Looking online it seems some octavias have a lever in the headlight to change the direction of the dip beam (ie for driving in the UK or on the continent), anyone know if my non xenon 2009 vRS will have this?  I can't see anything obvious in the manual.

The lever doesn't change it from left hand traffic to right hand it just knocks off the high part of the beam.

And yes yours should have them.

So presumably a flat beam is sufficient for use in Europe?  Do you know if it's a nice obvious lever on the back of the lamp unit or something else?  I've had the units out a few times over the years to change bulbs but never noticed anything obvious.

Flatbeam is fine for temporary use in europe.
Though as yours is a 2009 I assume its a facelift? And as it has xenons, wouldn't you have a maxidot display with "tour mode/tourist mode"? rather than the shutters?
if no maxidot, this may help....

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/203947-fl-headlights-eu-driving/

Pretty sure xenons comes with maxidot though. Should be in the menus on there

Mine's the standard bulbs not Xenons.  Presumably as it's the first of the CR diesels it is the facelifted version?

 

That link is great robt, thanks, I'll whip one of the headlamp units out one evening and check it against FUBARs photos.

Very easy to do.  My record is less then 3 minutes for both headlamps when in the Eurotunnel car park.