Howdy.

Felt like dropping you a line – well more to the point I was kinda prompted.  First electric shock today for years, I took it as a sign.  My left forearm was tingling so bad, felt like I had slept on my arm.

Enough of that nonsense.

Arrived in Tahiti the other day, I can’t remember when exactly, I have been grafting in the heat since arrival.  Couple of the crew are already bearing the surfing scars of hitting the reef.  I think we may head out to Teahupoo at the weekend to watch the mentalists tackle the wave.  I will be seated firmly in the taxi boat!  Want to know why?

see?  I got more sense than those fools.

I will be heading home again on 8th June but in the interim, plan to explore Tahiti a little in my free time.  Before I do that, let me warn you of a little known con at airports and a little something that also made me have a little more faith in humanity at the airport too.

Duty free – why do people fall for it?  On my last trip out of the country I took a photo of the new Galaxy phone in Dixons duty free at Gatwick.  I also screen dumped the same phone from the Samsung UK website within a couple of minutes of taking that photo. See for yourself

Duty Free

Samsung Website

Please tell me, UK duty is still at 20% and hasn’t suddenly changed to just a flat £20 instead?  If that Dixons phone was really duty free from the Samsung price, it should be around the £665 mark.

I remember years ago when I used to fly out of Mallorca and take fags back for Ms. Cooper, they were always cheaper at the local tabacconist than they were at the airport.

Further more, let me explain why you get asked for your boarding card when you purchase something at the airport.  If your destination is outside of the EU, the tax can be reclaimed.  That tax is normally ‘reclaimed‘ on your behalf by the person that sold it to you, whether that be Dixons or Boots or WH Smith or some other chain.  Naturally, they don’t bother to chase you down and hand you that refund back – it simply sinks into the pockets of their share holders.  There is no legal requirement for a retailer to ask you for your boarding card at point of sale.

So I had a little shock when flying out to Galapagos.  At Heathrow, I noticed that Boots were offering instant tax refunds at the till for transactions over a fiver.  Jolly good show chaps.  I never actually checked my receipt to see if they applied it but I hope they did.  Heathrow Terminal 2 – truely duty free.

So whats on when I get back?  I reckon its beer time boys and girls…….stand by for an invite