Foreign Perspectives

Archive for the ‘Relocating’ Category

Bonsoir:

We saw a satellite system for sale for ‚€35 last week so thought it was high time we did something about the TV situation. Up to now we’ve had nothing but had brought the two TVs and Sky box from Holywood.

“Satellite kit” means something completely different in French than you & I think. In France a satellite kit gives you the dish and decoder (digital one for ‚€85, analogue for ‚€35) but no means of attaching the thing to the wall. Next day it was off to Castorama yet again to get the attachment kit. Unfortunately, my trusty rechargeable drill wasn’t up to going through a stone & concrete wall so the next day it was off yet again to get a more grown up drill, serious drill bit and really serious bolts to attach the thing to the wall (nope, the attachment kit doesn’t include the bolts). I figured that wireless was the way to go so today, just before attaching the final bit to the wall it was off to buy one of those little wireless gadgets to save a heap of cabling and finally we have our Sky TV back again.

However, we haven’t forgotten about the decoder box that came with the dish. Of course the remote control doesn’t come with batteries… yup, off to the shops again tomorrow to see if we can set the thing up or if we’ll need another LNB to pick up another satellite.

Would you believe that we still haven’t got our drinks license transferred over? Nobody knows where the document needed to do the transfer is so we’re flogging the boose anyway. We also STILL aren’t registered as a French company which is getting to be a bit of a problem as I need to employ Wendy so she can claim the maternity expenses from the social security people.

Ah, the maternity thing. Wendy’s first appointment was this morning so we took along the really big dictionary (commonly referred to as the breeze block). As it turned out, we needn’t have bothered as the doctor speaks pretty good English. Wendy’s to get a heap of blood tests (French doctors are really into tests) in the next day or two and the scan in about two weeks.

We’ve acquired a weird French couple who are the first lot too stingy to pay ‚€6 for a breakfast. Must see if they’re related to the Shearers! They seem pretty addicted to TV and are glued to Sky at the moment so it may be a while before we get rid of them.

That’s one of the castles dotted around the mountainsides here…

More anon,

Arnold

Hi folks,

We had a couple of unexpected emergencies today:

1. The cash box filled up so we were forced to bank some of it; and

2. It got so warm that I had to break out the shorts!

Anyway, things are going fine. Haven’t quite enough to pay the mortgage but we may have to upgrade the size of the cash box as everyone seems to run around with wads of notes here.

We’re in the process of upgrading things so there’s now somewhat fancier bars of soaps in the rooms than previously and we’ll be looking to splash out on a few beds over the next week or two. The range of shops isn’t as great as in Belfast so it’s been harder to track down some things than expected and we only ordered the planned new cooker and fridge this afternoon.

Prices are something else though. If you’ve been checking prices in Belfast lately, you’ll be amazed to know that I was able to pick a big range cooker, big fridge/freezer and microwave for under ‚€800 (£500). In Belfast the cooker alone would be easily twice that: and they’re not even on offer! And no, I’m not whipping off the VAT for that comparison. Actually, in general it seems to be the case that for most things the UK price and the French price are the same except that the UK price has a pound sign in front while the French one has a euro sign ie you’re looking at about 40% off at the moment.

Arnold

Hi folks,

We picked up the truck Thursday two weeks back and spent the next two days packing up the house, right up to midnight on the Friday! A 0740 boat meant very little sleep that night and a hurried departure (just made the boat and no more).

Somehow we managed to get down to Dover by about 11pm that night (way further than planned but I wanted to get past Birmingham, then London and then there weren’t any hotels `til we reached Dover). Around then the police stopped us and were all set to arrest us for having an overweight lorry but it was only 4900 kg so that was OK but left us checking in around midnight.

We slept in and caught a ferry around noon and all was going swimmingly `til Wendy started flashing the lights etc. That’s when we discovered a shredded tyre. The towing guy pointed out that the other inside tyre was about to go too. French towing guys are generally useless. That’s all they do. Anyway, on Sunday we were stuck in northern France as nothing is open on Sundays here. The garage they sent us to on Monday didn’t do trucks and neither did anyone else in the area so we’d to call the rental place again (the out of hours guy on Sunday was totally useless: he said “just jack it up and change the tyre” which a) is dangerous on a truck and b) isn’t possible on a loaded truck with the gear they give you). Anyway, eventually they organised a guy to sort us out but that meant another night in Cambrai.

Tuesday and Wednesday went fine at least and we ended up here around 7pm on the Wednesday, with the whole truck unloaded by Thursday lunchtime. Too late to leave it back before the Easter break though so I didn’t get back to Belfast `til Wednesday afternoon (after three days of driving), just in time to catch the plane to here on Thursday morning.

Nearly forgot… got the truck virtually taken apart in Dover by customs. I don’t think they believed me when I said I’d not bought anything!

Anyway, I’m here now.

We got our very first customer on Sunday the 11th and, contrary to JS’s expectations, they paid EUR6 each for a continental breakfast. They even gave us a tip!

Can’t get rid of a French couple who turned up on Tuesday so I guess we’re doing something right and the people from our first travel agent booking are arriving this Sunday.

Everyone was off for Easter so I couldn’t get the wine shop stocked, hence lack of crates at the door of Rosepark, David. However, I should be back in October (possibly earlier too) so could probably fill the trailer. Incidently, David, could you recommend a wine magazine? We’re trying to stock up our lounge with magazines to cater for the various types of clients but didn’t see any wine mags when I looked the last few days (turned up here with a way, way overweight bag of mags!).

Sooo, when are y’all coming over to visit?

Arnold

Yes, I know it’s not March 23rd, but on 2pm local time (1pm for you guys) on Tuesday March 23rd I will be in the hotel trade.

I’m flying over for the week to get the initial admin sorted out (registration with the chamber of commerce, the business bank account and the drinks license for a start). Probably flying back at the end of the week with a view to picking up the truck very shortly after that and doing the move.

Outside possibility of us driving over in the car & leaving Wendy there with me flying back for the truck.

Anyway, in theory we open very, very early in April (definitely before Easter!).

Arnold

Bonsoir mes amis:

I’m still too stupid to call it a day with the French courses so I am, of course, a month or so into L310.

Also, had a severe rush of blood to the head months ago and am in the final stages of buying a small hotel in the south of France. Yup, you read that right! Completion date was originally January 30th but, of course, it’s France so the actual completion will be March 23rd. Lots more on the hotel at www.mascamps.com or, if you don’t mind rubbish French, at www.mascamps.com/fr .

It’s about 15 minutes west of Perpignan (about an hour and a half north of Barcelona). If nothing else, all those French courses have at least been put to serious use though, laughably, hardly any of the existing customer base is French!

Anyway, what’s new with you guys? Haven’t heard from y’all in ages.

Arnold