tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7318503462295126884.post8296479676951034796..comments2014-12-09T11:16:40.351-08:00Comments on Mnemosyne Lab: The London Chronicles: Here is London, "Home of the Brash, Outrageous, and Free"/You are repressed but you're remarkably dressed...Is it real?mme_Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062813089364579858noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7318503462295126884.post-44913409840888797522014-12-09T11:16:40.351-08:002014-12-09T11:16:40.351-08:00Hey @caleb, thank you for reading & commentin...Hey @caleb, thank you for reading & commenting (caring). VATs are a type of tax that dampen foreign travelers' shopping spirits. You can read all about it here (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueaddedtax.asp). To counter this, most shops offer "tax-free" shopping, which should, in theory, be returned to you if the shop and you fill in a bunch of paperwork and get stamps from customs before flying out of the airport when you leave. I totally did not get to take advantage of getting GBP VATs back because I had a valid "business" visa that extends the normal tourist visa (3 months). What is odd is, they refused it because I might come back and wear it on GB soil, which I could potentially do if I were to travel on a tourist visa anyway (there's is nothing blocking me from returning within 3 months and then leaving in a week again). I countered that I am NOT an EU citizen, and probably never can be, but the customs lady was having none of it because there's a possibility, which made zero sense to me. I considered it a donation at that point, but couldn't shake the feeling that things could've gone down differently, especially since I made a point to try to shop at places that offer this, and we went through so much paperwork. Alas. <br />mme_Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14062813089364579858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7318503462295126884.post-12509020190431930672014-12-08T23:32:13.290-08:002014-12-08T23:32:13.290-08:00Yes, it did.
Your pictures are awesome. Rob looks...Yes, it did.<br /><br />Your pictures are awesome. Rob looks ultrafancy with his tea and cakes, and you in the tardis with the scarf is awesome. Points.<br /><br />What is a VAT and what does it mean to not get it back?Caleb Fentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02330328096120226693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7318503462295126884.post-40016027611532209742014-12-08T23:29:02.835-08:002014-12-08T23:29:02.835-08:00I just posted this long comment and I think chrome...I just posted this long comment and I think chrome ate it.....Caleb Fentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02330328096120226693noreply@blogger.com