Going to America.

[Lord Anubis]

and eat a bucket of Reeses Peanut Buttercups and think of me wishing I was there...my next trip is to Orlando but only next year March, dammit

 

[Frankie]

Your misperceptions are startling.

+1
Very far from the truth.

Just be wary when returning to SA though - those customs guys will first try for their backhander and if unsuccessful make you pay a small fortune in VAT and duty for all the goodies you bought abroad.
I travel a lot and it's only SA where I've found this.

I note one good thing and that is you no longer have forms to fill in with your address - I guess this was to stymie the organised crime that didn't exist - you know the ones that got inside info and followed you to your home or hotel to collect their loot and inflict serious harm.

Enjoy man. Try get up to New York. It's the only place to be. I'll buy you a beer.

Florida's great too, I spend a lot of my time in Naples and Fort Lauderdale. I'm sure you'll love it.

I've just returned to the UK after three weeks in Pittsburgh and if you were offering me that beer I'd be asking for Samuel Adams Boston Larger.
In PA it's hard to find a beer outlet - they are small hole in the wall depots.

I had one "Bud" on this trip and just couldn't get that last 30% of the bottle down - disgusting stuff.

 

[waynegohl]

is there a limit of what you can bring back from the US without having to declare anything.

 

[Boodles]

I really enjoyed the free car hire for 10 days when i was there.

They forgot to charge me.

 

[Velenoso]

+1
Very far from the truth.

Just be wary when returning to SA though - those customs guys will first try for their backhander and if unsuccessful make you pay a small fortune in VAT and duty for all the goodies you bought abroad.
I travel a lot and it's only SA where I've found this.

I note one good thing and that is you no longer have forms to fill in with your address - I guess this was to stymie the organised crime that didn't exist - you know the ones that got inside info and followed you to your home or hotel to collect their loot and inflict serious harm.



I've just returned to the UK after three weeks in Pittsburgh and if you were offering me that beer I'd be asking for Samuel Adams Boston Larger.
In PA it's hard to find a beer outlet - they are small hole in the wall depots.

I had one "Bud" on this trip and just couldn't get that last 30% of the bottle down - disgusting stuff.

Yeah, that's not a bad beer at all actually. I just stick to Heineken though...

 

[waynegohl]

I really enjoyed the free car hire for 10 days when i was there.

They forgot to charge me.

ha ha if not why not hey. lucky for us they have a car for us if we wanna use it.

 

[Frankie]

is there a limit of what you can bring back from the US without having to declare anything.

Yes - maximum total value of R3000 per person.
I have tricks to get around this, which I won't post here of course.

There's a general rule of thumb that each person can carry one cell phone and one camera without being expected to pay VAT and duty on them.

I always record my goods with the JNB office before I leave SA and keep that paperwork with me at all times.
I've had one of them (the ones that walks like an Egyptian) try and make me pay an exorbitant amount on my old company notebook after his extortion didn't work - on that occasion I called for the most senior person there (no there's no managers amongst them) and they realised I'd be taking the issue further.

On leaving once the guy with the scale just before the check-in desk tried to bribe me to pay him a nominal amount for the excess baggage - Singapore Air forwarded the Police case number to me - hopefully that one is in jail - the check-in clerks must have been in on the deal as well, as they must have noticed excess baggage getting to them without the receipts.

 

[waynegohl]

thats what i read last year when my daughters went over. i would most likely be the one who buys some gadget over there and brings it back. someone has also asked me to bring a bottle of wine or something like that over, how easy is that.

 

[Frankie]

thats what i read last year when my daughters went over. i would most likely be the one who buys some gadget over there and brings it back. someone has also asked me to bring a bottle of wine or something like that over, how easy is that.

No problem but it would have to go in your check-in baggage, so you'd need to pack it well or do what I do and take d00s wyn.

You can also buy it at "duty free" and they'll place it in a security bag for you, if you prepared to pay their rip-off prices.

 

[waynegohl]

i will most likely put it in the check-in luggage.

 

[Hosehead]

Your misperceptions are startling.

Are they now? Are they really?

At JFK Airport, Denying Basic Rights Is Just Another Day at the Office




http://www.alternet.org/story/95351/

 

[waynegohl]

sorry guys i just had to revive this one.

we went to the USA Consulate to have my daughters visa renewed and the appointment was for 8.30am this morning and at about 8.35am we were out with a 10 yr multiple entry visa for her.

it took us longer to walk up an to walk down from the consulate.

 

[bwana]

sorry guys i just had to revive this one.

we went to the USA Consulate to have my daughters visa renewed and the appointment was for 8.30am this morning and at about 8.35am we were out with a 10 yr multiple entry visa for her.

it took us longer to walk up an to walk down from the consulate.

I took my kids to the consulate the other week to register their births and get them passports for our mid-year trip to the UK - have to say it was a fairly painless experience (except for my wallet! ).

We only realised at the time that we should have got the missus' visa sorted out while we were there but we hadnt done any of the paperwork. Did you need to make an appointment for her visa?

 

[waynegohl]

yip same procedure i guess. we did the paperwork online and then you pay for the appointment then you pay for the visa and you go, thats it is so so simple its unbelievable. we been there 3 times already first for the girls then us then to renew this one so we basically knew what was going on.

 

[Eh!]

+1
Very far from the truth.

Just be wary when returning to SA though - those customs guys will first try for their backhander and if unsuccessful make you pay a small fortune in VAT and duty for all the goodies you bought abroad.
I travel a lot and it's only SA where I've found this.

You got off lightly, I've had customs opening by baggage and going through every item, then asks me if he can have it! +1 that it only happens in SA. Been to other third world countries and get treated better than my own country.

 

[waynegohl]

i know a student gets a student rate when it comes to flying so does that also count if one has a student number and you are studying through Intec but you are an adult?

does anyone know anything about this?

 

[d0b33]

You must not be shopping in the right places then. My 501s are about half the price there and my folks regularly send over stuff for the kids that are exceptionally well priced.

Indeed, and I think things are being discounted now even more to assist spending and stimulate the economy...

To the OP good luck on your trip.

 

[waynegohl]

thanks but like last year my wifes back starts playing up just a few months before we wanna go but she says no matter how much her back hurts she wants to be on that flight.

 

[eek]

i know a student gets a student rate when it comes to flying so does that also count if one has a student number and you are studying through Intec but you are an adult?

does anyone know anything about this?

Student rates are mostly referred to as young traveler rates and are for up to a certain age, think about 26 or 27 years old. In many cases you don't even need a student card. But you're an student above the cut-off age adult rates will apply regardless.

 

[waynegohl]

thanks buddy, i was looking online this morning and came across something called ISE card and this, below, is what they say.

Who is eligible?

The ISE Card is available to students of any age, faculty/teacher members and youths aged 12 to 26 years. For specific requirements.

does the section i highlighted mean something different to the rest of the wording?