Visiting Gibraltar

[Nabsim]

There's some great recollection of visiting Gib here, mine are mainly how annoying the monkeys were, though fortunately not bitten on the ear @Nabsim , though they did nick stuff out of the wife's backpack.

I just wish we had smartphones like we do now. The video of it and his reaction were just hilarious. Well they were to us, maybe not to him although he does laugh about it now

 

[RichardHelen262]

This is a screenshot of a post from a motorhome face book group that has been posted today,
I had heard a couple of days ago about people having problems at the
Gibraltar border this week.

 

[trevskoda]

The spanish guards can be difficult buggers to deal with, they never fogave us for the sinking of the armada.

 

[Jabas]

Be aware that since 15th Nov Spanish passport control have been enforcing Schengen rules when returning to Spain from Gib. This require non eu nationals to show proof of when they are leaving the Schengen zone ie flight or ferry tickets and where you’re staying whilst in the zone. As we were on an open ended trip, so no ferry booking and with no idea where we’ll be parked up one day to the next, we had a big problem being allowed to exit Gibraltar and re enter Spain. Eventually let through with a don’t do it again warning, he wasn’t sure what else to do. Apparently political, Spain wanting Gib back etc.

 

[Moped]

We skipped Gibraltar on our west to east trip this year, using the inland route via Ronda and Granada, but may visit in 2024.

Based on the above info I may book a flexible return ferry crossing from Spain. We booked the outbound sailing months ago to get an early January crossing but not the return which we normally book a week or two before our return from Spain. And take a photograph of our motorhome parked up in the La Linea marina, and take paperwork showing proof of ownership. This should be enough evidence.

We often cycle across the border and back. For those who are thinking of doing this make sure you wear your cycle helmet. Whilst you don’t require them in Gibraltar you do in La Linea and whilst the Spanish police patrolling La Linea might turn a blind eye if you are without helmet, the Spanish border guards will not permit you to enter Spain unless you are wearing a helmet. The border guards did not seem so bothered when entering Gibraltar from Spain but they may now take a harder line on helmets since our last visit.

 

[Moped]

Just a thought. It should be obvious to the Spanish border guards when you entered Spain with a U.K. passport as there will be a date stamp in the passport. Your passport will also be date stamped on the day you enter Gibraltar. If you are a day visitor then they will check your passport, note the same day entry stamp, the previous Spain entry stamp, and recognise that you are a day visitor returning to Spain.

In the example above where the guards gave the visitor a hard time, were there any circumstances that differed from the scenario I have described?

It seems odd that guards seem incapable of reviewing passport dates and recognising U.K. pedestrian day trippers that have already crossed earlier in the day from Spain.

 

[Annsman]

We went maybe 5or 6 years ago and took a taxi guide for the day at the border. Thought overall it was good value as we had him for the day and went where we told himti go . Up to thr apes , down to the caves and the tunnels i remember. Also took us to get a new mibile phone which we were looking for. Suspect they are still available.

We did this too and would recommend it. They can get you the all access tickets too. Our driver also gave us a running commentary as he drove around. We just told him to take us to anything “touristy” So he did! Some we stopped at and got out, others we just looked from the cab. He was friendly and gave us our monies worth. The walking around can be tiring, so it will depend on your own assessments.
What I would say is that if we hadn’t gone to do “it”, I don’t think I would be sad at the thought. Think The Great Orme at Llandudno, but warmer!
It did make me think we should let the Spanish have it back now. It’s just a drain on the UK taxpayers.

 

[trevskoda]

We did this too and would recommend it. They can get you the all access tickets too. Our driver also gave us a running commentary as he drove around. We just told him to take us to anything “touristy” So he did! Some we stopped at and got out, others we just looked from the cab. He was friendly and gave us our monies worth. The walking around can be tiring, so it will depend on your own assessments.
What I would say is that if we hadn’t gone to do “it”, I don’t think I would be sad at the thought. Think The Great Orme at Llandudno, but warmer!
It did make me think we should let the Spanish have it back now. It’s just a drain on the UK taxpayers.

100% of gibralterians were ask to vote on spanish rule or uk, only one said spanish rule, the other one was an idiot, dont make that coment on the rock.

 

[JQB]

We are planning on visiting Gib in January however I am in 2 minds regarding tickets for the cable car. There is a straight option for up/down but also an option to pay for visit to all/most of the attractions as well as the cable car.

If you have visited could you please give me your thoughts on the walking distances and difficulty to attractions from the top cable car station? My wife has MS and whilst she can walk with sticks she is not fully able bodied and gets fatigued.

I appreciate that its a rock and steep but are there any attractions that are on a level or is it all walking down and up?

ta

I lost my younger brother to MS, and there was no way he could have gone that distance uphill, so cablecar i reckon, but no experience of it. We stayed at the payable aire at the marina very close to the customs border, but it's a fair trot to the centre from the customs post, where you could well experience long delays both ways. Hope that helps.

 

[GMJ]

We plan on staying at the aire at the marina too and catching the free shuttle bus at the border crossing which takes people to the cable car base station.

Sorry to hear about your brother. It's an insidious illness which has a massive affect on our lives unfortunately however we are trying to do what we can whilst we are still able.

 

[Robmac]

We plan on staying at the aire at the marina too and catching the free shuttle bus at the border crossing which takes people to the cable car base station.

Sorry to hear about your brother. It's an insidious illness which has a massive affect on our lives unfortunately however we are trying to do what we can whilst we are still able.

And whilst you are going through this you have to deal with PIP as well Graham. It's shameful.

Julie was awarded 0 points at her last assessment, upgraded to 30 points at a tribunal. The official at the tribunal shook his head and said it was ridiculous that they could get it so wrong.

 

[GMJ]

I just submitted our forms as the 3 years they gave us is up. It's a waiting game now until next year when we'll know if they will re-award us. It's a crazy system for folks with regressive, uncurable illnesses. Short of a miracle of biblical proportions my wife isn't going to get any better and in fact shows steady decline year on year. It also annoys me that numerous things which affect her life and ability to live, aren't considered.

Last time she had a telephone assessment which lasted an hour. I was told not to interject. The written response that came afterwards was that my wife was alert, responsive and showed no fatigue during the session however what they didn't see was that alone exhausted her for the rest of the day!

The system plays havoc with her anxiety as well.

It's appalling,

 

[Robmac]

I just submitted our forms as the 3 years they gave us is up. It's a waiting game now until next year when we'll know if they will re-award us. It's a crazy system for folks with regressive, uncurable illnesses. Short of a miracle of biblical proportions my wife isn't going to get any better and in fact shows steady decline year on year. It also annoys me that numerous things which affect her life and ability to live, aren't considered.

Last time she had a telephone assessment which lasted an hour. I was told not to interject. The written response that came afterwards was that my wife was alert, responsive and showed no fatigue during the session however what they didn't see was that alone exhausted her for the rest of the day!

The system plays havoc with her anxiety as well.

It's appalling,

I couldn't agree more Graham. The assessor said that she examined Julies legs and there were no signs of any problems as well as her arms (Julie has several rare conditions that cause her skin to bleed as well as constantly bleeding internally and has to have regular transfusions or infusions of iron). Julie had jeans and long boots on as well as long sleeves and was never examined - they just reported whatever they wanted to to award 0 points.

The official at the tribunal said that she should not be re-assessed for x years, but we can't remember how long it was or even how long ago it was so we will have to dig out the report. In reality she is never going to get better so if we have to go to another tribunal then we will ask for no further assessments. We had a letter from the leading expert in the country at her last assessment saying that it would be impossible for Julie to ever work again, but they knew better.

Sorry to take the thread off topic but I get so angry about it and yes appalling.

 

[GMJ]

No worries Rob.

Mrs G hasn't worked for well over 20 years now. The sad thing is that all her previous office skills are obsolete now and her cognitive skills are such that she would only be able to learn very basic things now due to concentration and memory issues. Add in her fatigue and she is unemployable sadly. I retired at 50 in part, to help her.

The good news is though that as such we are free to roam around and enjoy MHing. Last year we managed 195 nights away in the MH and after a real effort to cut back this year we'll finish on.....






192!

 

[Drover]

Since Jan 2021 Gibraltar has been part of the Schengen scheme. So counts towards 90/180 as agreed with Spain.
Though a uk passport gets you unlimited time in Gibraltar .( just dont leave)
Spain want the 90 day rule scrapped .... dont bank on that happening soon.

 

[Annsman]

100% of gibralterians were ask to vote on spanish rule or uk, only one said spanish rule, the other one was an idiot, dont make that coment on the rock.

Seeing as we in the UK are paying for their tax free existence, I'm happy to suggest we have a say too. There is no longer the military imperative in keeping Gibraltar, and it's become a tax have for Russian and Chinese "businessmen", then what are we funding it for?
It's ironic they did vote that way, because most taxi drivers, service workers and so on all live in Spain, because housing is cheaper, and less crowded.

 

[trevskoda]

Seeing as we in the UK are paying for their tax free existence, I'm happy to suggest we have a say too. There is no longer the military imperative in keeping Gibraltar, and it's become a tax have for Russian and Chinese "businessmen", then what are we funding it for?
It's ironic they did vote that way, because most taxi drivers, service workers and so on all live in Spain, because housing is cheaper, and less crowded.

You know where to hide your money then once the matress gets to lumpy.