An Open-Ended Trip

[TromboneAl]

Lena's mom is 89 and having a few problems, so we might go to Sweden.

I'm thinking it could be a good idea to stay for a while, perhaps rent a little place.

Any tips on doing something like that? It seems that it's not much cheaper to buy a one-way ticket, so perhaps buy a roundtrip and not go on the return flight.

Any tips on planning a trip like that?

Also, I'm seeing some ridiculously low fares--what's the story with that?

 

[SecondCor521]

T-Al,

I don't know the details, but you might buy the round-trip and set the return date way out there...like 6 months or a year later. Then change it (might be a fee) when you know when you're coming back.

I also don't know about flights, but I did read something the other day that Norwegian Air was offering really cheap flights to Europe. It seems like you found one. Coolio.

 

[nwsteve]

Al,
Both carriers are part of the new breed of low cost carriers. I think Norwegian is at least a step or two above WOW.
Check out this recent experience reported on Chris Elliott's consumer advocate's site
WOW, why did you lose my daughter's luggage and abandon her at the airport? - Elliott

 

[DrRoy]

You could try something like TrustedHouseSitters to find a place to stay for a while.

 

[bingybear]

Do either of you have citizenship in Sweden or the EU? If not, you may need to look at visas and length of stay that is allowed.

 

[Davis65]

Definitely. Sweden is in the Schengen zone. As I understand it USians and Canadians can spend up to 90 days out of every 180 days without a visa. If you want to stay longer, you can apply for a long-stay visa.

 

[NW-Bound]

T-Al's wife has Swedish citizenship. I wonder if a spouse would automatically have some privilege to stay longer. If not, I imagine a spouse will get some preferential treatment if it is applied for. T-Al surely knows all about it.

 

[Meadbh]

Do either of you have citizenship in Sweden or the EU? If not, you may need to look at visas and length of stay that is allowed.

Lena is Swedish. Problem solved.

https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2007/04/15/requirements-for-a-short-stay-visa-family-of-eu-citizen/

 

[Bamaman]

Definitely. Sweden is in the Schengen zone. As I understand it USians and Canadians can spend up to 90 days out of every 180 days without a visa. If you want to stay longer, you can apply for a long-stay visa.

Davis is absolutely right. You can only stay 90 days inside just about all of Europe out of a 180 day period. Fail to leave and they fine the heck out of you.

< mod edit >

You could buy one way tickets on WOW or Norwegian Air Shuttle to Scandinavia. Norwegian's flying out of Oakland too. Other than feeding you, they do a great job and their Boeing 787's are brand new.

 

[brett]

I would tend to buy one way. At least this is what we have done several times and it worked out just fine from a financial and convenience perspective. Keep your options open until you have more data, ie until you get there.

You might want to wait until you get there to decide on any short term furnished rentals. That way you will get a clear understanding of what you are getting, the local rental market, and it's location vis a vis where your relatives are or where there is good public transit.

You might also consider what, if any, other cities/countries are on your bucket list while you are there. You could always do some shorter trips on discount airlines while you are there or even combine one on your way back to NA.

Get any of your pertinent snail mail moved to email. Get an understanding potential upcharges over and above FX on your credit card purchases and on your ATM withdrawals. Always have at least two, preferably three, access points to monies in your accounts at home.

 

[splitwdw]

Al, Sorry to hear that Lena's mom is having some problems. Is there other family near her mom? Other family members may be able to put you up or point you in the right direction for housing.

 

[shortstop14]

We're heading over to Berlin and then Prague and then somewhere not yet determined for six weeks, leaving next month.

I bought one-way tickets Las Vegas -> Berlin (it's not that hard to get to Las Vegas from where I am). Norwegian Air Shuttle has some of the best fares to Europe right now, as long as you can fly out of Las Vegas, Oakland, Los Angeles or New York. Once I figure out where we end up before we come home, I'll buy another one-way ticket on Norwegian. Even with a short flight or train trip inside Europe I think I'll still keep the costs down pretty low.

That initial price doesn't cover much more than a carry-on, though - but they have a slightly higher price that allows a checked bag.

You might find a VRBO or Airbnb place for a couple of weeks while you look around for a better long term rental option.

 

[TromboneAl]

Thanks for the tips.

Yes, I could stay there up to 90 days, and Lena has dual citizenship.

In the past I've gotten bored after a week or so, but that's when I was cooped up in Lena's parents house. I'm thinking this could be more of an adventure to see what it would be like to live in another country.

The thing I look forward to most is speaking Swedish. I spent a lot of time learning it, and now it's going to waste. Men det är som att cykla! I'm enjoying my crash refresher course of speaking Swedish with Lena most of the time.

Al, Sorry to hear that Lena's mom is having some problems. Is there other family near her mom? Other family members may be able to put you up or point you in the right direction for housing.

Yes. Lena's brother lives in the same town. But right now, Lena's mom got out of the hospital, and has flown down to Lena's sister's house in the Canary islands!

Lena's brother has a little cabin we could live in, but it has no running water or indoor bathroom. I don't think I could install a BlueBidet in an outhouse.

Current plan is that we'd go there in March, and help move Lena's mom to an assisted-living place.

 

[NW-Bound]

Lena is Swedish. Problem solved.

https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2007/04/15/requirements-for-a-short-stay-visa-family-of-eu-citizen/

I read that out of curiosity, and saw that for a longer stay than 3 months, the non-EU spouse still has to apply for residency.

I went to Swede's immigration site, and saw that even Lena, T-Al's wife, must reapply for residency. Once you live abroad for so long, you cannot just move back (unless I read it wrong). Apparently, residency comes with some benefits, hence one must qualify for it.

See: Moving back to Sweden.

 

[Moemg]

Sorry to hear about Lena's Mom.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I read that out of curiosity, and saw that for a longer stay than 3 months, the non-EU spouse still has to apply for residency.

I went to Swede's immigration site, and saw that even Lena, T-Al's wife, must reapply for residency. Once you live abroad for so long, you cannot just move back (unless I read it wrong). Apparently, residency comes with some benefits, hence one must qualify for it.

See: Moving back to Sweden.

Per T-Al, Lena has Swedish citizenship. She wouldn't need to do this (a search for citizenship on that site decribes citizenship and its rights).

 

[NW-Bound]

OK, I read it wrong. The re-application for residency is required of previous permanent residents (similar to green card holders in the US), not for citizens.