biggish data

Mmmmm...biscuits!

You guys need to get used to not being able to get them when you get to the USA.

Eh!

CanadianFavourites Cookies (go to the "Nabisco Peak Freans")

For those who are picky that it HAS to be British....

British Delights McVities page

Many of the grocery chains here in Michigan carry them... Meijer, Kroger, even WalMart....

Prolly 'coz they don't wanna lose business to cross-border stores such as Dominion and RCS.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-20 09:23:00

GAH! BA is having a sale on summer airfares but we don't have an interview date!

grrrr!

I could save a bit of cash if I could take advantage of this -- but without an interview date, I can't commit.

::frustration::

Ah, well. I guess I'll be paying $1400 to Richard Branson anyway.

Years ago, I booked my first UK trip thru Continental...and flew on Virgin. I had previously checked Virgin and the price was crazy high. Turns out they are (or at least were) 'sister airlines'...so check it out!

My Dad is coming out to visit me in June, he is flying with Virgin to JFK, he got a really good price I think.

Based on flying experience, I'd always choose Virgin.

Agree--I've never had a good travel experience with any US-based airline outside of the Vancouver-Halifax "box".

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 08:55:00

Will standard UK passport photos suffice for K-1 Visa Interview?

But they ARE being ignorant, the instructions clearly state US SIZED pics, and there's a whole section(page?) on sizing stuff & head room, etc!

I think they're getting lucky.

I'll agree with this, having been the recipient of such "luck" at Chennai (as I posted earlier in the thread).

(while I did get an RFE in the original petition, it was due to the signatures on the G-325A pertaining to Pras--never received any guff about the photos).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 13:07:00

Will standard UK passport photos suffice for K-1 Visa Interview?

Gonna disagree with meauxna here (note: I didn't actually check any specs in London).

The photos Pras sent me for the K-1 petition were roughly 39 x 49 mm (slightly different from Canadian Citizenship card size of 35 x 53)--and USCIS accepted them. So why won't they do so in London if they'll do so in Chennai?

Because the London Consulate might be more ####### retentive..........

Yeah, I guess Yanks need to stiffen their brains to imitate the "stiff upper lip" for Brits. :lol:

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 07:59:00

Will standard UK passport photos suffice for K-1 Visa Interview?

Gonna disagree with meauxna here (note: I didn't actually check any specs in London).

The photos Pras sent me for the K-1 petition were roughly 39 x 49 mm (slightly different from Canadian Citizenship card size of 35 x 53)--and USCIS accepted them. So why won't they do so in London if they'll do so in Chennai?

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-24 12:08:00

uk passport photo in the usa

Won't the 2x2" (5 x 5 cm) US-standard picture work?

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-27 13:56:00

Monopoly

I've never been a big fan of jaffa cakes but now I DON'T have them, me wants them

I've always thought they were over-rated. Gimme a nice choccy digestive anyday.

Was it the orange filling you didn't like? :lol:

(We used to be able to get them in Calgary--until they closed M&S

)

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-28 08:48:00

Monopoly

I'd love it if they actually made this version:

(I can remember playing the BRIT game with relatives on visits to India; I pencilled in some "corrections" from the American one--changing income tax from "Pay 200" to "Pay 10% or 200" and reducing the super-tax to 75.00; of course, I cheat on the method of calculating the 10%--and allow all other players to use the same "in the interest of fairness")

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-27 10:09:00

Upon Arrival at Gatwick

In response to the OP:

It is akin to me entering at Calgary between Dec. 1999 and Apr. 2005 (when i had Canadian Passport and Green Card). The US Green Card would be an irrelevant document, so only your passport need be shown to UK Immigration (you do need the GC to reenter US).

A good question is if a dual Limey-Yank could "brazen" into UK with the US passport (say if the UK passport is expired, and the Limey hasn't renewed it yet). I'll prolly be trying the Canuck equivalent (@ Ambassador Bridge) around Thanksgiving this year.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-02 09:03:00

US Embassy goes on sale for £90m

I just reported it too. Told them they were pathetic.
How do you report inaccuracies to BBC?

(I've seen serious miscalculations in their series on India automobile industry--just one of a plethora of places)

Via the 'contact us' link at the bottom of almost every page.

Is it able to take a book (say about the size of "Gray's Anatomy") of volume? :lol:

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-01 12:29:00

US Embassy goes on sale for £90m

I just reported it too. Told them they were pathetic.

How do you report inaccuracies to BBC?

(I've seen serious miscalculations in their series on India automobile industry--just one of a plethora of places)

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-01 09:27:00

Packet 4!

Congrats!!!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-27 13:53:00

Mobile phone service

Have you considered "other" services?

Reliance Communications (www.relianceindiacall.com) does offer services to UK (different TF number than to India).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-07 09:56:00

Bird's custard in US anywhere?

Seems to me that you could drive to the Soo, then cross the border and get it from Canada.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-29 12:11:00

Bird's custard in US anywhere?

So lizaanne, you'd be one of those interested in getting Tenderflake (for cooking)? :lol:

And who ever said Brits don't have good food was crazy! How can you beat anything soaked in booze and cooked in fat!!!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-01-08 20:03:00

Bird's custard in US anywhere?

Long available at CanadianFavourites bakery (also Horne's).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2006-12-22 12:14:00

Commonwealth Affinity

The question can be asked in reverse maybe.

I can say that I feel more affinity towards Brits than born-and-bred Canucks, despite of living over 20 years in Calgary (and spending only a grand-total of maybe 20 calendar-days--including airport layovers--in UK).

I've actually made the comment that I would be more culturally-compatible with a woman from Doncaster (where I've never actually been) than with one from Atlanta (GA, lived there 6 years, 1994-1996, 1997-2001) or Edmonton (in the same province as Calgary).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-31 13:28:00

Back from England and need to rant

...
It all started with a pompous upper class idiot sitting next to us on the plane, who reminded me of why some English people piss me off. He was downright rude to us and to the stewards, and for no reason. We decided he was a frustrated first class traveller who couldn't afford it so was slumming it with us. Made himself feel better by having his foot over the line into first class so he could tell his pals at the golf club he flew in luxury.

I can top this with the number of times I've run into ultra-ultra-pompous desis (especially those settled/born in UK) shortly before landing in India.

The farce which is now Gatwick airport was enough to make me never go back. Oh My God what a nightmare. Continental Airlines allows you 2 pieces of hand luggage but Gatwick allows you one. So I'm frantically trying to fit my handbag into my overstuffed carry on bag when some "official" points out (in broken English) it's not going to fit. No Sh!t sherlock!! Eventually we got thru security, after an hour. Probably didn't help it's half term this week and the world and his mother were in the airport. Then I lined up for 20 mins to buy a drink and a paper!

Maybe you should have put a "broadcast" message in the OT forum asking how to overload-pack; there should be enough "experts" at this in VJ. :lol:

My parents threw us a party to make it easier to see all the family and friends in one go. They hired their village hall and we took everything down there to set up for the evening. In true English fashion, when we left the hall for an hour to get changed, some little darlings broke in and took 2 bottles of vodka, a bottle of bacardi and a case of beer. Bless them!

So the first thing I bought on my return was a bread maker. After fresh bread every day I can't bring myself to eat the packaged stuff here. First loaf is happening right now, I'm excited!!

We did manage to stock up on lots of goodies, bisto, chocolate hob nobs, galaxy, mini cheddars, marmite and curry sauces. However I think next time I'll just order online... it'll be much less stressful!

Helen

It ended well, at least.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-05-30 08:21:00

BaltimoreBrits

Am brit, and will be moving to Falls Church, 9 miles out from DC! There are alot of brits around, I imagine it's because its a government area...

We used to go to Baltimore quiter often!

For your case, suggest Minerva (on Lee Hwy, just east of Chain Bridge Rd.)

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-01 17:55:00

BaltimoreBrits

Heya Gang,

I just joined a group on yahoo called Baltimorebrits. I wonder if there's other groups around like this one? Anyone know? Is anyone on VJ in the Baltimore/DC area? Would be awesome to find out This group seems active and have a regular monthly social. I imagine it would be nice to have a "home" away from home group of friends, that share the british love of real beer and curry *L*

Just curious if anyone else on here is involved in a similar group!

~Kim

Not Brit, but live in Silver Spring (as it is suburb, I oversimplied the location as W-DC), having moved only a few weeks ago from Balto.

The restauarant I like best is Sapphire (in Laurel), but Shaheen and Indiclub (both in Woodlawn) will also work at a pinch (for the curry).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-01 09:30:00

What are your favourite British bands or solo singers?

Best: Flanders & Swann (known for "Gasman Cometh" aka "working man song")!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-11 13:13:00

We have to fly to Texas

I still think the "liquid courage" (actually, liquid knockout aka half-litre of gin) idea has merit.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-09 06:48:00

We have to fly to Texas

Maybe a 1/2 Litre of London Dry would help :devil:

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-08 13:57:00

Good Luck TracyTN!

congrats!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-08 11:55:00

Good Luck TracyTN!

Godspeed, Chas!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-07 14:00:00

Interview...DOHHH!!

AFAIK, it's not uncommon at embassies/consulates to ask the ones with appointments to "take number", and then call for interview in an order related neither to the number nor alphabetical (happened with my MTL interview in 1999).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-13 09:48:00

Travel querry

You don't say which London airport but I believe the non stops to Detroit only go from Gatwick.

Nope, there's nonstop LHR/DTW connexions by BA--which have been long-used by LEF head Bro. Joe for his lots of travels.

If that is the case it will take longer than the 2.5 hour layover in JFK to get to Gatwick (or Heathrow for that matter) if you are starting out from near Manchester.

Add to the fare from Gatwick the extra cost of getting there over Manchester and if it were me I go from Manchester.

True, the last time one could get from Manchester to London for less than UK-LB 1 (by any means of transport), the UK-LB was not even decimaled (so you had to figure change in shillings, pence, ...).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-14 08:50:00

Travel querry

Hmm... I'd say go for it, so long as he has some way of getting there if he does end up missing his connecting flight!

If he missed the connection because the flight out of MAN was delayed the airline will put him on their next available flight out of JFK to Detroit. Even if he got stuck at immigration on a full service airline and an international ticket it would be very harsh if the airline didn't just re book him at no cost.

Not always. If the original connecting-onward flight is the last one of the day, then they will oft "outsource" the connexion to a standby from LaGuardia (LGA) or Newark (EWR); unfortunately, many of the airlines haven't coordinated with the JFK-LGA bus (and AA's helicopter service between JFK and LGA has been defunct since prior to 2005; I couldn't tell you when between 1977 and 2005 it went that way).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-14 08:42:00

Approved !!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!!!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-19 12:02:00

It certainly seems the height of absurdity to allow an airline to fly to/from a country, but not allow residents of that country to purchase tickets for it!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 15:41:00

Is there any reason you couldn't book a Zoom flight from Canada anyway? I can't see as it matters were you live. After all I've booked plenty of flights from foriegn countries to other foriegn countries. The US had no say over that.

One can always use a modified-desi approach^* of having a friend/relative in Canada book it as a "gift ticket", then send a cheque to the one who made the booking.

FYI, what I meant by "pretending to be resident in Canada" was simply clicking the maple-leaf and then generating schedule (which was as far as I actually went).

^*--long been used by Indians to book flights within India cheaper than if directly booking them from North America (works so long as the North American desi travels LIGHT within India), prolly well-known to you.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 14:31:00

FYI, I was able to generate a dummy-booking by pretending to be a resident of Canada.

(so it may be possible to buy the ticket by using the address of a relative/friend in Canada and then having said relative/friend courier it over to US--or maybe YOU can pick it up on a visit to Canada?)

Why in the world would you advocate this?

Read through the thread and found HA had beaten me to it anyway.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 12:40:00

FYI, I was able to generate a dummy-booking by pretending to be a resident of Canada.

(so it may be possible to buy the ticket by using the address of a relative/friend in Canada and then having said relative/friend courier it over to US--or maybe YOU can pick it up on a visit to Canada?) :lol:

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-04-25 11:29:00

Approved!!!!

Congrats!!!

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-19 05:13:00

Guess what? I'm getting a divorce.

Ask for a price of UK LB 2 for the house (and give him exactly 50% of that, which is LB 1).

Ship everything home to the States and sell the house for a buck and give him his 50 cents, the SOB doesn't deserve any better or more than that. Sweetheart you can and will find better.

OK nevermind, I didn't know I had copied Ron/Sharon's answer.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-21 08:30:00

Goodbye

If you wish to disable your account, you can simply PM either Ewok or Wookie -- they'll handle it from there.

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-22 12:03:00

Unfortunately, there is also another option--we post a "continuation" or "recontinuation" thread--and consider the original as closed (I've done that with the "Movie Pong" threads).

erm, what purpose would a continuation thread serve? OP is long gone.

True, and this one hasn't gotten anywhere near the 3,000 posts which was my justification for "preventive continuation" (slightly before I started the first continuation, Ewok had made a brigadier-fuss about "wasting bandwidth with just counting up/down" on a "counting game thread"--you may remember: start at 50, guys try to push it to 100, while gals try to yank it to 0, increments/decrements of 2).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-25 13:07:00

Unfortunately, there is also another option--we post a "continuation" or "recontinuation" thread--and consider the original as closed (I've done that with the "Movie Pong" threads).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2007-06-25 10:26:00

...
On a serious note, it's a shame the OP got bounced at immigration, but you were carrying a CV, and regardless of colour, People from Nigeria are notorious for 'forgetting' to go home as far as UK immigration is concerned.

People have been put on the plane back home for less: First time I went to the U.S in 2002, I nearly got knocked back at immigration for not having the address I was staying at in the U.S, but fortunately the immigration lady alowed my friend to call our mate that lived in Baltimore on a payphone in the airport to get his address.

One hole in your argument: many from the Sub-continent are also known to "forget" to go home, or to try extending their stays.

Both of my passports specify my birthplace (Chennai) and I never had any problems entering UK on the Canadian one (haven't tried the US one yet for it).

Saddle Bronc

Male

2006-04-12 10:00:00