currency
Apr 11th, 2005, 02:12 AM
#21
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I heard that one too, billy_goat. If the end of the world is scheduled for a Tuesday, the best thing to do IMO is to board a flight at LAX late Monday night and arrive in SYD or AKL on Wednesday morning. Or have I got it all wrong?
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:08 AM
#22
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actually, you can get by with euro for two days in london but it's too limiting. enough places will take euro to meet your needs but you will have to stay in the ultra-touristy places and you will not get a good rate. the euro IS accepted many places in london...contrary to those who answered with lame jokes or insults.
don't worry about some of the responses. some americans here love to put an "ignorant american" in his place (it boosts their egos and somehow makes them feel more enlightened and "european"
. enjoy my city and i hope you have a good time.
don't worry about some of the responses. some americans here love to put an "ignorant american" in his place (it boosts their egos and somehow makes them feel more enlightened and "european"
. enjoy my city and i hope you have a good time.
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:17 AM
#23
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It's just daft to say you can get around with Euros - fine if you stay in your hotel or just shop at M&S - but how about if you want to go in a pub, or buy a sandwich, or go shopping in small shops, or buy a tube ticket, or get on a bus.
How awful to be stranded in a foreign city, panicking about where you can offload your Euros.
Just go to an ATM at the airport, and withdraw what you want.
How awful to be stranded in a foreign city, panicking about where you can offload your Euros.
Just go to an ATM at the airport, and withdraw what you want.
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:36 AM
#25
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This person has only made one other post and that was a question about London pubs. I can't say this with any certainty, but I don't think s/he is a troll, just a newbie traveler that is very ill-informed about travel outside of N. America.
I am constantly surprised by how many Americans don't know that the euro is not used in every part of Europe. As far as the dollar being a "universal" currency, that is a common belief among Americans who have never traveled outside of N. America. The dollar is widely accepted in Canada, Mexico, and many Caribbean islands, therefore people who have never left that part of the world think it's accepted everywhere. So when they come to Europe and ask if they can use dollars, I don't think they mean to sound arrogant, (most of them anyway) they just have a lot to learn about world travel.
I am constantly surprised by how many Americans don't know that the euro is not used in every part of Europe. As far as the dollar being a "universal" currency, that is a common belief among Americans who have never traveled outside of N. America. The dollar is widely accepted in Canada, Mexico, and many Caribbean islands, therefore people who have never left that part of the world think it's accepted everywhere. So when they come to Europe and ask if they can use dollars, I don't think they mean to sound arrogant, (most of them anyway) they just have a lot to learn about world travel.
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:48 AM
#27
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The euro is basically not legal tender in London...it is not taken in the Underground, it is not taken in most pubs, it is not taken in most restaurants, it is not taken in the hinterlands...
Do some merchants as a favour take euro? Yes....but then again some (not as many) take US dollars also. They take these currencies and give a decidely unfavourable exchange rate.
The euro is not the currency in London period end of the discussion. Not the same as saying there are a few places that take euro.
Do some merchants as a favour take euro? Yes....but then again some (not as many) take US dollars also. They take these currencies and give a decidely unfavourable exchange rate.
The euro is not the currency in London period end of the discussion. Not the same as saying there are a few places that take euro.
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:50 AM
#28
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P_M I think you're right, in that I wouldn't take any offence at someone asking if the UK now uses euros instead of pounds - if you hadn't been here, how would you know? But to ask if there's an option between euros, pounds and dollars, well really! I know London is a world financial centre, but that level of money-fluency doesn't extend to us mortals!
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:56 AM
#29
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walkinaround...
Some places in central London will take euro but how will you get around if you only have euro? The Underground doesn't take euro...buses don't take euro...oh yes perhaps and it's a big perhaps some taxis will take euro....pubs (perhaps the most important part of being in London!) for the most part won't take euro.
You can of course use credit cards but then what was the purpose of exchanging money into euro anyway if you intend to use credit cards....
About 35 seconds of research on any travel board will tell anybody that the currency in the UK (and BTW that includes Northern Ireland) is sterling. But it really is sickening when bank officials tell customers not to get sterling but to get euro...for that there is no excuse in the world.
Some places in central London will take euro but how will you get around if you only have euro? The Underground doesn't take euro...buses don't take euro...oh yes perhaps and it's a big perhaps some taxis will take euro....pubs (perhaps the most important part of being in London!) for the most part won't take euro.
You can of course use credit cards but then what was the purpose of exchanging money into euro anyway if you intend to use credit cards....
About 35 seconds of research on any travel board will tell anybody that the currency in the UK (and BTW that includes Northern Ireland) is sterling. But it really is sickening when bank officials tell customers not to get sterling but to get euro...for that there is no excuse in the world.
Apr 11th, 2005, 04:56 AM
#30
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nytraveler...
from the poster's other post, it seems that this is not a troll. however, has it occurred to anyone that a dozen people jumping on a poster to put him in his place is exactly what the trolls feed on?
if there weren't so many people here that build themselves up by putting down a seemingly "ignorant american" (or worse, an american who would actually look or act like an american whilst in europe...gasp) then there wouldn't be any trolls.
snobbery from those who know just enough about europe to be a little dangerous is the oxygen that the troll feeds upon.
from the poster's other post, it seems that this is not a troll. however, has it occurred to anyone that a dozen people jumping on a poster to put him in his place is exactly what the trolls feed on?
if there weren't so many people here that build themselves up by putting down a seemingly "ignorant american" (or worse, an american who would actually look or act like an american whilst in europe...gasp) then there wouldn't be any trolls.
snobbery from those who know just enough about europe to be a little dangerous is the oxygen that the troll feeds upon.
Apr 11th, 2005, 05:23 AM
#31
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xyz123
>>>>
The euro is not the currency in London period end of the discussion. Not the same as saying there are a few places that take euro.
<<<<
what exactly are you trying to say? not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me. you say something quite strongly but i'm not sure what. sounds like we agree...you can get away with euro for 2 days in london but it is not recommended for several reasons.
>>>>
The euro is not the currency in London period end of the discussion. Not the same as saying there are a few places that take euro.
<<<<
what exactly are you trying to say? not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me. you say something quite strongly but i'm not sure what. sounds like we agree...you can get away with euro for 2 days in london but it is not recommended for several reasons.
Apr 11th, 2005, 05:50 AM
#32
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You can get away with Canadian dollars in London for 2 days too...just eat every meal at Harrod's or Marks & Spencer and walk everywhere but that doesn't mean I would exchange my currency into Canadian dollars to go to London.
So you are sort of telling the op it is okay to bring euro for use in the UK given the choice, which the op implies he or she has. And the answer is no, euro is not legal currency in the UK but people take it but rarely.
So you are sort of telling the op it is okay to bring euro for use in the UK given the choice, which the op implies he or she has. And the answer is no, euro is not legal currency in the UK but people take it but rarely.
Apr 11th, 2005, 07:55 AM
#33
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where have i told the OP it was ok to bring euros??? just because i answered the question accurately and did not jump on the bandwagon of convincing him his euros are worthless in london does not mean i was recommending it to him. in fact, please reread my post and you will see that i was recommending he not try to use euros.
maybe you are restricted to M&S and harrods with canadian dollars but he'd have many more choices with euros (which i think was the currency in question). maybe you live in the "hinterland" and don't realise how prevalent the acceptance of euro is in london. or maybe you have a political agenda whereby you want to ignore the fact that euros are quite widely accepted in tourist london.
so far your arguments are that the canadian dollar is not widely accepted in london and the euro is not widely accepted in the hinterland. not very relevant arguments when the discussion is around using euro in london.
maybe you are restricted to M&S and harrods with canadian dollars but he'd have many more choices with euros (which i think was the currency in question). maybe you live in the "hinterland" and don't realise how prevalent the acceptance of euro is in london. or maybe you have a political agenda whereby you want to ignore the fact that euros are quite widely accepted in tourist london.
so far your arguments are that the canadian dollar is not widely accepted in london and the euro is not widely accepted in the hinterland. not very relevant arguments when the discussion is around using euro in london.
Apr 11th, 2005, 08:18 AM
#34
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No walkinaround I have no political agenda and I for one did not slam the op as I am very familiar with the stupidity one gets from bank officials adn some travel writers on the issue of currency.
As far as acceptance of euro in London is concerned, I've been to London and have seen the signs and yes there are somewhat more places accepting euro than say Canadian dollars or US dollars or Japanese Yen or Swiss Francs or whatever, I agree with that.
But the question is, when planning a trip to London and then the continent, would you recommend only taking euro because the euro is "widely" accepted in tourist London? I can't answer for others but perhaps there are those on the board who can answer...when citizens of other EU countries which have adopted the euro come to London, do they expect to be able to spend euro most places in London?
You want to disagree with my tone in saying the euro is not the currency of the UK end of the discussion, that's fine. It's a true statement and then I qualified it with the last sentence by saying there are places in London that do accept euro although they are under no obligation to do so and I have seen signs at tube stations specifically saying euro are not accepted for tickets. The question remains, would you recommend to somebody coming to the UK for a stay of 2 days and then apparently going on to other places in the EU that they only bring euro and count on having a comfortable time...at some point they would have to hit the exchange booths and either exchange the euro to sterling incurring the double change charge or just use usd to buy sterling or the atm's or whatever....not that I agree or disagree or want to argue whether it is possible to survive in London with only euro....
As far as acceptance of euro in London is concerned, I've been to London and have seen the signs and yes there are somewhat more places accepting euro than say Canadian dollars or US dollars or Japanese Yen or Swiss Francs or whatever, I agree with that.
But the question is, when planning a trip to London and then the continent, would you recommend only taking euro because the euro is "widely" accepted in tourist London? I can't answer for others but perhaps there are those on the board who can answer...when citizens of other EU countries which have adopted the euro come to London, do they expect to be able to spend euro most places in London?
You want to disagree with my tone in saying the euro is not the currency of the UK end of the discussion, that's fine. It's a true statement and then I qualified it with the last sentence by saying there are places in London that do accept euro although they are under no obligation to do so and I have seen signs at tube stations specifically saying euro are not accepted for tickets. The question remains, would you recommend to somebody coming to the UK for a stay of 2 days and then apparently going on to other places in the EU that they only bring euro and count on having a comfortable time...at some point they would have to hit the exchange booths and either exchange the euro to sterling incurring the double change charge or just use usd to buy sterling or the atm's or whatever....not that I agree or disagree or want to argue whether it is possible to survive in London with only euro....
Apr 11th, 2005, 10:20 AM
#36
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xyz
ok, you've been to london...i live in london.
i've said this about 5 time now and it still seems unclear to you so i'll say it a final time...I do NOT recommend that someone just bring euros to spend in london for 2 days. i thought this was very clear from my first post. this goes for people from canada, USA, and eurozone countries in Europe or anyone else. you will get a poor ex rate, you will be limited to where you can go and what you can do (almost exact wording of my first post).
i had no problem with your tone. i just had no idea what point you were trying to get across. it was a lot of huffing and puffing but you point was totally lost.
i guess you were afraid i would give someone the "wrong idea". this may just be a difference in communication style. i don't feel i have to bash someone on the head with a point and hide facts from them in order to try to prevent them from getting the wrong idea. unless proven otherwise, i assume people have a brain and can understand a simple point without having to say "this is it, period, end of discussion". he's not 2 years old and he can listen to the facts and make his own judgement.
ok, you've been to london...i live in london.
i've said this about 5 time now and it still seems unclear to you so i'll say it a final time...I do NOT recommend that someone just bring euros to spend in london for 2 days. i thought this was very clear from my first post. this goes for people from canada, USA, and eurozone countries in Europe or anyone else. you will get a poor ex rate, you will be limited to where you can go and what you can do (almost exact wording of my first post).
i had no problem with your tone. i just had no idea what point you were trying to get across. it was a lot of huffing and puffing but you point was totally lost.
i guess you were afraid i would give someone the "wrong idea". this may just be a difference in communication style. i don't feel i have to bash someone on the head with a point and hide facts from them in order to try to prevent them from getting the wrong idea. unless proven otherwise, i assume people have a brain and can understand a simple point without having to say "this is it, period, end of discussion". he's not 2 years old and he can listen to the facts and make his own judgement.
