Bon Voyage Jonsie

[Cleoriff]

I am going to start this thread in order wish @jonsie all the very best.

Tomorrow he flies to Thailand for good. A new life for him. He has promised to stay in touch with us all.

I hope so because he is such a well respected, knowledgeable member of the forum and has been helping people on here for years. His sense of humour is unique....

I have never met him but feel I he is the greatest friend. He helped and supported me when I crept onto this forum, technophobically challenged, a few years ago. (I am still 'challenged' but hey...much better than I was)

Anyway... I am not writing this as any type of eulogy or epitaph. He is very much alive and kicking. I just feel it's important to wish him well in his new life.

Bon Voyage Steve.

[ComaChameleon]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

It does sound a bit of a mish mash @ComaChameleon though currently @jonsie is 5 hrs into his long long flight...on his way there.

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Mish mash? What do you mean? o.o

I know. ^^ Poor one, it must be awful to be that long in a plane (and on airports)

[Cleoriff]

Mish mash is another term for a real mess @ComaChameleon

(Talking about the need to keep travelling around to get a further Visa)

[ComaChameleon]

@Cleoriff Aaaaah, thought you would mean my English XD (We use "MischMasch" for example a  mix of German and English :D)

But true, it is. Seems like many countries do things like that. I can't understand that, because many Europeans/UK move to for example Thailand at their old age, so they bring a lot of money to their country (and that's good for that countries). So why making it hard for them?

[Cleoriff]

I don't know about visa's Coma. I do know recently ALL other document application procedures have tightened up considerably in the UK. (I think due to terrorism activities) Over the last two weeks my son has had to reapply for a new passport and driving licence. The requirements for getting a passport now include names and DOB of parents... The person who countersigns the passport has to give THEIR passport number. It's so complicated. Driving licence also requires a lot more ID proof .....took him nearly a day to fill in both applications....

[Cleoriff]

Well as @jonsie is online he must be on his stopover at Abu Dhabi getting ready to board for Bangkok at 7.20am... Have a great  journey Steve....See you when you get to the 'other side '

[ComaChameleon]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

I don't know about visa's Coma. I do know recently ALL other document application procedures have tightened up considerably in the UK. (I think due to terrorism activities) Over the last two weeks my son has had to reapply for a new passport and driving licence. The requirements for getting a passport now include names and DOB of parents... The person who countersigns the passport has to give THEIR passport number. It's so complicated. Driving licence also requires a lot more ID proof .....took him nearly a day to fill in both applications....

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Wow 😮

Is it right you have to reapply for a driving licence even you "only" have a class B?

Last time I had to get a new ID-Card it took me like 10 minutes (but the wait was much longer)

[Cleoriff]

No this was reapplying for a card licence from an original paper one (which had been lost) Nightmare

[ComaChameleon]

A, yes... My grandparents lost all their papers in a burglary. So they had to get it new too. what a kerfuffle!

(Here you have to do an first aid course, even you're a paramedic, just because the agency don't accept the certificate). I love agencies. not.

[Cleoriff]

Update. I can confirm @jonsie has arrived safely in Bangkok and has been reunited with his wife. Way to go Steve...Brilliant news

[Daddydoink]

I missed this!  Good luck @jonsie - I hope you get better weather than we do here.