Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/09/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yes, this is very inconvenient, since I almost never carry any more than a few Dollars, recently Euros for lunch or so. I guess my wife likes this, so I will not be able to buy anything at Photokina, except lunch, or so she hopes. ;-) Gene -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Frank Dernie <Frank.Dernie@btinternet.com> > > I work for a client in Cologne. I visit there frequently. Pretty well > everything is cash only, my client says Germans don't trust credit and > almost never borrow. Even my UK Eurocard cash card will not work there > since they won't take anything without a CE mark. > I have to get cash out of the cash machine. That is one reason why I > have never managed to buy a Leica in Germany, never enough cash on me. > Frank > > > On 22 Sep, 2008, at 10:41, grduprey@mchsi.com wrote: > > > Douglas, > > > > Yes, that was our experience with TUI Fly, they ignored my Camera > > Bag, but the rest went as check in. If they had weighed my camera > > bag, it would also have had to go check in, as the computer and a > > bunch of other stuff was in it. ;-) > > > > As for the card situation, the farther East in Germany (Berlin) it > > is better, but in the Thuringen area, they flatly said No Credit > > Cards of any kind. Even Cash Cards, which is what we have been > > using. Here in Oberbergesihes land (Gummersbach) and Rhineland > > (Koln) they are very adamant about not taking anything except the > > Eurocard. Last week I went to buy a light jacket in a major > > department store in Koln, and had to use cash, as they do not except > > cards. Luckily I had enough with me, but I do not normally carry > > cash, as I use my cash card instead. Even the Leica Store at the > > factory does not except credit cards. We have had no such problems > > in Italy, even in small villages, and in Poland this trip. > > > > By the way, I think we will be in your part of the country the first > > week of October. Maybe we can meet up? > > > > Cheers, > > Gene > > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > > From: Douglas Sharp <douglas.sharp@gmx.de> > >> > >> One of our local low-cost carriers in Germany (TUIFly) allows 5 kilos > >> (about 10 lbs) of cabin baggage + 1 laptop. They however never seem > >> to > >> check the weight of the hand baggage (a smallish camera back pack), > >> but > >> they do check the size in a sort of frame in front of the check-in > >> counter. > >> > >> They probably think that nobody is daft enough to carry quite a bit > >> more > >> more than 5 kilos in a small backpack :-) > >> > >> I have found that most German stores DO accept Visa or Mastercard, > >> but > >> very, very reluctantly - most of them prefer to use direct-debit > >> (Maestro) with or without PIN input, or straight cash. > >> > >> Cheers > >> Douglas > >> > >> Clive Moss wrote: > >>> Have you had any problems with carry-on weight on local airlines? > >>> Many > >>> airlines weight limit of 15lbs or so is loosely enforced, but a > >>> killer if > >>> one has a laptop and camera gear. I had to check a carry-on on my > >>> last trip > >>> back from Australia, but they fortunately did not weigh my camera > >>> bag, which > >>> was smaller, but probably weighed more! > >>> -- > >>> Clive > >>> http://clive.moss.net/blog > >>> > >>> > >>> On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 2:44 PM, <grduprey@mchsi.com> wrote: > >>> > >>> > >>>> Steve, > >>>> > >>>> Well the same security checks that are seen at US airports are in > >>>> effect > >>>> here, and in my experience not a big deal. The lines seem > >>>> shorter here > >>>> though. Train security is pretty much non-existant, and this is > >>>> the area > >>>> where you need to watch your bags for theft. So far we have been > >>>> lucky, but > >>>> I do keep an eye out for curious characters. So far we have used > >>>> local > >>>> airlines twice, TUI Fly and German Wings, and the train 3 times > >>>> with good > >>>> results. For the train we decided to go with the EuroPass which > >>>> seems to be > >>>> pretty painless, although it is expensive to purchase, but over > >>>> all it runs > >>>> a bit less for overall cost, and you ride first class, so you get > >>>> seats with > >>>> more comfort and also have power outlets for your computer and > >>>> other > >>>> electrical toys. One problem with the EuroPass is it may not be > >>>> valid in > >>>> the ex-Soviet block countries... Ours was not valid in Poland, so > >>>> we had to > >>>> pay for the train to Berlin, although not very expensive at all. > >>>> > >>>> Concerning electrical devices, most if not all current devices > >>>> work on all > >>>> power sources, so you need only a plug adapter, not the old > >>>> converters. I > >>>> have sleep apnea, so I use a CPAP machine, I had no adapter plug, > >>>> so I used > >>>> a power adapter from our trip 4 years ago, it did not have enough > >>>> juice to > >>>> run it. A quick trip to the Saturn store and they had a chord > >>>> that fit and > >>>> now I have a proper power connector with cable. The M8 charger > >>>> comes with > >>>> the plug needed, and I got a plug kit from my Apple dealer in the > >>>> US prior > >>>> to leaving to use with the MackBook power cube and cable. So > >>>> make sure you > >>>> have the proper plug. > >>>> > >>>> For the most part the trip has been relatively trouble free. > >>>> Even the > >>>> Taxis in Poland are reliable and cheap. I will say that between > >>>> our trip in > >>>> '04 and this one, things in Poland have greatly improved, we have > >>>> had no > >>>> problems finding people who speak English (Which is good as my > >>>> attempts at > >>>> learning Polish are poor at best, a very complicated language for > >>>> me) and > >>>> credit/cash cards are accepted just about everywhere, which is > >>>> more than I > >>>> can say about Germany credit card wise. Outside of the Credit/ > >>>> Cash card > >>>> problem, Germany is great also. > >>>> > >>>> Gene > >>>> > >>>> -------------- Original message ---------------------- > >>>> From: Steve Barbour <kididdoc@cox.net> > >>>> > >>>>> On Sep 20, 2008, at 2:39 AM, grduprey@mchsi.com wrote: > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> Steve, > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Well I'm not sure I qualify as a big time traveler, but this > >>>>>> trip is > >>>>>> surely the biggest we have ever attempted. ;-) The Macbook has > >>>>>> been a real joy to work with and fits into my camera bag very > >>>>>> nicely, but adds weight... No surprise! As for e-mail access, it > >>>>>> has not been bad, only a few spots so far with no access, > >>>>>> mostly in > >>>>>> the ex-GDR hotels this past week. OUtside of hotels, you should > >>>>>> expect to pay for access, as not all have free internet services. > >>>>>> In Poland the hotel had free internet WiFi in Warsaw's Old Town. > >>>>>> Italy was also not a problem, but the hotel in Milan had a high > >>>>>> fee > >>>>>> for its use, where in Venice it was free. Germany on the whole > >>>>>> is > >>>>>> also not a problem except for this past week in the fore > >>>>>> mentioned > >>>>>> Ex GDR area in the Thuringen area. Photo opertunities are > >>>>>> great as > >>>>>> expected. And I am looking forward to Photokina next Friday and > >>>>>> Saturday (26th & 27th). > >>>>>> > >>>>>> The only down side has been my wife catching a bug this past week > >>>>>> and has not been able to get out of the house since, but she is > >>>>>> finally getting better. She needs to get better soon as the two > >>>>>> things she has really wanted to do are coming up soon... This > >>>>>> week a > >>>>>> trip down the Rhine, and in the first part of October the trip to > >>>>>> Paris. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> The weather is starting to cool down, so we may just have to > >>>>>> take a > >>>>>> trip to Spain and visit Luis and Nathan in the second half of > >>>>>> October to get warmed up again. ;-) > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Not sure if that answers your questions, but so far no real > >>>>>> problems. > >>>>>> > >>>>> great to hear, how about passing travel security and concern re > >>>>> theft? > >>>>> > >>>>> Steve > >>>>> > >>>>>> Gene > >>>>>> > >>>>>> -------------- Original message ---------------------- > >>>>>> From: Steve Barbour <kididdoc@cox.net> > >>>>>> > >>>>>>> On Sep 19, 2008, at 1:03 AM, grduprey@mchsi.com wrote: > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> Steve, > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> That seems to be the opinion on the LUF also, however, I have > >>>>>>>> yet to > >>>>>>>> try it. The turn on and format functions are greatly improved > >>>>>>>> though, I need to get me a couple of 4G SDHC cards to try out > >>>>>>>> that > >>>>>>>> part, but not sure where to go here in Germany, I'm in > >>>>>>>> Eckenhagen, > >>>>>>>> about 60 -80 Km East of Koln, (I'm not in Iowa anymore, > >>>>>>>> Toto...). I > >>>>>>>> guess I can get some at Photokina next week, and try it out. > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>> with all of your travels Gene, how are you managing with the > >>>>>>> computer / > >>>>>>> e-mail access...give us a few tips... > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> Steve > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> Gene > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> -------------- Original message ---------------------- > >>>>>>>> From: Steve Unsworth <lug@steveunsworth.co.uk> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> It could be my imagination, but noise seems better > >>>>>>>>> controlled at > >>>>>>>>> high ISOs > >>>>>>>>> too. I need to run some better tests, at the moment I'm > >>>>>>>>> using a > >>>>>>>>> MacBook. > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> Steve > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> On 18/9/08 22:19, "Sonny Carter" <sonc.hegr@gmail.com> wrote: > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>> Just downloaded it and tried out the auto ISO, and it works > >>>>>>>>>> smoothly and > >>>>>>>>>> quickly. > >>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>>>>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > >>>>>>>>> information > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>>>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > >>>>>>>> information > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > >>>>>>> information > >>>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > >>>>>> information > >>>>>> > >>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > >>>>> information > >>>>> > >>>> > >>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > >>>> information > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Leica Users Group. > >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >>> > >>> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Leica Users Group. > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information