[MartynSinclair]

One day the cow will rise up and eat the human…………. mind you, it may spit it out……

[DavidGordon10]

Dear Martyn, yes, the amount of meat we eat is more than a bit primitive – but we do have dentition that has evolved for a mixed, partly carnivorous, diet and the cow has evolved dentition that is good to eat grass: and not us.

[capetonianm]

I wish I could remember the name of the hotel I stayed in a few years ago near the Cornavin rail station, so that I could warn you to avoid it. It was noisy, and unusually for Switzerland, dirty. The food was dire and the best thing I can say about the service is that it was non-existent. This for about CHF200 a night.

If I had to stay in Geneva again, I’d rather stay in Lausanne, Vevey, or even Montreux, and use the wonderful Swiss trains to commute in and out.

[MartynSinclair]

David, I was given “Waist Disposal” by Dr John Briffa, in the hope that I would leave my veggie ways and go back to meat… not worked so far.

[DavidGordon10]

Martyn – despite the teeth we have (and my pleasure at L’Entrecote in Geneva), I feel best for only minimal meat in my diet – once or twice a week at most. I discovered this by chance, living for a week in a Czech forest with no meat available. I had never felt fitter. So I have stuck to a near vegetarian plus fish diet ever since. However, I am just on my way to Kyrgyzstan, so I expect that my hosts there will mostly feed me … a lot of meat.

[a_canadian_traveller]

A couple of good points about buying watches in Switzerland. Thanks. I will narrow down makes and models to just a few, and then begin some research. I am not expecting to find bargains, but perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised. Anything is possible.

Some twenty+ years ago, I purchased an expensive watch in the US for several hundred dollars less than the Canadian price (even after factoring in the exchange rate, which was dreadful at the time). I disposed of the receipt and warranty, and wore the watch on my flight back to YYZ, as I had spent well over the duty-free allowance. Naturally, the watch fell apart less than a week later. That poor, foolish young man! Lesson learned.

[VintageKrug]

I always mail my receipts to the UK when enjoying retail therapy in the US, and vice versa!

I would check for promos on Airport Duty Free exUK (which can be good value for mid range watches, and you can haggle) and my other tip would be Vegas for the more entry level watches like a TAG (a bit naff, but handy for in the pool), with some serious haggling, but choose your watch in advance and get it delivered out of State to avoid State Tax. 😉

Mr Otley has a thing for timepieces, so he may have some tips for buying in HKG.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

‘entry level watches like a TAG’

(:-)

[a_canadian_traveller]

Indeed, VK. For many years now I have been travelling with a self-addressed envelope!

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

VK, will you teach me one day how to dive? I am a good swimmer but have never conquered my phobia of diving !

[MartynSinclair]

“I always mail my receipts to the UK when enjoying retail therapy in the US, and vice versa!”

Tax evasion is a criminal offence… Customs have been known to challenge items that look new. With most purchases being made via credit / charge card, my advice is not to try to beat the system as evetually you will get caught!

[a_canadian_traveller]

An excellent point, MartynSinclair. It needed to be said.

[LuganoPirate]

If you like Relais de l’Entrecote, a-Canadian, you’ll love Cafe de Paris which is 2 minutes from the station. I’m not sure who copied whom, but it’s the same menu, salad, steak, chips, sauce. It’s the sauce that’s different and personally I prefer the cafe de Paris.

http://www.cafe-de-paris.ch/

As for watches, I find places outside Geneva cheaper, but only because they offer a better discount as they have lower overheads. My advice. Know what you want, then haggle. Be resolute, tell the shop you expect a discount and without one you’ll go elsewhere. Expect 10% + the VAT of 8%. Don’t be fobbed off with “we give 10% but 8% you’ll get at the airport”. That’s just giving you 2%!

If you have cash you can get an extra 3-5%. Cash is normal in Switzerland and not frowned upon (unlike asking for a discount – but don’t let that bother you) and has nothing to do with a black economy. It’s just that people prefer it.

One other thing, especially if the watch is to be on the expensive side, do not use the tax free shopping forms such as Global Refund, for the vat rebate as you’ll lose a fair bit of the saving on their commission. The bigger shops will push it as its easier for them, but you’ll pay a hefty commission.

This is the website with a link to the form.

http://www.estv.admin.ch/mwst/themen/00160/00635/index.html?lang=en

When it comes to paying, you may be better off transferring the money to the shop ((this will still count as a cash payment) as you’ll avoid forex commissions. If you take cash with you, you’ll fnd the best rates offered are often in the Swiss banks or post office. Very keen rates and often no commission. Don’t worry, all the banks and post offices will be able to change large amounts of foreign currency, unlike UK banks where I sometimes have problems getting a £1,000!!!

Finally, on the subject of UK customs. Now Mrs. LP who has a touch of Italian blood in her, will look down in total disrespect of me should I even think of declaring the item. She’ll send the wrapping and receipts by post and wear the item. I refuse to go with her through customs when she does that and travel separately. Really!

I on the other hand always declare. Not worth the hassle and worry, and let the officer decide if its a gift and does not need tax paying on it!

I look forward to hearing how you got on.

[capetonianm]

On the subject of the criminal offence of evasion of import duties/tax, it is worth remembering that HMRC and their equivalent in many other countries have extensive powers, sometimes more than the police. As most purchases leave an audit trail of some kind, and most high ticket items have a serial number which is in a database that they can access ,you can run but you can’t hide for very long.

HMRC have access to flight manifests and can come to your home after you’ve returned from a trip and have a snoop.

Overall, it’s probably not worth it.

[MartynSinclair]

One final point about not declaring items, if you get caught, it may not just be a fine recieved, It could cost you your job when you have to declare the conviction to your employers or PI insurers!

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