Germany probably off

[afuna]

Germany is most likely off. For various reasons let's not get into (partly it's my incompetence, partly it's that the entire process feels designed to trip up anyone trying to go through it, exacerbated by how the people in the call center entered the wrong information for my application), my appointment today didn't even get started; I have a new appointment for June 1.

That leaves me in a bind. The visa process is going to take either 10-12 working days, or 10-12 calendar days. That means at best I have a week's leeway, and at worst I have one day to get my passport back, with no way to make concrete plans in between now and then because I may or may not have a visa in the end.

I don't think I can relax until this is over :( I need to sleep on it, but as of tonight I've talked myself into making this a UK-only trip, and scheduling a different Schengen-countries-only trip (time and money willing!)

See, if I'm not going to have to save up for the Germany leg, I'll have enough money to choose one or two more places around the UK, and in hindsight it makes sense to not stress about getting two visas each on two trips, and I'd only need to deal with one currency at a time (everything in the UK uses pounds sterling right? Will research that).

That is, instead of doing London + Germany this trip, and Wales + France to a second trip, why not do London + Wales this trip and Germany + France + ??? the next? Makes sense right?

Also it'd give me time to be a good traveller and pick up usable bits and pieces of the languages of my eventual destination Schengen-area-countries :) Trying to decide whether I'm sour-graping and giving up too early, or bowing to practicality. MAYBE BOTH.

My apologies to everyone who I have made tentative plans with that just fell through ♥ So so so sorry for all the fuss and effort!

Comments

[cxcvi]

everything in the UK uses pounds sterling right?

Right. We're not sure yet if we want the Euro or not.

[afuna]

Hehehe. To get to use the Euro, you'd need to join the EU too right? Or are the two separate?

[cxcvi]

Using the Euro is a mostly subset of being in the EU. Not counting countries that have recently joined the EU, I believe that there are 3 countries that are in the EU that don't use the Euro (as well as a few others that are in Europe but are not a part of the EU - Norway and Switzerland are in this category): Sweden (held a referendum on it, with the result being a resounding "nej"), Denmark (not sure what the situation is there), and the UK (currently not using it, our political parties are divided on it; there are entities with loud voices that claim to speak for the country in saying that we don't wan't it; not sure what the current government's stance is).

As alluded to in later comments, there are a few places that will accept the Euro (and at least one area that mostly uses the Euro for about a week each year), but this is not common. Nor have I tried this for myself.

[pne]

The story you tell for Sweden I heard for Denmark: that they had held a referendum, the majority were against the euro, and so they negotiated an opt-out clause. The UK did similarly, and I think those two are the only EU countries that are not required to adopt the euro at some point.

Sweden exploited a loophole: before you can join the eurozone, you have to have participated in ERM II for a certain time (with exchange rates varying to other currencies only varying within a narrow band)... and they simply never joined ERM II. Apparently, the EU is not amused and while they can't do much about Sweden, they made it clear that newcomers to the EU will not get to exploit that particular loophole.

Then there are also countries that are not in the EU but who, by special agreement, mint euro coins; Monaco and the Vatican City come to mind. (And another couple of countries who are not in the EU and have no euro coins of their own but still use the euro - mostly countries whose currencies were pegged to a currency which became the euro. Bosnia [currency formerly pegged to the German mark] and Andorra [used to use Spanish and French currency] come to mind.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Supranational_European_Bodies is a fun Euler diagram of the intersections between the various bits that constitute "Europe": European Union, countries that use the euro, Schengen, etc. etc.

[afuna]

That story, and the diagram, is awesome!

[rich]

(everything in the UK uses pounds sterling right? Will research that).

Yes, everything in UK uses pounds sterling. (Although some places in London also accept Euros).

[pne]

I'm told some places in Northern Ireland also accept euros - there, presumably not so much for the sake of tourists from the continent but for the sake of people from the Republic of Ireland.

[afuna]

Oh, interesting! (Though as long as they all accept pounds sterling too, I should be fine)

[pne]

Oh yes. It's in addition to, rather than instead of, the pound sterling.

And as far as I know, it's mostly localities close to the border with the Republic rather than, say, Belfast.

[afuna]

Thank you!

[kake]

And there's a pub in Southall that accepts rupees!

[acari]

I'm sorry my country's visa process sucks. :(

[afuna]

Not your fault! It may not even be wholly your country's; apparently some of it is done locally here for security purposes or something? Like, the application form was straightforward, but getting the application form submitted was... less so.

[draigwen]

Well, it'll certainly be nice to see you in Wales!

[afuna]

I hear it is gorgeous!

[draigwen]

It is as long as it's not raining! I love it here. I don't live in the nicest of areas but the view outside my window makes it worth it.

[kerravonsen]

Ah well. Yes, London + Wales and Germany + France do actually make more sense logistically.

[starshadow_rivaulx]

I most heartily second this comment. *nods* London/Wales or Germany/France will give you a chance to look at rail travel as a way of getting around, if you travel really light (or can manhandle your luggage).

Good luck!