ingles has left 43 comments

ingles comments on Visa - apply before or after arrival?

Vic just to clarify - "unless you are in the country already with another type of visa you dont have to leave ...only go to Bogota and do a change on your visa (Student visas dont count)" Are you classing a 60 day stamp in your passport as not having a visa? If you arrive and get a 60 day stamp - you are allowed to go to Bogota to get a work visa or does this fall into the "unless you are in the country already with another type of visa category"......?

ingles comments on la campiña

Paul, you sent a message with your telephone number on it to my profile a couple of months ago. Is it still the same? If so, I will probably give you a call in the next couple of weeks. I arrive in Cali on Wednesday and after a familiarisation process will look for English teaching work and may need a TV to watch some Premier League footy on with a beer and some english company. cheers Geoff

ingles comments on UK to Colombia via Madrid

I haven't done trip via Miami, but did go through JFK on 2 separate tickets once and that was fine. No hassle at immigration or customs - worth considering rather than just writing off the USA routes as they are quite a bit cheaper than through Europe.

ingles comments on

Regards Zoom Airlines - they appear to have gone bust today. Zoom.com is showing that they are filing for insolvency. A shame.

ingles comments on Tourist Visa for UK

The website is the Foreign Commonwealth Office official visa4uk site. Really getting on my nerves now! I sent a PM regarding the flights

ingles comments on Tourist Visa for UK

I'm writing about a colombian national applying for a visa to enter the UK as a tourist. Been trying for 7 days - hopeless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Options showing on the website for interview are Bogota, Cali and Medellin - not a sausage in either of the offices!

ingles comments on la campiña

Paul, the teachers that you have staying at your place - do they arrange work before arrival and have TEFLs or do they just turn up on spec and find something by looking around? I am heading over in October. Cheers

ingles comments on la campiña

Paul, thanks for the message. I should be alright accomodation wise for when I arrive. I am due to arrive in October. I don't have a TEFL certificate - have a degree and also a separate teaching qualification here in the UK. Will this be sufficient or do you recommned doing a TEFL course. cheers

ingles comments on la campiña

La campina -just wondering whether you received the PM i sent you a couple of days ago seeking info on teaching english in Cali? If not, could you PM me your email address so i can email again (asuming you don't mind me picking your brains!) Thanks

ingles comments on World's happiest place Denmark, followed by Iceland, Colombia slips to third place....

"I can not see how Colombians can be soooooooooooooo happy when most of the people don´t have a pot to piss in." Well maybe it just goes to prove that money can't buy happiness. From similar survey results that have been published in the past I think key elements that contribute to the findings are family bonds, public holidays etc rather than needing material wealth.

ingles comments on flying through panama - cheap tickets

I sometimes find flights through Panama with a connection time of 45 minutes - is this a realistic connection with code share airlines? Has anyone had to do this? Is there assistance to speed up the transfer of flights?

ingles comments on Brew Pubs In Colombia

"The 'decerning' Germans chose Bud as their official World Cup 2006 brew I recall." Don't think it was the Germans that chose this - FIFA sell out to the highest bidder. I very much doubt that much Budweiser was being drunk in Germany!

ingles comments on

Craig - when booking with Avianca through barca or madrid - who do you book with, which agency? Avianca's website quotes ridiculous prices. Anybody heard anything about Avianca :London - Bogota being reinstated as was mooted here a few months ago?

ingles comments on

one of my fave topics this one. I tend to find that the cheapest flights are now via the USA using New York or Miami as transit but your problem is the need for a US Visa for your missus. Air France's prices are very high now. Travelling in July will not help you - prices shoot up then big style.

ingles comments on Drug dealer in London killed by Cali Cartel

"Liverpool is a city in the county of Merseyside which has NOTHING to do with London. London is a seperate city and in a seperate county about 200 miles away from Merseyside." What? Are you saying that there is more to England than London? What about the Queen, have you met her? ;)

ingles comments on

Check this out: http://callchecker.moneysavingexpert.com/intcallchecker/colombia-mobile#SimplyDial This is for mobiles - I go through 0844 calls and it costs 5p a minute. A great deal. No need to sign up, just call and they collect your money through your provider. Read the whole page for a breakdown on how it works. landline calls are about 1p per min

ingles comments on Pros and Cons of Moving to the UK

Juanes wrote: "we have the best public transport around europe" Is that tongue in cheek? Travelling by train is no fun here!!!

ingles comments on Pros and Cons of Moving to the UK

This going way back up the thread - Lauthra wrote "I have been in England, spent two days in the Winter of 2002-2003 and LUV IT." Is that a typo - 2 days? Its pretty difficult to get an impression of a place in 2 days. For what its worth, the dilemma is a difficult one. If you plan on returning to Colombia in the long run, I would say give it a go over here. You can hopefully save money to take back to Colombia and live more comfortably over there. If planning on staying in UK/europe long term there are major difficulties getting on the property ladder without capital and renting is in my opinion dead money.

ingles comments on moving to United Kingdom

"Easy, but at 500 GBP for the residency visa and 300 for a tourist one, pretty expensive, Kat." £300 for a toursit visa - where is that info from? When I last enquired it was about £63 for a 6 month tourist visa and upto £200 for a tourist visa for upto 5 years.

ingles comments on UK sterling in Colombia

Chris, has it right - you can make more than one withdrawal. Also, if you are in the uk or when you are next back look into opening a Nationwide Flexaccount a current account that does not require monthly funding - it has zero charges for foreign withdrawals. Tansfer money into that account and withdraw from it when abroad.

ingles comments on SOS!! UK travel to Colmbia via USA

My uderstanding is that UK citizens with a machine readable passport qualify for the Visa Waiver in the US and do not need a visa. I hope so, doing a similar trip myself soon!!!

ingles comments on Advice for colombian living in the UK

Poor girl living in Wigan!!!!! Only joking, I am from St Helens a step down in my book! Get her into the Rugby League and take her to the Saints -Wigan game on Good Friday for a taste of real northern life and a good ol' Pooles Pie should see her right and a bit of lancashire black pudding to remind her of morcilla!

ingles comments on According to Oliver Stone...

I have to say i couldn't believe it when I read this story in the paper this morning over breakfast. A really poor piece by the Observer, that maybe should have focused on the actual "Hostage Release" story rather than Oliver Stone's opinions. They acknowledge that the interview was carried out before FARC admitted they did not have the boy : "Stone, speaking before Farc's statement was released, denied that the discovery of Emmanuel in the orphanage was a major blow to the rebels' credibility." A story about FARC lies would have been better and maybe an emphasis of how cocaine users in the UK are funding the morons that are the FARC!

ingles comments on Avianca to resume flights from London and Frankfurt!

We've had this on an earlier thread but how do people book flights from UK to Colombia - internet? ANy special agencies in London that have good deals? I am getting brassed off with Air France - already up to £800 for 2 weeks in March via expedia and booking direct with Air France is £1000 .

ingles comments on Avianca to resume flights from London and Frankfurt!

I emailed Avianca this afternoon for further info and they responded: "Gracias por contactarnos. Le invitamos a que continúe visitando nuestra página. Lamento informarle que la ruta aun no ha sido habilitada, lo invitamos a estar consultando nuestra pagina www.avianca.com. Cordial Saludo, Soporte Gestión Clientes Call Center Servicios Avianca" So it doesn't seem to be in place yet. Maybe they have got permission for the route and now need to do the maths. I hope this happens as the prices from Air France are extortionate now. If there was a bit of competition in europe going to Colombia an airline could make this a good profitable route. Current best deals seem to go through USA.

ingles comments on French Visa

Taken from: http://www.consulfrance-londres.org/article.php3?id_article=349 Do you need an airport transit visa? "You do not require an airport transit visa if you hold a LEAVE TO REMAIN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD or a valid residency permit for one of the European Countries, for Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, for Andorra, for Japan, for Canada, for Monaco, for San Marino, for Switzerland or for the USA. Similarly, you do not require an airport transit visa if you hold a Diplomatic, Service, Official or Special passport." A disgrace in my opinion. 60 euros as well. Does anyone have any experience of this requirement?

ingles comments on French Visa

I can't believe that the fact that a Colombian citizen who has a valid UK Visa is not exempt from this transit visa. A joke if it is so!

ingles comments on Ross Kemp in Colombia

Now on Youtube - Ross Kemp on gangs. Here's part one - you can find the rest yourselves!!!! http://youtube.com/watch?v=RMwej7P-_b4

ingles comments on Sending Money from Uk to Colombia

Strange that one English Hunk - the website is definitely quoting £4.99 - have you been and asked at an agent?

ingles comments on Sending Money from Uk to Colombia

Moneygram is the way to go from the UK, if outside of London. Fee of £4.99 for £100, whereas Western Union charges £14.99 for £100. I am unsure whether this is a promotion from Moneygram or a permanent price. Again, you pay the money at a Moneygram agent and receive a transaction code. This needs passing on to the recipient who quotes this a moneygram agent in Cali who will pay out when ID is shown. Website lists all agents - www.moneygram.co.uk

ingles comments on I need to know about Liverpool United Kingdom

Yeah right "says it all really." Lulita, you will have noticed that in a post above, I specifically mentioned this suburb as a place to avoid. The article is the equivalent of a Brit asking what is it like in Cali? And then being directed to articles about Aguablanca

ingles comments on I need to know about Liverpool United Kingdom

Curramberochris - well said, exactly what i thought. The city was a hole when the recessions kicked in but it is a pleasant place now with the docks having undergone a major transformation. Every city has problems and scally culture is no means confined to Liverpool - it seems to be everywhere in the UK now as we have created a culture of "rights" and failed to highlighted that everybody has responsibilities as well. City centre is fine and a fantastic night out. As far as I'm concerned the city centre is as safe as houses, although there are suburbs to avoid - Norris Green having been highlighted in the media recently due to youth gang culture. Don't believe the doom mongers - it's a pleasant city. As a posted above, if the reasons of your visit are clarified, better advice can be provided.

ingles comments on I need to know about Liverpool United Kingdom

Yeah, the Beatles are from Liverpool so you need to check out Mathew Street the site of the Cavern Club where they first made their name but there are other things to do. Liverpool will be European Capital of Culture in 2008 and has many cultural buildings to see. The problem at the moment is that a lot of the city looks like a building site and rumours have it that a lot of the new build will not be complete in time for Capital of Culture and that the residents fear being hit with a whopping council tax increase to fund this. Luckily I live down the road from Liverpool and am not classed as "liverpool" so my council tax will not be affected. I'm not a scouser (inhabitant of Liverpool) either, which has some benefits - you will probably hear about the scouse reputation when you are here - but Scousers are great people really, very friendly and the stereotypes are unfair. although tracksuits, shell suits and perms are still in fashion ;) There are things to see here, great nightlife and food. I suppose the info you are looking for will depend on what you are doing here. Work, visiting family/friends or studying? It is a great city to be a student. If you hook up with a colombian community here, let me know, so I can get some tips on finding cheap flights to Colombia from travel agencies.

ingles comments on Newark Airport

Kat - do BA fly to Colombia? I thought these flights were stopped a few years back?

ingles comments on Last minute flights to Bogota from UK

That is meant to say clear customs in Houston!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ingles comments on Last minute flights to Bogota from UK

This is agood question - flights from the UK over there (maybe from all of Europe) are very expensive especially during summer.

I looked a few days ago via www.kayak.co.uk and the cheapest I found for the 20th July was £740 return. Problem is that the flight is with continental via Houston with a connection time of 90 minutes. I don not know how realistic this is, as I believe you have to clear customs in Bogota.

I was searching Manchester - Cali. Maybe London- Bogota is cheaper.

I think it would be good to start a thread - how to find the cheapest flights UK to Colombia as I am sure some colombians in the UK must know of some bucket shop agencies in London.

ingles comments on Child Sponsorship

Colombiangringo - I have checked out the webiste of Children internation and it seems fine but any further info that your parents have will not go amiss. cheers

ingles comments on Tigo Website SMS Messages

Cheers Thanks for the Update Gringo. Will have to try it in the next couple of days myself.

ingles comments on visiting Cali in late July

Booking from Cali Interesting that you booked your flight from Cali - is there a tour operator that you used that you could recommend or a website you could point me to.

Latest deals i have seen are cheapest through USA rather than the usual route through paris.

ingles comments on visiting Cali in late July

Bank Charges I'd recommend opening a Nationwide Flexaccount current account. You needn't use it as your main current account, just transfer your holiday spend in there before you go, and you do not get any charges for using ATMs.

Post office credit card is a credit card that has no foreign charges, so worthwhile thinking of these if you travel quite a bit.

Just out of interest - which companies are you looking for flights with. I went in July last year and the cost was very high compared to other times of the year. I booked through expedia.

ingles comments on San Cipriano Videos

San Cipriano For me, San Cipriano for the day trip is all about the "transport" to the town and the river. The river is lovely and clear and very refreshing amid the humidity!

A return trip on the "train" cost $7.000 - there is now a station that sells tickets. Funnily, on the back of the tickets it states something along the lines of "Insurance will only cover emergency first aid!" I was there 2.5 years ago and it was a case of bartering with the locals - that now seems to have ended.

Also 2.5 years ago, there were many brujas projected by a long pole and a person using their foot on the train line like a skate board - about 7km of real hard work for the poor sod that put all the effort in.

Also, it is now designated as a nature reserve and entance costs $1.500 (or was it $2.500, I can't remember!). I did not see any animals as I was only there a few hours when it was quite hectic with tourists during semana santa. 2.5 years ago, I stayed overnight - there are numerous places to stay - basic wooden rooms - and plenty of places to eat. Whilst there this time I had a beautiful sancocho de pescado!

ingles comments on

A good way to check call prices is to use the following website: http://callchecker.moneysavingexpert.com/intcallchecker/index.php

there is an option to check a box to solely obtain call prices for calls to mobiles if you so wish. Results range from companies where you open accounts and add money before calling to simply dialling the company's number and it appears on your phone bill at the quoted rate.

Rates seem reasonable to me, 2p per min to a landline and 5p per min to a mobile.

make sure you check the actual company's website of the one that you want to use before calling to check the current rate.

ingles comments on Sending money from UK to colombia

Unfortunately, i am not in London. What about Liverpool or Manchester anybody?