costs.

And countries are still joining or getting ready to join.

Nean Der Thal

ooh

Willeke

It was one thing to pay huge cost (all prices went up) to get in, but I would hate to get that same again to get out.

Nean Der Thal

1:46 PM

10 years ago, 200 USD was enough to feed a family of 5 members for a whole month here.. now it is not enough! salaries are the same..

Willeke

I like the euro, I think it is a good thing for us, hate it that the UK did not join.

Gayot Fow

@Willeke There is sentiment in both directions

Willeke

something strange with this chat,

Nean Der Thal

here is the opposite.. people work for the government or semi-gov got raises.. the rest not..

i hate raises.. they are not practical.. you get a 15% raise.. next day prices go higher 30%..

people are greedy

Willeke

Ah, text got edited, I did not intent that.

Nean Der Thal

1:49 PM

lol

time for some coffee... and then some StarCraft..

Willeke

and now it says I am too late to edit it back.

I should do a shopping run.

enjoy!

Thanks

afk, good people

3:33 PM

@JoErNanO, naughty of me... I answered the question about how cheap to travel around the world. very naughty and I admit it :)

JoErNanO

3:59 PM

@GayotFow Unforgivable!

hippietrail

4:49 PM

And it's a gorgeous night here in Guangzhou.

Mark Mayo

5:28 PM

so much food tonight in KL

beef randang, kung po er...frog? chilli pork and chicken plus fried veges, and coconut icecream. Some of that was touristy, but damn it was tasty.

I could get very fat fast here

Willeke

KL, Kuala Lumpour?

Spelling?

It sounds like the Singapore/Indonesia or even India kind of spread, and I know each of those is worth eating. (And I have mostly had the watered down versions for European taste.)

Mark Mayo

Lumpur

it's sort of a weird mix / melting pot of Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Singaporean and Filipino and Chinese.

Mark's a happy, full Mark

also had my first (alcoholic) beer in 3 weeks, take that Iran :D

Willeke

I want to share that food with you, (even though I have had dinner just a few minutes ago) as it sounds like food heaven.

Mark Mayo

Here you go ;)

Willeke

Not the same, alas.

Mark Mayo

5:35 PM

yeah, it's never the same as being there, sadly :/ the atmosphere, sounds, sights, people...

Willeke

It will be Chinese (Indonesian style) for me Monday or Wednesday.

Mark Mayo

and that is why we travel :D

Willeke

And the food is never as good either.

Mark Mayo

trying to remember the new food I found last time I was in the netherlands

some snack

Willeke

One of those in the search is in one of my favorite Amsterdam food streets, close to the station and I am likely to spend at least one day in town next week.

Mark Mayo

5:37 PM

no wait, it was in Brugges, although in Flemish/Dutch

in the markets

boomstammetjes, I want to say?

Willeke

MMm, I am going to google that.

Mark Mayo

(googles) yep that looks about right

heh, my spelling was even ok

thanks, Afrikaans

Willeke

I do not get a clear result yet. (Real tree trunks, as well as people eating but not the food.

Mark Mayo

I just did a google image search

supermarktaanbiedingen.com/aanbieding/…

small pic tho

Willeke

spiced mincemeat with breadcrumb cover.

Looks like a Croquete, if cooked right.

(If I read the information right.)

But an other one I found talked about adding Chocolate to a traditional 'boomstam' which argues for a sweet dish.

Mark Mayo

5:49 PM

I'll accept either, happily ;)

Willeke

I have plans to visit Belgium in October, I will keep an eye out for them then.

Mark Mayo

I propose 'Bounty September', where we commit in August to always having 3 active bounties each, if you're keen, for the whole month. You can choose when to award them, but you always need to have 3 active. It's been shown to be effective in the past. Anyone keen enough that i post on meta?

Willeke

I have my first bounty going now, seemed expensive but in the day it has been open I earned more rep already.

I think I agree with you and might even participate.

The extra things you get on 5000 points do not seem that worth working for.

I starred that post.

Mark Mayo

6:37 PM

maybe we should make it bounty second-half August and start now, haha

I'm going to add one now for kicks

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO, next time you find one without an answer and you decide to answer it. Then tell me and I will answer it also. Two answers suddenly show up, and they are good answers too. :) It will be fun!

Mark Mayo

bounty added

4

Q: Is it possible to travel on the Immingham-Brevik ferry without brining a motor vehicle?

DFDS Seaways operates a cargo ferry between Brevik (Norway) and Immingham (England). Apparently, they do take drivers of private cars, for example, see The Independent. However, is it possible to book transfer on this ferry when not travelling with any freight? I don't see this freighter adver...

ferries norway england freighter-travel

Gayot Fow

@MarkMayo, is it ok to call the service and ask? Or send them email?

Willeke

Gerrit was/is going to do it, I say why not. As long as you have a good answer.

Mark Mayo

@GayotFow if you get a relevant answer that answers the question, sure. we've done it for others in the past.

Gayot Fow

6:52 PM

@MarkMayo I am minded to call them up tomorrow. But take special care that the news story about the fellow who did it was a Brit. I suspect there's no PCP in Immingham; I will have to check that also

@MarkMayo, the 'correct' answer should work for all nationalities (not just Brits) except possibly visa nationals.

@Willeke, are you going to try for it?

Willeke

Only if you do not get it working.

I know I have never found that ferry and I have been searching for ferries between the UK and the continent many times. Specially looking for Northern locations.

I have never seen the need for several almost identical answers.

Gayot Fow

7:07 PM

@Willeke It's ok if they arrive about the same time. Can't be avoided in the FGITW world

Willeke

true but why would I compete with you when I know you do a good answer when you do one.

It is different if I see a Q I know I can provide a good answer to, without knowing that you are ready to answer as well.

Gayot Fow

@Willeke Don't be silly. I like your stuff

Willeke

If it had been about any of the ferries I was familiar with, I would try to answer, this is one I do not know about and I am fairly certain it is not available for passengers (other than lorries)

Mmm, it is the same company as our 'local' ferry, the one I will take coming home in three weeks time.

Gayot Fow

Remember, if it doesn't take passengers or is not suitable, you can give an answer for the nearest one that does

Willeke

This page says it all: freight.dfdsseaways.com/DFDS_ferries/North_Sea_ferries/…

It does take passengers, but limited, and non under 5 years of age.

Gayot Fow

7:15 PM

what travel document?

Willeke

Travel between Norway and UK, I would say the same as for all travel between those countries.

Gayot Fow

that's what we have to check

Willeke

Maybe you should also ask about foot passengers, as that is the Q. And I have known some ferries that did not accept foot passengers, due to safety reasons, while cyclists had to dismount and walk between cars getting in, using the same unsafe entries.

On that page is an UK number, I leave it to you. I will not be home in office hours most of the coming week.

And the week after I have a guest

Gayot Fow

Me either, I'm headed for Dallas, and you?

Willeke

A daily swim for 4 days running (based on the tradition of the famous 4 day march in Nijmegen) after work.

Maybe we have to leave that Q both to someone else.

The week after I have my boyfriend here, will not be much (or at all) in chats and then I go to Scotland for a week, returning through Newcastle/north Shields/IJmuiden (Amsterdam)

Gayot Fow

7:24 PM

I might be back in time. OH! Where in Scotland?

Willeke

I fly to Edinburgh, stay there for 3 nights (one day I intend to take the train to Glasgow and back) and then I have a three day (two nights) bus tour to Isle of Skye, one night back in Edinburgh and one in South Shields on the way home.

South shields being walking distance from the ferry, same as the IJmuiden end is walking distance from home.

I just checked and Immingham is just across the water from Hull

And there are more freight destinations from that same terminal.

This is getting rediculous, travel.stackexchange.com/review/suggested-edits/36010 That is the fourth (or fifth?) time I have rejected a suggested edit to this Q, last time I flagged and asked to protect the Q against editing.

@GayotFow, do you know which mod might wander into the chat when buzzed?

Gayot Fow

7:42 PM

I think mindcorrosive. But he said you should FLAG it.

They look at flags first

Where are you going on Skye?

Willeke

I flagged it last time. did not work.

Portree

The chat does not provide his name when I use @

pnuts

Odd - Q already is protected.

Willeke

Maybe we should accept one such try to edit. See what happens.

Gayot Fow

they should ban the guy

Willeke

7:57 PM

@GayotFow I have booked this tour: scotland.org.uk/scotland-tours/tours/…

Gayot Fow

8:31 PM

My favourite of those is Ft William

I think you will have a great time

Willeke

I hope so as well.

JoErNanO

@GayotFow yeah but we got no rep.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Irony again. I spent a long time on the tube map question, and about 20 minutes on the cheap question. Irony in spades :)

@JoErNanO Find another one! It's fun.

@Willeke did you ever stop at Ben Nevis?

Willeke

I have been in Scotland all of five days so far, if I remember right, two of them spend on the train, on in Inverness and two in Aberdeen, if I remember right.

Gayot Fow

8:52 PM

It doesn't look like your tour is stopping in Ft William for very long

Willeke

These kind of tours never do, it is a long drive and several stops on the way.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO are you still here? I will put my draft in

When you see "Justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not provided" on a Schengen refusal, it usually means that they decided that the application was either 'incoherent', or not credible, or both.

ok, I can put markdown in here. are you here?

Now he's gone.

All alone.......

Gayot Fow

10:33 PM

@NeanDerThal, @MarkMayo the zip file is at dropbox.com/s/yk1boy6x6avv55b/maggies.zip?dl=0

anybody who wants it.......

Nean Der Thal

11:54 PM

@GayotFow THANK YOU MATE

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