Mr Finlay Dun

[SarahND]

Are you sure I put the damper on that one Russell? I thought I just commiserated with you on what to do with the letters. I found a letter in my great grandfather's things from a Civil War soldier writing to the parents of a lost comrade, telling them about their son's last days. No relation. But I finally did find relatives of the dead soldier's family to pass it along to.

All the best,
Sarah

[Russell]

Not done completely with that one Sarah. It's just on the back burner till I work on more direct family things. My Mother left any amount of documents, diaries and journey notes and I have been working into the wee small hours trying to establish chronology and transcribe them for the family. Done Nepal, Indonesia, Australia - still got a round the world trip, New Zealand, Germany, 10 or 12 American trips, Iceland, Canada as well as just about every part of the UK. then I have to match photographs with the written word. Jean says I'm mad and I'beginning to think she may be correct

Russell
PS I forgot China.

[SarahND]

And you're the man who doesn't even have a passport??? What happened to those traveling genes? Get going, Russell, what are you waiting for?


Sarah

[Russell]

I will ! I will ! Once I've finished Scotland. heading for Skye this year. may need to get a passport one of these years. you almost need one to buy a book token these days. We even need one to make an internal flight now

Russell

[SarahND]

Really? We can fly domestic flights in the U.S. with just a driver's license. Any kind of ID with a photo on it. I take it you don't do much flying I'd rather not, actually, but it's nearly impossible to get a boat any more like our ancestors did. Even back in the early 70s my husband took a ship from Holland to New York, but those days are over.

Sarah (still recovering from a VERY turbulent flight a week ago)

[Russell]

I travelled to Bristol to run a training day and they let me travel on my Scottish travel pass but when I tried to fly back that evening they wouldn't let me board without my passport. I threatened to camp out on the check-in desk until they phoned Glasgow to verify the flight It worked Now I prefer places I can drive to.

Russell

[AndrewP]

Really? We can fly domestic flights in the U.S. with just a driver's license. Any kind of ID with a photo on it.

Hi Sarah,

In the UK it depends which company you are flying with for domestic flights. EasyJet was certainly the first to demand photo-ID for an internal flight in the UK. As I haven't moved house for more than 20 years, I have an old-fashioned paper driving licence (no photo ID). If I want to travel on a domestic flight by EasyJet, I have to use my passport. The photo ID has to be from an 'official' source, so something like a membership card for a sports club will not be accepted.

All the best,

AndrewP

[SarahND]

Yes, that's the difference with a U.S. driver's license that usually has to be renewed every 4 years or so and always has a photo on it and a current address. My husband still has his Belgian driver's license (no photo) that he got in the late 60s without ever taking any sort of test... and it is still valid!

Best,
Sarah

[AndrewP]

Yes, that's the difference with a U.S. driver's license that usually has to be renewed every 4 years or so and always has a photo on it and a current address

Hi Sarah,

If I renew my licence now for any change, or just to get a photo-ID version, then the photo-card part of the licence would have to be renewed every 10 years to keep the photo looking (sort of) up to date. No such obligation if I keep my old style licence.

All the best,

AndrewP

[SarahND]

I guess most people in the U.S. move around so much that the circumstance would never arise! So as long as you stay in one place they leave you in peace and don't care what you look like? Is there any physical description on the license, such as eye color, hair color, height, weight, etc?

Best,
Sarah