Madeira

[Erki]

Anyone been? I wanna go. Maybe even stay for longer. :)

Some questions though...
moneystuff first of course... is Madeira an expensive place? I guess it's fairly popular among tourists so perhaps some prices have been jacked up? I see there are quite some traditional markets around so at least food prices should be quite reasonable I imagine. Transportation... since it's such a little place, I'll just buy me a bicylce. :D Although... mountains! Well, at least I can get a good workout. In any way, I have no hurry anyway so I can move around at snail's pace too.
Accommodation costs is where stuff can get tricky though... I have no intention of staying in a resort or hotel or hostel or airport or something. A sandy beach can come to consideration though, if it's not illegal. :p Maybe I should take a tent and camp around the island...if weather and people allow. Well... sleeping in a tent can get a little uncomfy though after a week so this is not totally desirable... Desirable to me would be to somehow live together with locals. Mingling with locals would also be a good way to get to know how locals do stuff and how they live there. Also, it would mean that I could get some help with getting around. And that somebody would maybe teach me Portuguese. Two things that I have read about Portuguese is that it's a wikkid hard language to learn, and it's also a very beautiful language. :)

Bureaucratic stuff!!!! This is the biggie! Since my head is totally blocked and I have an allergy of all paperwork, can somebody tell me, what do I need to do if I want to go to Madeira and maybe stay there for longer and maybe(maybe) work there? In case someone of you don't know, I'm from Estonia.

Nothing more to add right now I think.

I'm waiting. :)

[Drew]

Well the biggest problem would be getting there. I doubt there is a direct flight from Estonia to Madeira. You probably can't even get from Estonia to Portugal. So maybe you'd have to go to Finland first then to Portugal then to Madeira, maybe even to the UK then to Madeira. Who knows, you should be able to find that out.

I imagine the island is a bit of a tourist resort, so it's likely that many people there will speak English and there will of course be jobs in the summer. Problem is, is that you don't speak Portuguese.

It shouldn't be too hard for you to live there, now that Estonia is in the EU. It depends on what Portuguese law says about Estonian workers :)

[Erki]

I was thinking too that what would the laws for Estonians be. EU would maybe make things easier but maybe not by that much if there are still different laws for different countries.

The first "problem" is not much of a problem though. I'll probably go through either Germany or the UK, depends on if I want to see my ex-classmate in Berlin or I want to get it done cheaper. :p (I imagine I don't need a visa to those countries if I want to stay there for a few days?(gotta be a traditional tourist too sometimes :) ))

Oh, and another thing was that they seem to want to know my intended return date and see the return ticket or something. What if I don't intend to return? :D

[gadjo_dilo]

I was thinking too that what would the laws for Estonians be. EU would maybe make things easier but maybe not by that much if there are still different laws for different countries.


If romanians who are considered the black sheep of EU don't have any problem to work in Portugal and worked there even before the adherence, I don't think that estonians would have.

[Mark]

My girlfriends parents are there right now :p

[Erki]

Um, it just dawned me that Madeira is an "autonomous region". What the hell should that mean? That it has its own laws?

I have no idea... I'm just about as good at politics&bureaucracy as a fish is at bicycling. :s

[Drew]

The first "problem" is not much of a problem though. I'll probably go through either Germany or the UK, depends on if I want to see my ex-classmate in Berlin or I want to get it done cheaper. :p (I imagine I don't need a visa to those countries if I want to stay there for a few days?(gotta be a traditional tourist too sometimes :) ))

Oh, and another thing was that they seem to want to know my intended return date and see the return ticket or something. What if I don't intend to return? :D

You should definitely see your friend in Berlin and see the city. It's not an extremely exensive place to be :) You don't need a visa to go anywhere within the EU, you'll probably just have to show your passport.

Who is they, who wants to see when you want to return?

Also look for websites of foreigners that live in Madeira. Try first looking for Estonians then other EU nationalities. Read what they think, they might also have information on how they moved there and so on. If not, you can always try asking them :)

[Erki]

Who is they, who wants to see when you want to return?

People at the airport. :)

[Drew]

People at the airport. :)

I just booked a one-way plane ticket and wasn't asked when I'd return :confused:

Is there not an option to leave it out, or just buy a one-way ticket?

[DonJippo]

Good choice Erki :up: very beautiful place but sandy beaches is not what you are going to find from Madeira for that you need to go to Porto Santo an island 40km from Madeira.

You might think twice your idea about bicycle because as you said those mountains... Get a rental and enjoy awesome scenery and tigh hairpins it's worth it and you will not regret :D

[Erki]

Thanks, Olddo. I gather you have been there?

I'm not into sandy beaches anyway. I like greenery, flowers and overall colour and beauty more. Beaches ain't my thing. :)

@Drew: yes, if I buy a ticket, it would be a one way ticket. But I don't know... as I wrote, in some places I've read that they want me to show that I have the means to support myself. Maybe I should just read less, show up, and take it from there. :)

[jso1985]

Um, it just dawned me that Madeira is an "autonomous region". What the hell should that mean? That it has its own laws?

I have no idea... I'm just about as good at politics&bureaucracy as a fish is at bicycling. :s

own laws propably not, it's just mean they take care of their economical resources without Lisbon telling them what to do

good choice anyway. :up: . you should stay there for the rally

[J4MIE]

Thanks, Olddo. I gather you have been there?

I'm not into sandy beaches anyway. I like greenery, flowers and overall colour and beauty more. Beaches ain't my thing. :)

@Drew: yes, if I buy a ticket, it would be a one way ticket. But I don't know... as I wrote, in some places I've read that they want me to show that I have the means to support myself. Maybe I should just read less, show up, and take it from there. :)

There is nothing to stop you going there for however long you want, staying and working. I believe I read a few days ago that the new EU countries will join the Schengen scheme in December sometime, which will mean you won't need to show any ID on a sea/land border crossing, only at airports. Or if you visit the UK :rolleyes:

[Drew]

@Drew: yes, if I buy a ticket, it would be a one way ticket. But I don't know... as I wrote, in some places I've read that they want me to show that I have the means to support myself. Maybe I should just read less, show up, and take it from there. :)

Ah yes and presumably health insurance too :)

[Mark]

Yep, if you travel between EU countries the most you will need to show is a passport and go through EU customs.

I don't have to prove you can support yourself or for how long you are staying etc. You have the right to stay forever if you wish.

But that only applies to EU countries, is Mederia in the EU? Some places you would think are in the EU, like Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are not!

[J4MIE]

Yep, if you travel between EU countries the most you will need to show is a passport and go through EU customs.

I don't have to prove you can support yourself or for how long you are staying etc. You have the right to stay forever if you wish.

But that only applies to EU countries, is Mederia in the EU? Some places you would think are in the EU, like Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are not!

But only if crossing borders by air - you won't even have to stop at borders, so you could drive from Estonia to Portugal without having to show your passport. Link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7086985.stm)

As far as I can tell, Madeira has the same rights of access as the rest of Portugal.

[DonJippo]

Thanks, Olddo. I gather you have been there?

I'm not into sandy beaches anyway. I like greenery, flowers and overall colour and beauty more. Beaches ain't my thing. :)

Yes I've been there and if that is what you like then Madeira is right place for you :)

[Garry Walker]

Madeira is an amazing place, I have been there a few times. In some years I am contemplating actually moving there permanenty or least buying a house there to spend 3-4 months a year in there.

I recommend it highly, very nice place!!!

[MrJan]

Did someone say cake? ;)

[Erki]

Madeira is an amazing place, I have been there a few times. In some years I am contemplating actually moving there permanenty or least buying a house there to spend 3-4 months a year in there.

I recommend it highly, very nice place!!!

I take it it's not hard to get by if you don't speak Portuguese? Do you speak Portuguese?

[Tomi]

I take it it's not hard to get by if you don't speak Portuguese? Do you speak Portuguese?

Please buy the ticket, they speak good Estonian in Portugal and very good in Madeira.

[Erki]

Please buy the ticket, they speak good Estonian in Portugal and very good in Madeira.

Still not as good as in Finland. ;(

[Garry Walker]

I take it it's not hard to get by if you don't speak Portuguese? Do you speak Portuguese?

They mostly seem to speak english, so it shouldnt be a problem.

My portuguese is very good. I know 2 words already, saudade and obrigado!! The reality is that once you are living there, and you do a bit of work on yourself (as in, have with you a dictionary and learn the basic words) then you will pretty quickly learn the basics what you need. This is what I plan on as well.


I would buy this in a heartbeat, if I had enough time to properly settle down now and spend more than 2 weeks a year there.
http://www.nobregarealty.com/Listing/ViewListingDetails.aspx?ListingID=309172&ShowCompact=False&Preview=False