rant alert! rant alert!!

OK, whatever your currency.. bear with me. OK..

I wanted to pay 120 euros to a company for some crochet yarn (product not relevant really), the company is in Holland.. Nice company has agreed to let me buy direct, they didnt have to, and 120 inc shipping is pretty good deal IMHO.

So, I phone the bank to find out how to pay them (as they dont normally deal with the public, they dont take paypal/credit cards etc)..

Bank tells me (actually I phoned 3 times got told different info but heres the true cost)..

its 20 pounds to send money to holland..
20 pounds!!!

and it will take..

around 10 days!!!!

um.

I can FLY to holland, me! my whole backside and all, with luggage, for ... 16.99 pounds!!!!

for the love of all that is!! I ask you 20 pounds!!!! for 10 days!!!!

you could knock 2 days off for another 7 pounds..

yeah there are lots of words I could say, but because there maybe children reading, I wont mention them, just say, they are quite rude.

Im sorry, but 120 euros is about 80 pounds. Im after 20kg of yarn, which at 400g a pack is 5 packs per 2kg, so thats.. 50 packs (whoop! and theres 8 balls of string per pack.. can anyone say.. OMG how much string!)

1.60 a pack is really cheap, Im dead happy with that price, but even the over kill of 5 packs, that works out an extra 40p a pack. Thats a 25% price increase just so some boring moron in a bank can type my info in..

I just have visions of my money being turned into an envelope of euros, and flown over first class, it having champagne and a movie on the way..

This saga was made more frustrating by the fact I phoned before leaving to ask the bank what I needed I was told

passport/driving license as proof of ID
my bank card
and the iBAN number to pay into


nope

You need *WAY* more than that.

You need the name of the company, the swift number of their stuff, and the iban, you also need the actual details of your bank account the card wont do, so thats account and sort codes, you also need to fill in some amazing 3 page form where I have to give them (despite already having it) lots of details about me, name, phone number, address..

sigh..

All I can say is, god help the company in Holland if the guys yanking my chain!! I will fly out!! ITS CHEAPER!