Spanish Admin

Admin

You have to love Spain!

What is not to like? The people are in the most part friendly, in Andalucia you get Tapas with a drink, and the climate is not too shabby either. Is it any wonder fellow Brits come here following retirement for a better quality of life. Well, that is until you get involved in Spanish Admin.

Now when we visit a new marina for the first time, the check in procedure is relatively straightforward. We hand over our passports, yacht certificate of registry, insurance document, and then pay. All simple and painless. During this process our 20 questions along the lines of where is the supermarket, laundry and shower facilities etc. are answered with enthusiastic help and guidance, in the forms of maps and even timetables. Splendid!

Our perception of admin changed recently when we needed to get some vaccinations sorted.

The travel clinic in Almeria is about an hours drive away by car, or three if you go by bus. No big deal as we are finally getting through all boat related jobs, so we caught the bus.

On arriving at the clinic we were handed a form each to fill out. Again no big deal, just the usual stuff, in fact all plain sailing you might say. Then we were ushered into the consulting room to see the doctor. OK fair play he did nearly fall off his chair when we showed him the list of countries we intended to visit, but he singled out Panama as the most likely place to contract a heinous disease. With this he arranged for us to have a jab straight away for Yellow Fever. The next part took us by surprise as we went to hand over cash to the receptionist, only to be told we had to pay it into a bank.

He then printed off three forms which we both signed, and then set off down the High Street. The first bank we came to was not far away, so being good Brits we joined the queue for the teller. 

Of course in Spain each customer likes to feel he or she has value for money when engaging in conversation with the bank staff (this is the same at supermarket checkouts too), so we waited patiently whilst the people in front of us took turns in much gesticulation and shouting (another observation - the Spanish don't talk, they shout... all the time). When our turn eventually came the teller photocopied our documents, filed them, printed three more which we had to sign, filed two and gave us one. We then went back to the clinic and gave it to the receptionist. Smiles all round. We then saw a different doctor who administered our vaccinations, and then explained that Yellow Fever was the only one they could do. For the rest, and there are many, we need to visit our local doctor, the same one that told us she could not do the injections hence us having to visit the travel clinic, Doh!

Anyway, we went along this morning with our new vaccination passports, and the receptionist said she needed copies of our passports and EHIC cards. No problem as we had the originals with us. She then explained when we tried to hand them over to her, that only photocopies would do. No problem we thought, as a huge photocopier was on her desk beside her. But, you have to make your own copies as we are not allowed! WTF, I mean seriously, how much effort would it have taken for her to lift the lid? So we trudged off to the local Chandlers, got the copies and went back to hand them in. Then we were told we have to come back in two days time to see the doctor to make an appointment to come back and see another doctor. In between the first and second visit we need to order the vaccinations at the pharmacy, and no doubt then find a bank to pay in the money for them. The doctor will also charge for the administration, so another trip will be required to the bank in between the final consultation and the injections.

There is a lot to be said for the NHS on reflection.