Taking Out Foreign Currency

[MrGongGong]

If as a population we start to vote for reasons other than which party will give us the most pounds in our pocket, that might be a good thing.

[P. G. Tipps]

If as a population we start to vote for reasons other than which party will give us the most pounds in our pocket, that might be a good thing.

Well you and Mr GG can always start the 'Let's All Become Poor & Unemployed Party' and maybe sweep the country ... after the Brexit Referendum and Trump one never knows! ...

[ahinton]

Well you and Mr GG can always start the 'Let's All Become Poor & Unemployed Party' and maybe sweep the country ... after the Brexit Referendum and Trump one never knows! ...

But if there is no pound, for the rich or for the poor, what then? And, frankly, why should there be?

[MrGongGong]

Well you and Mr GG can always start the 'Let's All Become Poor & Unemployed Party' and maybe sweep the country ... after the Brexit Referendum and Trump one never knows! ...

Imagination bypass

[french frank]

Yes, but we don't vote 'as a population': at either end of the spectrum people see their interest as voting for what's best for them - to be lifted out of poverty or retain their wealth. Those neither suffering poverty nor enjoying wealth (which they almost certainly think their right/just reward) can afford to vote according to their consciences.

If as a population we start to vote for reasons other than which party will give us the most pounds in our pocket, that might be a good thing.

[Lat-Literal]

Yes, but we don't vote 'as a population': at either end of the spectrum people see their interest as voting for what's best for them - to be lifted out of poverty or retain their wealth. Those neither suffering poverty nor enjoying wealth (which they almost certainly think their right/just reward) can afford to vote according to their consciences.

Yes indeed although people who own the majority of a tiny house and almost nothing else are rich and poor at the same time. They need, for example, a non private health service. I've never travelled outside Europe (EU) because I couldn't have afforded healthcare if taken ill. I deliberately stayed in France when working in Geneva. Now I won't leave Britain.

[Richard Barrett]

I have never travelled outside of Europe because I couldn't afford healthcare if I was taken ill. Now I won't leave Britain.

Getting temporary health insurance for travelling is very cheap and easy.

[teamsaint]

Getting temporary health insurance for travelling is very cheap and easy.

...unlike finding cheap train fares from UK to Germany.

the much talked about 59 Euro Sparpreis from London to Berlin ( or anything like 59 Euros) seems to be very elusive indeed, even several months ahead, and even for midweek travel .

[Lat-Literal]

Getting temporary health insurance for travelling is very cheap and easy.

I will take your word for it, Richard, and I admit there are other reasons why I no longer go abroad. Even so, I feel uncomfortable with it.

[french frank]

...unlike finding cheap train fares from UK to Germany.

the much talked about 59 Euro Sparpreis from London to Berlin ( or anything like 59 Euros) seems to be very elusive indeed, even several months ahead, and even for midweek travel .

This man is usually reliable.

[kernelbogey]

This man is usually reliable.

Yes - and you can buy trans-Europe tickets from Deutsche Bahn who sometimes have offers below those from other sources (eg Eurostar) - he show you how.

[teamsaint]

This man is usually reliable.

yes, he is great, and the site is superbly set up.

Still can't find what I want though, and I have had a really good go.

Annoying, because I'd be prepared to pay something of a premium to go by rail, not being a keen flyer, but it really does seem hard to find anything. I suppose part of the problem is that there are a lot of cheaply priced plane tickets to Berlin, so the comparison may be a bit unfair.

The all in one Eurostar tickets to 6 german cities are well priced and reasonably available, but the next leg from Cologne to Berlin seems to be very pricey, and negates a lot of the price benefit of the Eurostar tickets.

Edit: the DB Bahn site gives a reasonable number of 90 euro ( one way) tickets in July, and Saturdays seem cheap. Still keeps it well above the cost of flying though, and no sign yet of the 59 Euro tickets.

edit: now found a couple of days with 70 euro tickets....mostly in April.

[Richard Barrett]

Travelling by train from London to Berlin? You must have plenty of time on your hands...

[teamsaint]

Travelling by train from London to Berlin? You must have plenty of time on your hands...

leave St Pancras 10.58, in Berlin 21.06. Not so bad. and my Sansa clip battery lasts at least that long.

Or you could get to Heathrow 4 hours early, because there is no train from the south or west and the M25 is permanently blocked, so you need to leave a huge margin of error, and then discover that the flight is delayed 4 hours, and finally fly to Tegel and it's as yet unbuilt S- Bahn Link....Blah blah blah...

or try somehow to get to Gatwick on Southern " Rail", which is a misnomer since their trains simply don't ever run any more.....mumble grumble...

oh yes, and I like trains, for the most part.

[P. G. Tipps]

p. g. tipps

Getting temporary health insurance for travelling is very cheap and easy.

For the very lucky ones ...

For others who are older and have even HAD a serious illness it can be very expensive indeed.

The trouble with health insurance is that the most needy are the most penalised and sometimes even denied!