Here we are in France - Not without unforseen events!

So we have arrived in France safely ... that was not the unforseen event!

The engineer turned up to install the telephone line 3 hours early and the internet connection was live the same day ... that was not the unforseen event!

All happy with my connection it was time to fire up Betfair and test the connection speed!

Enter username ... enter password ....

"You are trying to access Betfair from a restricted country!" said the screen.

WHAT! I connected last time I was in France ...

Opened up a poker site ... Ladbrokes ... same message ...

Onto google to see what is happening!

With not much surfin I find out the French government have introduced a new online gaming law (begining of July for Betfair how about that?) allowing only approved sites to allow access from French soil.

Damn .. this is costing me £20 a day.

So what to do ....

First off I have joined http://www.partypoker.fr/ with a 200 euro deposit bonus to get me underway.

Secondly I am investigating whether or not a UK VPN will help .... one thing I do not want to do is something that can get my broadband cut off, so whatever I do needs to be legal.

Thirdly will be awaiting the Betfair european enquiry as to whether the French move is legal under European Law.

If any of my readers have any views of what I can do let me know ... it would be much appreciated.

So from my new life in France ... slightly marred by the unforseen gambling restrictions ... I will sign off this post.

Until next time

Keep it Tight!

White Van Man

This weekend is the one where I finally move to France.

Currently I am sitting in a hotel writing this in waiting to get on the Ferry tomorrow.

For the final leg I have decided to buy my own white van (for two reasons).

1 - This will allow us to take (almost) the last of our things over with us without having to return back with a hire van.

2 - The white van might also be a little part time earner whilst in France; either returning with items for other people or bringing things back for them!

So I have purchased an Iveco Daily - 100,000 miles on the clock (to which I am told the engine is a baby). Drives nicely but so far I haven't had the smooth run in I wanted.

The first weekend I used her for a trip up to Yorkshire. When I got back there was an oil drip around the gear box. Now I know very little of these things, but the garage had a look, cleaned it up and said it looked like residue oil from the service - I wasn't convinced!

So the next trip I went to the boat out by Colchester, and, when I arrived .... yep .... there was an oil drip. So I did what I needed to do and then got it back to the garage for a second time. It ended up to in fact be a diesel leak from the injectors ... which they fixed! So far, there are no more leaky drips ... but ....

The rear tyre now seems to have a slow puncture, although no one can be blamed for that. I may have picked up a tack or something at the boat yard! However ... Damn! Damn! Damn! ... there is no way I am going to get that fixed before 9am tomorrow (when I am due on the ferry) and I doubt very much if I can get it changed on a Sunday in France, mainly because France shuts at the weekend!

So it is going to be a limp ... pump up .... limp .... pump up for about 350 miles ... (well it did get me the 180 miles here on one pump up).

And now to add to my van worries it is making horrible metallic noises in the lower gears - like a grinding ... no idea what that is but if it is a problem it sounds expensive ...

Really hope I haven't bought a pain in the ass van!

Anyway, van worries aside ... I have an Orange engineer fitting a telephone line next Tuesday and then hopefully Internet access within 15 days after that!

So the Poker withdrawals might not be too harsh ... the Van worries will probably keep me occupied ... aagghhh they were supposed to be aside ....

Until Next Time

a bientot

Oh ... and

Keep it Tight!