In the spirit of a big ISH meet - how about France?

[theabsinthefairy]

To all those French ishers and those in the Netherlands and the UK who fancy a bit of travel and don't mind camping - how about meeting up here chez nous in the Auvergne - central France?

I shan't do anything about arranging anything unless people fancy it for a weekend as it is so far to travel for most. But we could have craft demonstrations, BBQ, seed swops, book swop etc.


Monika

[oldfella]

That sounds like good Idea and we would love to meet all Ishers.

[SarahJane]

It sounds like a great idea and if finances and time off work would allow it and my OH is home from Germany at the time, we could try and make it.
Or if I am in Germany we could drive over from there.
We love camping!

[Millymollymandy]

Lovely idea but I've already done the NW France meet-up with Green Rosie - and that was quite far enough!

Seriously we cannot go away together because of the menagerie!

[mrsflibble]

je pense que c'est une bonne idée, mais désolé, je n'ai pas un passeport.

well, I do but it's in my maiden name and they want god knows how much to give me one in my married name, AND I have to pay full price to get this done, yet the passport they send me will expire at the same time as my original one so I'd be getting 2 years for the price of 10.

no, seriously.

I'm just gonna wait until my old one expires.


great idea though!

[Millymollymandy]

I don't remember having to pay anything to get my name changed on my passport. They issued the same passport back again with just a bit of paper stuck over where they wrote my new name in.

[mrsflibble]

omg thay've changed it since I last looked. I last looked 3 years ago and they said I'd have to pay full price for a new one but it would only last until 2010 when my old one runs out... but now they say this:
http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-amending-name.asp

think there'd be a problem that I got married 3 years ago?!

[Clara]

Hmmmm.....does it matter? Your passport is the only ID you have to produce, and so longer as you´re the woman in the photo....how are they gonna know any different KWIM? I´d continue to use the old passport and then change the name when it comes up for renewal.

[theabsinthefairy]

Yep - France is just so bid when trying to get together - and menagerie problems also.

Never mind - have to stick to the virtual meet ups instead.

[mrsflibble]

Hmmmm.....does it matter? Your passport is the only ID you have to produce, and so longer as you´re the woman in the photo....how are they gonna know any different KWIM? I´d continue to use the old passport and then change the name when it comes up for renewal.

'cos it's illegal to do that and I'm not really an illegal kinda gal...
and I need a passport as Id. nobody will take a provisional driving license any more (although lots will surprisingly take my great western ID ) and I'd like something a little more secure than a letter from the benefits office as my ID!

AND if you have a different name on your passport than your child does on theirs, passport control start asking questions.

mind you, it's what I did for our honeymoon

[Brij]

Passport names: I used to use the surname I was born with to travel, and no-one had any issue with it, as long as it was the same name as on my ticket. If you produce a marriage certificate (or legal copy of) when asked, what is the problem?

France meet-up: Is there anyone else in the Paris area? Personally I'd be happy to travel for a meet-up anywhere, though more than a 2 hour journey might not be do-able, it would be expensive as much as anything else.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

A meet would be great....but as you say distances are big here. It would take me six hours (minimum) to reach the Auvergne by smokey horrible car and longer, I fear, by train. Nice part of the country though, so perhaps I could make a long weekend of it and get some walking in....

Or we could all get webcams and have a picnic online? I have no idea how that works, but someone must.