fidobsa

My laptop is basically using a Croatian keyboard but is trying to cater for multiple languages, so some keys have 3 different letters. It is quite confusing so I rarely use it but trying to type on a phone screen is worse! I normally use the desktop ... Read More

George Orwell just got the year wrong! Read More

I only just saw this which is a pity as I try to encourage more people to choose Croatia as a retirement destination. I think the country has a lot to offer. Read More

In my case I've never had a well paid job so always look for the cheapest option with solving problems or upgrading. I also have the attitude that most tradesmen are just ordinary people like me. If they can learn to do something, why shouldn't I? ... Read More

I watch a YouTube channel called Sleeperdude. It is vehicle related but involves a whole family of 5 who work on projects together. On the last video I watched, the son had been to the barbers and got a short back and sides. As a kid my dad did the ... Read More

I went to ask my neighbour something yesterday, I could not knock on the door as it was missing! It looks like they have had new tiles in the hall and will probably need the bottom of the door adjusted to fit. I suppose a different tradesman does ... Read More

My night vision has never been good but these days I can mostly avoid driving in the dark. That is one reason I'm not keen to drive to UK these days, plus my car is now 15 years old and I don't trust it to do that kind of trip. I did have to pick up ... Read More

I would guess they got the dryer fixed some time in the last 9 years! Read More

@fluffy2560 I am another person who can wake up too early or even in the middle of the night and fail to sleep again. But I've grown to accept it now and like most catch up with my e mails and watch rubbish on u tube or Netflix. And I dislike winter ... Read More

Where I lived in Scotland girls were "quines" and boys were "loons". In Belezna I had some good neighbours and some eccentric neighbours. The woman I bought the house from lived opposite and I used to buy firewood from her. They were a nice family, ... Read More

I don't sleep very well so to relieve the boredom of lying in bed awake I stream live BBC radio on my phone. I normally listen to Radio 4 Extra and this morning they started a programme about the film "The Wicker Man". After a couple of minutes into ... Read More

Does it have a means of determining the age of the customer? Read More

When I first moved to my house in Hungary I sometimes heard crackling sounds from the electric junction boxes high up the walls! It was wired with a mixture of aluminium and copper wires, all the joints being twisted and taped. Rewiring was a high ... Read More

I live in rural Croatia, near the border with Hungary. Most people heat their homes by burning wood but the area is so sparsely populated that it is not a problem. There is not much industry, hence the depopulation. Read More

Yes, I can imagine there is a lot less to do, living in a flat in Budapest. Living in a village house always gives you things to do like gardening, running repairs, pest control etc. It is not up and running yet but this summer I installed a pellet ... Read More

https://www.aplaceinthesun.com/ https://www.gate-away.com -@M HuntThat second one appears to only be properties in Italy. This house is in Croatia but not a tourist area. Read More

@cdw057A lot of specialist forums have lost out to Facebook groups where you can monitor multiple interests at one website. I think that might change as people are getting fed up with adverts, requests for money, hackers etc. I'm hoping sites like ... Read More

I suppose this is a good thread in which I can give my reasons for moving from Hungary to Croatia.1) Language, I tried hard to learn Hungarian but sometimes people didn't even realise I was attempting to speak their language! Nobody in my village ... Read More

As others have said, I would opt for land with an existing house, perhaps one needing renovation. You could start by making part of it habitable then gradually do the rest as time and money allows. A lot of people in my area do that, lots of houses ... Read More

@SimCityAT We don't exactly know where we'd be moving to. There are a few places that are interesting to us. We've already written to some town halls but never received a reply We can't call since we don't know the language yet. -@xxNickixxWhy ... Read More

I don't think I've ever been without some kind of motorcycle since I got my first 50cc bike in 1976. I didn't get a car licence until 1982 so there were years of commuting in all weathers on 2 wheels. I still own a 1948 BSA A7 500cc twin but it has ... Read More

I recently had a 2 week trip to UK, mainly to catch up with friends and family. Apart from a couple of funerals, it was my first proper trip to UK since 2014. One weekend I spent with a couple I knew in college. I had asked them to round up a few ... Read More

I have a house with farm buildings in a rural location of Croatia, near the border with Hungary. House prices are low as there is not much work here but I'm retired anyway. Read More

Yes, I'm supposed to be revamping my heating system but I'm still waiting for the winter to end! Read More

It is pretty brutal without a/c these days! We have one upstairs and are about to have one installed downstairs too. Plus it is good to have an extra heating option if needed besides gas heat (never know).I would imagine the English houses built ... Read More

I didn't think this was an issue for me but now I'm not so sure. I thought because I don't work and have never received an income from Hungary that I didn't need to do tax returns in Hungary. I live in Croatia now but lived in Hungary from 2011 to ... Read More

Today, I got an update from HMG on passport stamping entering HU (my highlighting): If you are resident in Hungary your passport should not be stamped. You should proactively show your proof of residence as well as your valid passport at Hungarian ... Read More

Although Croatia is not in the Euro zone, house prices tend to be quoted in Euros, certainly not $US. You can get an idea on prices here: https://www.njuskalo.hr/nekretnine Yes, there will be properties not seen online and some not even with ... Read More

I can't imagine Hungarian HGV drivers wanting to drive a right hand drive. When I was trying to get my UK LDV Convoy van registered on Hungarian plates several mechanics refused to touch it simply because they were nervous of driving a RHD! Read More

Does anyone know if Hungary has relaxed the rule of visitors presenting at the borders needing a valid reason for travel? I live in Croatia but used to visit Hungary every couple of months for shopping, visiting friends etc. The BalatonBrits used to ... Read More

Perhaps it should be changed to " Absolutely Anything Else (Well, Most Things)". Read More

Don't you have a temporary card or some document that says you applied? I'm a Brit. living in Croatia but had to apply for a new temporary residence card because of Brexit. They also told me 2 weeks but gave me a paper card I can use while I ... Read More

Our car is really only used for once a week big shopping to carry heavy water bottles with. It's odd coming from Ca. that walking and using public transportation is what i perfer. Although yesterday we decided to take the bus just one stp close ... Read More

Yes, pretty much every other first world country and some third world ones have better working hours, paid leave, maternity benefits etc than USA. This was OK before the internet and the sharing of information but people are starting to become ... Read More

I did manage to get a box of Shreddies in Austria, I've never seen those in Hungary. Read More

I would not go to Austria for normal shopping. I did petsitting there and found food prices very high. For example, pastries that were 99 ft in Lidl Hungary were 99 Euro cents in Lidl Austria. Cars can be cheaper there but you do need to be able to ... Read More

I'm English, not American and I don't live in Zagreb or at the coast. I take it that you are considering retiring in Croatia in 2 years time? I certainly have no regrets about retiring to Croatia although in my case matters are complicated ... Read More

Perhaps the others who might have replied are saddened, like I am, that the word "Christmas" appears to have become an expletive! Read More

In the short term it would not be that expensive to pay as a private patient for minor ailments. The same applies for dental treatment, prices are very reasonable and a lot of Hungarians go private just to get seen quicker. Read More

Washing techniques, machines and detergents are very different in Europe and it is best to get to know what works rather than trying to reproduce what you have back home. In particular, we don't do cold washes and heat is important to get the ... Read More

Your friend should go to Canada, parts of Canada are more Scottish than Scotland! When I worked for Clarksons we had a visit from a man who worked at one of our subsidiary factories in Canada (Banff if I recall correctly). He was born in Canada but ... Read More

After the Brexit vote I heard that there had been a tightening of security, particularly with regard to flights to UK. It seemed that you needed to get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight to stand any chance of getting through the ... Read More

I think the average European simply can't comprehend the scale of corruption in USA. I see it as a country where you can buy anything: a jury, a war, the presidency or just the status quo, in cases where you want to block changes, such as the ... Read More

I think, at least in villages, a lot of the problems are due to the fact that people were doing something akin to a self build but employing other villagers who often only had basic skills and were not trained builders. There is also a mentality ... Read More

No, I've never seen them either so I brought that with me from UK last time I took the car there. I wanted that system, to act as a safety heat sink in the event of pump failure or an electricity cut. The cylinder is positioned above the boiler ... Read More

OK, I will experiment. https://scontent.fzag3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12141723_1195444963805468_6273029159409354023_n.jpg?oh=bf124d18d7006578408a3c7d74018ec1&oe=5B3BA30A Read More

I think in my case, part of the problem is that the joints are close to the insulating foam on the indirect cylinder so I am trying to keep the blowlamp flame away from that foam. This is why I think the compression fittings would be best in this ... Read More

I also redid my entire plumbing, plus put in central heating, a couple of years ago. I have always done my own plumbing so I thought I was OK at soldering and most of the other skills needed. I have always had a blind spot when it came to threaded ... Read More

Pineapple on pizza? Don't you have to eat pork mince on groundhog day? Read More

Religion: The most effective way to incite hatred ever devised by mankind. I disrespect all religions. Read More

If you are from an EU country you don't need private health care for the first year, you can use an EHIC card, issued by that EU member country. The EHIC card is only for emergencies but for other matters you can pay for a private consultation ... Read More

This has certainly long been my view but it does seem to be contentious. I regard myself as agnostic, as I have a background in science and therefore like to apply scientific rigour to my understanding of matters. To my mind, atheism is as ... Read More

This is something I wonder when I see news reports of famine in Africa and other places. Whilst I don't suppose anyone is getting much to eat, it is mainly the children who die of starvation. Looking at it in a cold, logical way, this makes ... Read More

I was wrong about the gemstone, looks more like an emerald but here is the advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49UrRWqLC7U Read More

Back to the subject of Magnesium and calcium, I have been taking supplements for this for the last few years. This is because I was suffering from cramp and one of my volunteers suggested I try it. It does seem to work on the cramp as I do start ... Read More

Yes, I do use that vinegar for removing limescale but it does not work on the orange staining. I'm on a septic tank setup so I'm not keen on using anything too harsh like caustic soda. Read More

Why not do what I do to get drinking water? My tap water in Hungary is fine but in Croatia it is a borehole supply which supplies most of the village. Mains water is available but so far I have only got the borehole supply as it is much cheaper, 25 ... Read More

I don't accept that Poles and other foreigners are doing jobs that Brits are unwilling to do. At the same time we hear of terminally ill or severely disabled people being signed by doctors as fit for work. Around 2010 to early 2011 one of my ... Read More

I think I pay 460 ft for the bus from Belezna to Nagykanizsa but it is over 20 km. Read More

My house is on the market for 20,000 Euros, about the same as I paid for it in 2011. I put in central heating, double glazing, a new kitchen and had the roof overhauled, so the new owner will get these improvements for free. It has been on the ... Read More

I have not really compared prices of bikes but vehicles in general are more expensive in Hungary than in UK. If you are living in Hungary and want a bike it would be best to buy one locally, as it is quite complicated to get a vehicle from elsewhere ... Read More

I have done oxy acetylene welding but it was 41 years ago and I was hopeless even after doing it all day 5 days a week for about 4 weeks! I was 16 and it was my first job, a sheet metal apprentice in the automotive industry. I didn't like the ... Read More

I think a lot of those perfect welds are done using CNC Tig machines. I sometimes call my Mig welder my "putting on saw". I've had it for some years, mainly for repairing rotten bits on cars. I had previously borrowed a machine but ... Read More

It is the Christmas season in Hungary. You are suppose to show us your balls: https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fopenwalls.com%2Fimage%2F20899%2Fchristmas_tree_balls_8_1600x1200.jpg&f=1Since this thread is about nuts and bolts for ... Read More

I've never done camping where you have to carry everything on your back but I've done loads of camping with a motorbike. As a student we used to go off for the weekend, usually to Wales, about once a month. They were not usually proper ... Read More

Next time you order from Screwfix, get some liquid PTFE. Again it is not available in Hungary but it seems to work. Read More

I actually ripped out all the old rusty iron pipes and did everything with Hep2O push fit plastic pipe. I have been using that for about 10 years without any problems. The copper pipes are the ones near the boiler, where plastic would not be a good ... Read More

The lathe is not the answer as high tensile bolts have rolled threads, not cut threads. They will also be heat treated after manufacture, so you would also need a furnace! I was going to suggest engineering supplies shops but it looks like you have ... Read More

I was told that it is not the salt itself that is harmful but the microscopic shards of rock left in it from the mining operations. I'm hoping that this settles out to the bottom of the pan when you boil veg or pasta (this is why I think it is ... Read More

I would have thought it would be best to go to a butcher with a list of the meat items for such a diet and place a regular order, then prepare the food at home and store it in the freezer or fridge. I had also heard that garlic was bad but my ... Read More

I can only speak for the Moray Firth region which is where I lived from 1997 to 2011. The standard of education in the Scottish schools seemed a lot better than I got in England in the '60s and '70s. It was also a safe environment to bring ... Read More

Talking of passwords, I just had to change mine to log on here. For forum sites like this, if my browser offers to save my password, I always click "yes". For things like internet banking, I always click "no". A few days ago ... Read More

I find I can't actually open and close the curtains in one room without standing on something. I suppose Hungarian buildings are designed with summer in mind rather than winter. Winter is a good time for painting the ceilings! Read More

I find this all quite confusing. In England a public school is one where the parents pay a fee, as opposed to state schools which are where the vast majority of children go. I gather in this case the enquiry is about state schools? Clearly it would ... Read More

If you recall my electricity was recently cut off whilst fully up to date with bills. I have still not been given an explanation but it was cut off in March 2016. Read More

I have never really taken to mobile phones so I am very slow to adopt new technology. I have now (with a little help) got WhatsApp but my place in Croatia has very unreliable phone signals, so I mostly can't use it there. I also find the battery ... Read More

I would have said the opposite. I regard Hungary as one of the most insular countries in Europe and I think that is one of the reasons salaries are so low. I spend about half my time in Croatia, where I see evidence of depopulation everywhere I go. ... Read More

As a child I had heard the word Halloween but never knew what it was. In those days it was a non event in UK. There was always fireworks night, "Penny for the guy" etc. I'm glad that by the time "Trick or treat" took serious ... Read More

For a long time I wondered why my house number was 1 when it is about the 6th or 7th house from the start of the street. I finally realised that the first 150 metres or so of street has a different name! Read More

I have mainly used online shops for specialised items like car parts. Sometimes the stuff actually comes from Germany, even though it is ordered on a Hungarian language website. The only downside of that is longer delivery times. Not done it lately ... Read More

I stayed in Austria for a month, dog-sitting. I was shocked by how much higher the food prices were, compared to Hungary. In Lidl they had the same in-store baked pastries but an item costing 99 ft in Hungary would be priced at 0.99 Euros in ... Read More

Yes, I sometimes see flats in BP for rent advertised on Facebook Hungary groups. Even a fairly modest size place can cost more per month than I have ever earned, working in UK! Read More

My desktop PC has recently become so slow that I've given up using it on the internet. I suspect the problem is with the Vista operating system. I have wondered if some of the Microsoft updates actually slow down your machine so you get fed up ... Read More

Yes, my grandmothers second husband had been taken prisoner by the Japs in WW2 and he hated and detested anything Japanese. At that time you could buy just about anything made in Britain so it was not difficult for them to avoid having Japanese TVs, ... Read More

The worst border crossing I ever did was from Romania into Bulgaria. That was like something from a spy film. It was when I was considering buying a house in Bulgaria but the nearest airport to Ruse, the area I was visiting, was Bucarest. The estate ... Read More

My biggest problem with forum groups like this is that a lot of members who live in Budapest tend to talk about their own experiences as though they applied to the country as a whole. Most Brits will be aware that London is unlike any other UK city ... Read More

Yes, it is 5 years and you only pay tax on the profit, so you can sell for what you paid with impunity. I have had my place over 5 years but I'm only asking the same as I paid, despite doing quite a lot of modernisation work and repairs. The ... Read More