Travel and tips

Here are some tips to get through the security checkpoint at the airport. Follow these and you will get through security and to your plane on time.
* Arrive on time. Arrival time recommendations vary by airline and day of travel, so check with your carrier. A boarding pass and valid government photo ID are required to enter the security checkpoint. Remember to give yourself adequate time to check your baggage and move through security. For international flights, you should arrive approximately three hours before your flight.
* Do not wrap gifts. If security needs to inspect a package, he may un-wrap your gift. Please wait to wrap gifts until you’re at your destination.
* Pets. Please remove all animals from their carrying cases and send the case through the X-ray machine. Hold your pet in your arms and proceed through the metal detector.
* Children. Please take your infants and children out of baby carriers and strollers and take them through the metal detector with you. Strollers and baby carriers go through the X-ray machine with your bags. If possible, collapse your stroller before you get to the metal detector.
* Dress the part. Metal in your clothing may set off the screening machines. Pack coins, keys, jewelry, belt buckles and other metal items in your carry-on bag. Remember that all shoes must be removed and placed in bins. Passengers also need to remove winter coats, blazers, suit coats and bulky sweaters.
* Film. Undeveloped film should go in your carry-on bag. Declare film that is faster than 800 speed to a security officer for physical inspection to avoid being x-rayed.
* When in doubt, leave it out. Bringing prohibited items to the airport will delay the screening process for you and other passengers. If you’re not sure which items are allowed, check The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) web site for a complete list of permitted and prohibited items.
* Think before you speak. Belligerent behavior, inappropriate jokes and threats will not be tolerated. They will result in delays and possibly missing your flight. Local law enforcement may be called as necessary.
Make sure you stop by the TSA web site to get the most current information. The list of prohibited and permitted items changes periodically and what may have been legal yesterday may be forbidden today. Also, check to see what is allowed in your carry-on and what is permitted in your checked baggage. Some items are allowed in one but not the other.
The security guards are there to protect you and the other passengers and anything you can do to make their job easier and speed up the process will be appreciated by everyone.Here are some tips to get through the security checkpoint at the airport. Follow these and you will get through security and to your plane on time.
* Arrive on time. Arrival time recommendations vary by airline and day of travel, so check with your carrier. A boarding pass and valid government photo ID are required to enter the security checkpoint. Remember to give yourself adequate time to check your baggage and move through security. For international flights, you should arrive approximately three hours before your flight.
* Do not wrap gifts. If security needs to inspect a package, he may un-wrap your gift. Please wait to wrap gifts until you’re at your destination.
* Pets. Please remove all animals from their carrying cases and send the case through the X-ray machine. Hold your pet in your arms and proceed through the metal detector.
* Children. Please take your infants and children out of baby carriers and strollers and take them through the metal detector with you. Strollers and baby carriers go through the X-ray machine with your bags. If possible, collapse your stroller before you get to the metal detector.
* Dress the part. Metal in your clothing may set off the screening machines. Pack coins, keys, jewelry, belt buckles and other metal items in your carry-on bag. Remember that all shoes must be removed and placed in bins. Passengers also need to remove winter coats, blazers, suit coats and bulky sweaters.
* Film. Undeveloped film should go in your carry-on bag. Declare film that is faster than 800 speed to a security officer for physical inspection to avoid being x-rayed.
* When in doubt, leave it out. Bringing prohibited items to the airport will delay the screening process for you and other passengers. If you’re not sure which items are allowed, check The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) web site for a complete list of permitted and prohibited items.
* Think before you speak. Belligerent behavior, inappropriate jokes and threats will not be tolerated. They will result in delays and possibly missing your flight. Local law enforcement may be called as necessary.
Make sure you stop by the TSA web site to get the most current information. The list of prohibited and permitted items changes periodically and what may have been legal yesterday may be forbidden today. Also, check to see what is allowed in your carry-on and what is permitted in your checked baggage. Some items are allowed in one but not the other.
The security guards are there to protect you and the other passengers and anything you can do to make their job easier and speed up the process will be appreciated by everyone.

Suvanrabhumi International Airport in Bangkok is one of the newest airports to be built. It replaced the old Don Muang Airport after it put in about 50 years of service.
Don Muang (or Mueang under the current, new spelling) is still operational and handles primarily domestic flights in and around Thailand. It isn’t maintained as well as it used to be, but it is still functional. The airline code changed for Don Muang from BKK to DMK.
Suvanrabhumi International Airport (BKK) is a marvelous architectural work of glass and steel. It is absolutely enormous and stunning. When you arrive and head for Immigration, you will be amazed at the structure and the beautiful works of art that grace the hallways.
You will also be amazed at how far it is from your gate until you finally reach the Immigration officers. You will walk and walk, or take the horizontal escalator, and it will seem like miles and miles until you finally reach the booth where you can show your passport and be allowed into the country. Don’t forget to smile for the camera.
Once you clear Immigration the next step is to locate your luggage. Immediately after you get through Immigration, you will see a big sign that displays all of the airline logos, flight numbers, and what carousel your bags are on.
You need to check this, as there are about 30 different places your suitcases could be. Find the correct carousel first and then look for your bags.
Your bags should be waiting for you, since it took so long to hike from the arrival gate to Immigration. Usually they are spinning around and waiting for you.
Once you claim your bags, find the “Nothing to Declare” line and exit into a sea of arrival signs and taxi mafia personnel with clipboards touting fares to any city or location in the country. Fight your way through the horde and make a right turn and head for the down escalator. Once you are on the first floor, exit and head for the official taxi stand. This is a good place to grab a cigarette if you are a smoker.
Tell the girl where you are going and you will have a taxi in a matter of seconds and be on your way to your hotel in Bangkok or Pattaya or wherever else it is that you are going.
Depending on where you are going and the time of day, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to get to a hotel in Bangkok. Usually, I plan for an hour and hope for the best.
Suvarnabhumi can be a bit daunting to the first time arrival in Bangkok and even for old hands who have been to Don Muang numerous times. The good thing is that there are signs easily visible and in English that will guide you right along. The bad thing is that you will walk and walk and walk. But, who cares? You have finally arrived in Bangkok.

Sukhumvit Road can be considered the “main drag” in Bangkok. A six-lane road, with a fenced divider and an overhead train, it is a tourist’s dream or a tourist’s nightmare.
The street is wall-to-wall vendors, morning and night. You can buy almost anything from clothes, to souvenirs, to food and drink.
There are many decent restaurants along the road featuring Thai, Italian, American, and many other nations’ food. And, of course, there are oodles of food vendors hawking their rice, noodles, and soups.
The main touristy area of Sukhumvit runs from Soi 1 to Soi 33. You can visit beer bars on Soi 1, go-go bars on Soi 4, and a variety bars on Soi Cowboy or Soi 33. There are a few expatriate hang-outs in and around Soi 22.
You will also run into the ladies of the night peddling their wares and you may even run into some third genderites that may be after your wallet. Be careful.
Venturing down some of the side Sois, you can find tailor shops, sports bars, numerous hotels, massage and beauty parlors, and shops of all shapes and sizes.
Getting a haircut, manicure, facial and massage for about $20 USD is a real bargain. An Italian dinner at Pomodoro’s and then off for some adult beverages.
Sukhumvit Road has it all. You can shop, eat, drink and be entertained and do it all just walking around.
And just off of Sukhumvit Road are two of the most popular entertainment venues for tourists in Bangkok. On Sukhumvit and Soi 4 is Nana Entertainment Plaza (NEP), three stories of bars in a U-shaped arena. Everything from beer bars to go-go’s and one on the 2nd floor that is for the gender challenged.
Further up Sukhumvit, between Soi 21 and Soi 23 is Soi Cowboy. This street has been around since the 1970′s and serves primarily the expats in the area, but more and more tourists have found it. There are many small go-go bars and lots of cute girls on the street trying to entice you to come inside their bar.
Some of the bars have shows that have to be seen to be believed. Written descriptions will not do them justice.
Sukhumvit Road is not for the tame. It is a unique experience but caution must be taken as it would in any big city. You will not be bored walking around Sukhumvit Road. But, be careful. With a large amount of tourists, the crowded street is notorious for pickpockets.

For the fortunate few, life isn’t complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists. Of course, others have opined that copious amounts of alcohol, sun and Amsterdam have something to do with it. Regardless of your purpose, you still have to figure out what to take.
Backpack – Getting In Touch With Your Inner MuleObviously, the first critical item is your backpack. While one doesn’t need to buy the $10,000 Himalaya Turbo Pack, you should also avoid the $12 blue light special. So, how do you pick a happy middle ground?The best method for picking a backpack involves three phone books. Select/swipe/borrow three yellow page books from neighbors/friends/enemies and hit your local sporting goods store. With the books, head to the backpackapalozza section of the store and pick out a few sturdy/cool/outrageous rigs. Stuff the phone books in, adjust the straps and go for a walk. Now break out into a run to simulate future dashes for trains/ ferries/ toilets and make the sales people nervous. These steps should quickly reveal the perfect pack.
Now, you may have read other publications suggesting highly technical ways to select a backpack. Trust me, until you have run for the last ferry from Italy to Greece, you have no idea how to pick a pack. The three phone book test solves this nicely.
What To TakeThere are a few mantras that every person should chant before packing for Europe. These chants were developed originally by the little known, Oh-My-Back Monks of Southeast Asia. The “OMB” Monks were known for traveling half way to far off cities, turning around, returning home and then traveling the full way to said cities. Religious experts opined as to the deep metaphysical meaning of such trips. They were later embarrassed when the monks revealed the back and forth nature of the trips was due to forgetting something, often whether they had turned off the iron. Nonetheless, such chants have become the guiding light of experienced backpackers.
Let us slowly and clearly chant together,“I will pack only that which will not result in me being hunched over like a Sherpa.”“Remember, I can pick it [(lower voice) toothpaste, book, soap] up over there.”“I will not stuff thy pack to the point of bursting, for thy damn zippers always break/get snagged/refuse to work.”“I will learn humility through wearing incredibly wrinkled clothes and shall not bring an iron.”“I shall bring only one guide book, not one for each country that I MIGHT see.”“I accept that I will come home wearing something I didn’t take and will have lost/traded/burned much of what I did take.”For female travelers and, okay, the occasional male,“I will not bring high heels or a gaggle of make-up.”Admittedly, chanting these mantras will not bringing you immediate enlightenment. Fret, not. You can always throw items away or send them home in a box to your parents/friends/parole officer. For the resourceful backpacker, it is not unheard of to send particularly smelly/discolored/toxic clothing to an ex-girlfriend/ex-boyfriend/little brother. Follow these practical guidelines and you will soon happily be speaking in a loud voice to make foreigners understand you.
The EvidenceThis is the hard part for most travelers to wrap their minds around. You will forget those special moments of your trip when you met the hunk Sven or babe Svenetta from Sweden and had a romantic evening/danced the night away/got arrested in Ios/Ibiza/the airport. Maybe not immediately, but you will eventually forget.
You will also forget or lose the contact information of people you meet, despite meticulously writing it down on the back of a coaster/napkin/your hand in a bar/poetry reading/jail at three in the morning. Surprisingly, said coaster/napkin/hand often survive the night/day/weekend and get deposited in your already trashed backpack. Of course, their presence is often forgotten when you later put a Oktoberfest mug/wet towel/toothbrush in. The extra padding at the bottom of your pack is specifically designed to deal with the decomposing result. Still, the information is gone and so is your future with Sven/Svenetta.
To properly record the magical moments of your trip, you must take a diary or journal. Don’t worry, you can burn it later before you get married/your parents get nosey/you have kids. You want a journal in a water/beer/sweat resistant case. Of course, I prefer a Nomad Travel Journal, but just make sure you take something. When you have some extra time in the bus/train/jail cell, you can record how you got there and the people you met.
Trust me, when you, Sven/Svenetta and your nine children are sitting on the porch, you will greatly enjoy reading your journal.
Of course, that assumes you didn’t burn it.

When you have to travel on a budget, one of the biggest questions is whether it is best to plan each part of your trip independently, making separate airfare and hotel reservations, or to opt for a package deal where everything is included for one price.
Unfortunately, there isn’t one east answer to this dilemma, because it depends on where you want to go, and what deals are available at the time. For example, traveling to many to European cities is often less costly to arrange yourself, especially in the off-season, when airlines are running specials on flights to Europe.
On the other hand, if you want to travel to an exotic place, like Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, or Asia, it is often less expensive and easier when arrange by a package company or travel agent. This is due in part to travel agencies having special deals with the national airlines and resorts of these countries, and they are able to provide substantial discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.
For example, last year I traveled solo to Egypt from New York for a grand total of $1,100, including airfare, an excellent hotel, daily breakfast, airport transfers, and daily sightseeing tours, including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is a far better deal than I could have arranged on my own, since airfare alone would have cost over $700. The secret of this great deal was the relationship of the tour operator with Egyptair and the hotel at which we stayed.
There are similarly great deals for many Asian locations, particularly India, China and Taiwan. Make sure to research the availability of these types of package deals when looking to travel abroad on a budget.
Solo travelers often have trouble getting the great deals on travel packages, since the required single increase can often make the deal not worth it. Don’t despair; there are great deals out there if package deals are too expensive or aren’t your thing, and it is often a better option, especially if you are traveling alone.
One important tip is to find out exactly what is and isn’t included in any package deal that you are considering. Most travel packages include optional excursions, which can add considerable expense, and blow your budget. Try to get a detailed daily schedule to make sure you won’t be on your own if you don’t buy into the options. It’s also a good idea to ask for a list of the optional outings available, including descriptions and costs, so that you can compare what the price would be to what you could arrange on your own.
If you are traveling alone, make sure you start planning ahead, especially when it comes to airfare arrangements. The important thing to remember is that there are only a certain number of first come, first serve seats the advertised low fares, and if you wait too long you won’t get the lower rate. It is important to reserve your airfare and your lodging as early as possible to make sure you get the best available prices.
In the end, the decision whether to choose a package deal or independent travel an individual decision based on the traveler’s situation. Make sure to carefully compare package prices with those for independently arranging travel to the same destination. And don’t forget to take your own personal travel style into account. Some people are more cut out for a packaged tour, particularly to an new destination, while others prefer the freedom from itineraries that independent travel offers.

Prevent Insect BitesMany diseases, like malaria and dengue, are spread through insect bites. One of the best protections is to prevent insect bites by: – Using insect repellent (bug spray) with 30%-50% DEET. Picaridin, available in 7% and 15% concentrations, needs more frequent application.
– Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat outdoors.
– Remaining indoors in a screened or air-conditioned area during the peak biting period for malaria (dusk and dawn).
– Sleeping in beds covered by nets treated with permethrin, if not sleeping in an air-conditioned or well-screened room.
– Spraying rooms with products effective against flying insects, such as those containing pyrethroid. Be Careful about Food and WaterDiseases from food and water are the leading cause of illness in travelers. Follow these tips for safe eating and drinking: – Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel (with at least 60% alcohol).
– Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
– Do not eat food purchased from street vendors.
– Make sure food is fully cooked.
– Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized. – Diseases from food and water often cause vomiting and diarrhea. Make sure to bring diarrhea medicine with you so that you can treat mild cases yourself.
Avoid InjuriesCar crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers. Protect yourself from these injuries by: – Not drinking and driving.
– Wearing your seat belt and using car seats or booster seats in the backseat for children.
– Following local traffic laws.
– Wearing helmets when you ride bikes, motorcycles, and motor bikes.
– Not getting on an overloaded bus or mini-bus.
– Hiring a local driver, when possible.
– Avoiding night driving. Other Health TipsTo avoid animal bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague) do not handle or pet animals, especially dogs and cats, If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound immediately with soap and water and seek medical attention to determine if mediation or anti-rabies vaccine is needed.
To avoid infections such as HIV and viral hepatitis do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing, or injections.
To reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases always use latex condoms.
To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, especially on beaches where animals may have defecated.
It doesn’t take much to prepare for a safe and healthy vacation. Use common sense, make some pre-trip preparations, and enjoy yourself while on your holiday.

Star Wars Weekends is yearly event that no true Star Wars and Sci-Fi fan will want to miss. This annual event takes place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Orlando during the four weekends of June. Can you imagine being dressed in a Darth Vader costume in the baking sun of Orlando in the height of summer?One of the main draws of the annual Star Wars Weekends are the film actors that attend the event. There are fan meets available with the likes of David Prowse, the actor who played the iconic Darth Vader in the original Trilogy. The 2008 event will be hosted by Warwick Davis who starred as the character Wicket in Return of the Jedi.
Another fun attraction is the fact that you can have your photo taken with Clone Troopers who wander around the theme park, or the daily main parade that features many of the characters from all six of the Star Wars movies.
If you’re looking for Star Wars Disney style, then some of the Disney characters have been dressed as Star Wars characters. Jedi Mickey, Darth Goofy and Princess Minnie attend the park. But the favorite would have to be Stormtrooper Donald, where Donald Duck gets to go around the park in full Stormtrooper uniform. If you’ve ever wanted to be a Jedi, then you can take part in the Jedi Training Academy and learn the powers of the force.
This year visitors have been promised some suprise announcements, and there has been a fair amount of speculation around what these could be. For example, it has been rumored for a number of years that the Star Tours ride will be revamped with help from the LucasArts Light and Magic engineers. One of the more popular rumors is that George Lucas will make an appearance at the last weekend of the event. True Star Wars fans can only live in hope.

It has a distinctive character with flea and flower markets where artists just sketch your profile or cut it out from a piece of paper or locals sitting out of the cafйs listening to street musicians or cycling around with their baguettes under their armpit.
The French capital is one of the world’s truly great cities, with fine museums and excellent food, that is worth a visit either in summer when a riverside expressway is converted into an oasis of swimming pools, sand and deckchairs; or in fall when there are fewer crowds and boulevards trees change their colours.
But for sure Springtime gives to any place a fresher touch of liveliness, or should we say ‘joie de vivre’. Some of the coolest events that the city features for this coming warm season vary and will absolutely satisfy any traveller’s interest, curiosity and taste!Starting with the Paris Book Fair ( from the 14-19 March) that will bring together authors literally from around the world, to the internationally renown Paris jazz festival in June and July or the open-air Summer Arts Festival up to the classic Bastille Day on 14 Jul. For sporty people Paris offers some important events too. In April it is possible to assist to the Paris Marathon (Sun 06 Apr 2008 ) starting at the top of the Champs Elysees and ending at the bottom of Avenue Foch. Not to mention the French Open Tennis (Roland Garros) dispute between 01 May 2008 until the very end of June. And cherry on top, while in Paris you can assist to the famous arrival of the Tour de France (Final Stage of the cycle race) presumably on Thu 31 Jul 2008. But dates have to be confirmed. If you like races you also have the chance to see the Great Paris Steeplechase in May (Sun 25th 2008) at the Auteuil Hippodrome. It is a Parisian jump racing held at one of the city’s bigger and famous Hippodromes. Some other music events like the Music Festival, held on the summer solstice on the 21st of June, are worth a visit to the France Capital. There is also the Saint Denis Festival running from June to the end of July, during which time concerts are held in the Saint Denis Basilica. In the gorgeous frame of the Chateau of Versailles you could be the spectator of some venues organized by the Baroque Music Festival, usually held from the middle of September to the middle of October. To complete this nice picture it is important to find a suitable accommodation that, far from being too much luxurious or too much a pain, it has to be clean, comfy and romantic. There are some hidden treasures in this sense in Central Paris, where the French atmosphere is well preserved. Just to mention some 1-2 stars hotels, we suggest Cecil hotel, Taylor, Mon reve Hotel, Des Artes hotel, Altona hotel, Bac Saint Germain (in Latin quarter) or the Hotel du Parc Saint Charles. All these hotels offer good value rooms and services starting from 35-40 euros per person. Hotels in Paris are usually more expensive and too standard to give you a genuine Paris vibe. Some of these have private gardens, or terraces where breakfast is served. Be aware that in France it is not always said that breakfast is included in the price! And it is usually not abundant. Well, now that we have given you some ideas on how to spend a spring weekend in the French Capital, we have only to wish you a romantic trip!

Our introduction to this topic will include the basics, which will be followed by a more in depth look at this topic.
Belize scuba diving offers seemingly endless acne to explore. With the Belize Barrier Reef extending from the Yucatan Peninsula preceding the southern border of the country, the diversity and beauty of Belize dive trips are second-to-none. Coral atolls, large and small cayes (islands), and small reefs dot the offshore Caribbean waters of this richly-endowed land.
At 30 miles long, Ambergris Caye is the biggest of the islands, and its core town, San Pedro, is a hub for diving activity. Ramon’s Village and Tropica Beach remedy offer a array of diving courses for all levels of training. If you’re an absolute beginner, you can take a supervised remedy Course in which you can follow using diving equipment in a secure environment at no more than 20-30 feet.
Dangriga, Hopkins, and other villages to the south offer sluggish days in the sun in the middle of the fascinating Garifuna culture. Not only can you guard drums being made, you may be able to hook a devout ceremony, which typically involves hypnotic drumming, jolly dancing, and stupor states. These coastal villages are also great take-off chairs for diving offshore.
For the rest of this article, we will discuss the meaning behind what we have learned about this subject so far.
Belize scuba diving in the south includes the Sapodilla Cayes, cheer Spit, and South Water Caye Marine Reserve, which is the country’s biggest marine reserve. Tobacco Caye has intriguing spur and orchard formations to investigate. The excitement at Silk Cayes is that it has the world’s biggest population of whale sharks from February to May. Last, but not least, is the charming Laughing Bird Caye, the least marine hoard in Belize.
We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye catching to say the least. Its objective is to entertain and inform.
http://www.scuba-diving-vacation.com/

Your LicenceAs a member of the EU you do not need to apply for a Spanish license (as long as it is a photo-card style licence). If you do not have a license or are a non-EU citizen you must take a driving test in order to obtain a Spanish license.
Driving to SpainThere are three routes by which a vehicle can be transported from the UK to Spain: * Portsmouth to Bilbao, with P&O Ferries * Plymouth to Santander, with Brittany Ferries.
* Folkestone to Calais, with EuroTunnel and then drive through France to Spain.
Advice for Driving in SpainSpeed Limits: * 120km/h on motorways * 100 km/h on dual carriageways.
* 90km/h on single carriageways.
* 50 km/h in towns.
The Guardia Civil constantly do road-side checks all over Spain. They can be strict and can issue on the spot fines.
You will be fined for the following: * Drink driving.
* Using a mobile phone whilst driving.
* Not wearing a seat belt.
* Not having a valid ITV sticker.
* Seating a small child in the front passenger seat.
* Driving through a red light.
Be aware of: * “L” signs (inexperienced drivers).
* Police, fire trucks and ambulances as they have the right of way on all roads.
* Traffic lights – flashing amber is a warning to proceed with caution.
* The driver and all passengers must wear seatbelts.
HelpThe roadside SOS phones connect you to the nearest police station.
For your safety you are required by law to carry: * Two warning triangles * A spare tyre and tools * A set of bulbs, * A reflective jacket * Spare glasses (if the driver wears them).
Toll RoadsThe toll roads are a fantastic way of bypassing traffic as they are almost always empty and consequently, they are safer too especially in poor weather conditions. The AP7 is the toll road running across the Costa del Sol beginning near San Roque at Guadiaro and ending in Benalmadena. Be careful not to confuse it with the A7, more commonly known as the N-340 as it was once named. It is very easy to find yourself on the toll road against your intention. Electronic signs are now used along the coast to guide traffic onto the correct roads, but be careful to get into the right lane as you are not given much notice.
The toll roads accept cash to manual toll collectors and credit/ debit cards via machines in specific lanes. You can also acquire a “tag” card that allows you to drive straight through. You can order one of these through the toll company or at any Unicaja branch.
Registering your car in SpainIf you coming to live in Spain, it is easier to sell your car in the UK and buy a new one in Spain. However, the relocation process is an expensive one and when you are trying to keep expenditure to a minimum, this might not be an option. As a tourist you are allowed to bring in your car for six months and you can extend this for a further six months. Once you decide to stay permanently, you need to:Send the vehicle’s registration documents to the DVLA in the UK. This will be exchanged for a certificate of permanent export. (V561) • Pay IVA (VAT) of 16% if the vehicle is less than 6 months old.
Pay import duty of 10%Pay the Special Registration Tax (impuesto sobre circulacion de vehiculos) calculated at 12% of the vehicle’s value. You can avoid this by submitting a certificate of non-residence, which can be obtained from a UK embassy.
Apply for an import license from the Ministry of Economics and Finance (Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda)Have an ITV test (see below) to confirm that the car complies with Spanish safety standards and emission tests.
ITV – Vehicle InspectionInspection points can be found in over fifty major towns and cities in Andalucia.
All private vehicles are exempt from inspection for the first four years, and then go in every two years until they are ten years old. After ten years they must be checked annually.
The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that all vehicles are road worthy with regards to safety features such as lights, indicators, horn and seat belts.
Features affecting public safety are checked including breaks, hazard lights and emissions.
Road TaxRoad Tax (impuesto municipal sobre vehiculos de traccion mecanica) must be paid annually, between March and May, to your local town hall.
Car InsuranceThis is where you will feel a real saving compared to your UK premiums. In Spain, the car is registered not the driver, which is handy if you need to let other people borrow your car. Please note that a car registered in the UK must be insured by a UK-based insurer and not with a Spanish company.