A week relaxing in the Cote D’Azur, should be a lovely relaxing time right? Landing in Nice to pick up the rental car posed a major stumbling block. They wouldn’t give me hire car we’d booked and paid for on account of it appearing I’d held a drivers license less than six months, you need to have held one for 12 months. I’d traded in my Aussie license for a UK one in January as it was about to expire. After a disheartened appeal, I even called the DVLA in the UK and asked if they could help prove i’d held a license for more than a year. After a lengthy conversation it was a no sir, we don’t hold any details of your previous license history just whatever you see on your drivers license.

Closer inspection of the back of my license i noted it was dated “< 18/01/08" and thought I'd try it on. Found another lady who was aware of my situation and heard my case as I tried to explain the little AUS code on the license meant that i'd held one previously and exchanged it for a British one. The person next to her was also having a debacle with an older Australian guy who'd just had his license renewed. They both went out back and came back for a few minutes and came out saying we were both fine. Joy. If we didn't get the car i don't know what we would have done. I would have cried (i was close to despair as it was) and if i'd had any energy left gone postal or considered flying back to London. Read more…