12/04/22

[Maik]

Fourteen new coronavirus cases confirmed on Kefalonia yesterday by EODY, six on Ithaka

Today’s bank rates:
1 €UR = £ 0.8620 GBP
1 €UR = $ 1.1227 USD
£1 GBP = 1.1601 €UR
$1 USD = 0.8907 €UR

Based on Alpha Bank exchange rates, these are widely used by exchange agencies in Greece.
Other banks likely to offer a different rate which may be marginally higher or lower.
Banks and foreign exchange offices normally charge standard 2% commission.
You may get a better rate changing your holiday money in advance at e.g the Post Office.
NB: some f-ex agencies advertise "No Commission".
Invariably, they deduct commission before they (don't) advertise the rate.
Foreign exchange offices are businesses, not charities.

Ten day weather forecast for Kefalonia:
This is an overall forecast, due to the mountainous terrain the weather can be very localised.
Updated forecast @ weather.com

Day, Date   Hi°/Lo°   Wind sp   Wet   Forecast
Tue 12/04   17°/10°   13 km/h   02%   Sunny
Wed 13/04   18°/11°   08 km/h   10%   Sun & cloud
Thu 14/04   20°/12°   11 km/h   10%   Sun & cloud
Fri 15/04   21°/13°   10 km/h   07%   Mostly cloudy
Sat 16/04   20°/14°   10 km/h   19%   Mostly cloudy
Sun 17/04   18°/12°   21 km/h   59%   Showers probable
Mon 18/04   16°/11°   22 km/h   68%   Showers probable
Tue 19/04   16°/12°   20 km/h   43%   Showers possible
Wed 20/04   17°/13°   19 km/h   19%   Mostly sunny
Thu 21/04   18°/13°   23 km/h   10%   Sun & cloud

[Maik]

Holidaymakers urged to renew passports now as wait times could double with increased demand

British travellers who need a new passport are being urged to apply now ahead of the summer holidays.

A backlog of applications means wait times may be double the standard length, holidaymakers have been warned.

The passport office expects applications for renewals and brand new travel documents to soar in the coming months, meaning travellers could end up waiting 10 rather than five weeks to receive their passport.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/passport-renewal-application-wait-holidays-b2055396.html

Recently renewed ours online. Both applications completed around the same time on same day, Mary's went to one passport office, mine to another. I received a text confirming receipt of old passport a few days later, Mary a few weeks later. I've had my new passport for a week or so, Mary is still waiting...

Oh, and the Brexit 'blue' passport is black. Or so dark a shade of blue it's far more black than blue.

P.S: We used a new fangled photo booth for the photos, not only do you get four passport size photos but you don't need them as such - you also get a reference code that you send to the passport office along with your online application, passport office picks up the photo online. Cost seems to vary between £6-£8 p.p. Gone are the days when you and yer mates would cram into a booth and splash out on four funny photos!

[expat]

Being a tight git i wondered why you used the booth, when we did ours, we used the mobile phone to digitally send our photos, they tell you if its been accepted, it worked ok. 

[Maik]

Call me a tight git but we just use basic cell phones, the camera image quality is poor but they work as mobile 'phones, which is all we want/need them for. Amazingly, we get through life without a smart 'phone even though life is increasingly based on the assumption that everyone has one. Just call me Ned, lad.

[Maik]

Boris gets away with Partygate for now... despite being FINED: PM and Carrie get penalty notice for birthday party along with Rishi Sunak - but Tories so far REFUSE to pull the trigger and force Johnson out because of the war in Ukraine 

Boris Johnson is tonight clinging to power after police fined him for attending an illegal Partygate event - because Tory MPs refuse to boot him out of No10 while there is a war in Ukraine.

He today became the first serving Prime Minister in history to be penalised for law-breaking as No10 confirmed he will receive a fixed-penalty notice (FPN) for attending a Cabinet room birthday party arranged by his wife.

Mr Johnson, Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak - who all attended the event - are among a tranche of 30 more FPNs notices dished out by Scotland Yard this afternoon to people who broke lockdown rules.

They have been sanctioned by Operation Hillman for breaking the law at illicit events that took place while millions of ordinary Britons were showing self-sacrifice and obeying restrictive Covid rules for the good of the country.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10711387/Boris-Johnson-Partygate-fine.html

[Maik]

British Airways tries to poach cabin crew with £1,000 'welcome bonus'
Golden hellos being offered to staff with security clearances amid long delays in vetting

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/04/12/british-airways-tries-poach-cabin-crew-1000-welcome-bonus/

[Maik]

EasyJet insists summer getaway safe despite Easter staff illness of up to 20%
Airline plans for surge in bookings by recruiting employees amid disruption and cancellations

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/apr/12/easyjet-summer-bookings-exceed-pre-covid-levels-easter-disruption

[Maik]

Today's coronavirus count on Kef/Ithaka: 43/6

[Maik]

More than half of voters say Boris should QUIT after Partygate fine: PM, Carrie and Rishi pay up and apologise over No10 birthday bash but Tories refuse to trigger no-confidence vote despite 75% of public saying Johnson lied over breaking lockdown rules

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10712233/Boris-Johnson-says-SORRY-Partygate-police-fine-REFUSES-resign.html