So true. I was thinking of not wearing the Depends this time. Then, perhaps the people sitting next to me on the plane will move, and I can stretch out full-length across the seats.

What do you think?

Oy vey! Well, I can't be worried about my trip because there's nothing I can do about it. I can either stay home and save my money, or go abroad, screw the exchange rate and have fun traveling.

I'm going off traveling. There's too much to see :D

Yes, and just when we had to do a wire transfer to France.

<<<Rats. The pound is already out of my budget, and now the euro is getting expensive again. I wish I could find a cheaper obsession.
I would take up golf, but with my luck as soon as I do, Taylor Made products will shoot up in price.>>>

Jolie, I know what you mean. My answer to the lean years was always Canada! But heck what I remember as a terrific value, is now getting darn close to even.

As for the golf, I've tried that, but now I have the added cost of high-blood pressure meds!

It wouldn't be so bad, but that fall back on road-trip alternative is getting pretty expensive, too. Are any of you out there, my rich uncle? I'm looking for him. :))

Wasn't it just a 1.19 a few months ago? :( Perfect timing for my trip to Germany :(

I have noticed the dropping $ because I do foreign currency transactions daily for stock trades. (on my job, not for myself) Also I just returned from Europe 10 days ago. I'm glad I got back before this happened. But having said that, I would go again tomorrow if I could, even with this lousy exchange rate. So I'm still jealous of those of you who are about to leave on your trips. :-)

It is funny how here in Canada, news articles scream Canadian dollar at twenty year high.
I look at the exchange rates and it hasn't budged against the pound or euro.
Our dollar isn't higher, the American dollar is lower.

Like I said, it's the US intentionally devaluing its own currency, probably in a hope of cuting the current trade/balance of payments defecit.

I guess people forget to not just look at whether Pounds, Euros, Yen and Pesos are green or red to the dollar but also to watch how those rate on a basis of Euro/Yen, etc.

A devaluation of the dollar, while bad for us about to go abroad, is overall good for the US. We export more meaning capital flows in = good! I'm hoping it gets significantly devalued this summer and fall while most of my money is in Euros or Dirhams. When I change it back over maybe I'll "earn" back some of my trip :)

Yes, and this week I paid my rent on a Parisian apartment. Now, I knew I had to pay it earlier. In this case earlier would have been better. Will probably reverse directions the moment I arrive back in the USA.... alas

Yes, of course I noticed, as one of my final mortgage payments is due on my house in France and I've got to pay my mason for reconstructing the pool terrace. But the point is, I bought the house in 1993 and there were almost 7 francs to the dollar then, and since then the exchange rate has been all over the map. On average, I've done well. I've sunk thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars into European travel and owning a home there, but that's a choice I made knowing that the exchange rate was going to be fickle, and one I'm happy with because European travel is one of my life's priorities. For a first-time traveler, I can understand how this slight jump in the exchange rate could be alarming. But if you're going to travel to other countries, exchange rate fluctuations are just a fact of life.

I don't think it's going to get better. And for my trip to Umbria this summer I have simply had to budget more money than I expected to...will eat lentils and fava beans and not go to the theatre and keep the gas mileage as low as possible and not go clothes shopping and cut corners other places in order to effect some small savings to make up for what it will cost.

You do what you have to do to feed your passions....

Three cheers for StCirq.

Neopolitan's point-of-view works for me! So true when you compare the cost of a hotel in a major US city to a hotel in a major European city. Thanks for putting this into perspective. Now I'm off to pack for Italy...

The dollar slump against the euro is affecting the budget travellers.
When I budget my trip I make my calculations and convert the costs to see how much I will need as expenses.
If I booked my accommodations for 50 euros a night at a rate of 60US$ and then when I go there I actually have to pay 65US$ for each of the 18 days, then it's no longer the same thing. It is already US$90 to be added only for accommodation. The increase is there, and is for everything, including food, transportation, entrance fees, etc. A 10% increase adds up when you start putting it up together.
And as I said, it may not affect the big earners, but the budget travellers are affected for sure.
I know 'cause I am one of them, and I look carefully where or how I spend 100 bucks.
Supermarkets and benches in the parks are mine when lunch time comes.
Sacrifice for the God of Travel.

So icithecat thinks that the Canadian dollar has not moved against the Euro and the Pound. Here are the facts

Apr 28 2004 1€ = C$ 1.64 1£ = C$2.42

Apr 28 2006 1€ = C$ 1.41 1£ = C$2.04

The fact is that the C$ has strengthened considerably against all major currencies over the past two years.