Freedom

Freedom

The second best quote from Braveheart. Prizes for anyone who knows the best line.

8.53 am BST I phoned the office of Mercia Marine and the phone was answered second ring. It was Will with whom I had corresponded previously. He had not yet taken off his coat but listened to my tale of woe and my requests.
What a Gent. He loaded up my files, did the amendments and emailed the required documents within 10 minutes of our call. Top man.

I forwarded these to Ivan and visited his office. He printed them off straight away and we walked across the the Harbour Master’s domain. A polite and deferential tap on the door and we were admitted. Another lady harbour master received our petition, questioned Ivan a bit and then started signing stuff like a true professional signer of things. All was going well. I then paid with my Fairfx card for the vignette, and a separate payment in cash for tax. Not sure why.
I then turned round in my swivel chair to arrive at the Department of Tourism, where the Tourist officer charged the tourist tax, payable by card.

Ivan then took me to the Marina Office where my account was lightened further for two nights stay in the Adriatic’s premier and poshest Marina, even though we were berthed on a concrete wall next to the fuel depot in No Man’s Land.

It was time to go, especially as the armed security Guard at the gate stateside had clearly taken a shine to M. “You are a very beautiful lady, where is your husband.”

Time to go. So we left Tivat and sailed some 8 miles further up the bay of Kotor to the historic fortified town of Kotor itself. The town quay was occupied by a huge cruise liner and we moored up in the town marina, stern to with a lazy line. Very straight forward and very handy for visiting the town.

The next morning I noticed that the boat two up from us was wearing a Welsh flag on the port spreader. I engaged the crew to find they were a bunch of blokes from Brecon, Abergavenny and Newport. Two of them were GPS so we dissected the failings of the NHS in Wales and the Welsh Government civil service and parted satisfied.

In terms of overseas payments I can recommend Fairfx currency cards. I am sure other firms do the same. Basically you can load it with Euros if the rate seems good, and they do a much better rate than banks, and then use it as a debit card in Euros with no charges at all.



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