On the good news front

[inulro]

Since Poland joined the EU, I no longer need a visa to go there.

Sadly, the Czechs still hate us and I still need a visa.

I was thinking of going on a long weekend city break in the autumn to either Berlin or Copenhagen, the latest two cheap destinations with direct flights from Bristol. EasyJet have just added Budapest (with added bonus that Hungarians don't hate me) and Venice. Too much choice!

Budapest would probably be too much; Magyar is a bitch of a language and I was defeated by Portuguese.

Maybe I should concentrate on getting a job first.

Comments

[nisaba.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I should check if any of those places like Aussies better yet. I really wanna go to Prague, but they hate Australians too...

I thought that might be better after I got a British passport, but you say you still have to get a visa?

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I don't have a British passport. Since May 1st, all the countries that joined the EU have to let EU nationals travel freely. However, as it's still in my cache:

The Czechs still hate Australians: http://www.visitczechia.cz/index.php?show=001004&lang=3

The Poles, however, don't:
http://www.polandtour.org/

That's as far as I've got. Previously, the only Eastern European countries I could travel to without a visa were Hungary, Slovenia and maybe Romania (I've seen conflicting reports). Oh, and one of the Baltic countries, but I can't remember which one.

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

How odd - I thought it was just the Russians, the Germans, and the Americans that the Czechs disliked. Oh, and the Poles and the Slovakians. I wonder what they've got against Australians and Canadians.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

It's a political thing. Czechs have to have visas to visit Canada so they slapped a retaliatory visa requirement on Canadians. I suspect it's the same thing with Australia.

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

It was the same in the UK for a time, due to a bit of a frenzied panic about hordes of ravening gypsies flooding the country. Etc etc. I think that got resolved, but I unsubbed from the Easter/Central European news service I used to read.

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

Oh, and yes I meant to add that with the current Australian attitude towards immigrants I can see how there could be limitations and then counter-limitations.