Just back from 2 weeks in Italy & WON'T be going to Europe again until the $ strengthens
Jan 16th, 2008, 12:45 PM
#121
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Tracy
I think maybe, just maybe, what I have gathered from this forum is to appreciate what is one your doorstep. I read Americans eulogise about Greece - to us its just well Greece - in our backyard and not so glam - you all probably think the same of the Bahamas or Florida - I think when places are out of reach they suddenly become that bit more attractive.
I think maybe, just maybe, what I have gathered from this forum is to appreciate what is one your doorstep. I read Americans eulogise about Greece - to us its just well Greece - in our backyard and not so glam - you all probably think the same of the Bahamas or Florida - I think when places are out of reach they suddenly become that bit more attractive.
Jan 16th, 2008, 01:07 PM
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markrosy, you are probably right. We all want what we don't have. I haven't been to Florida in years and have absolutely no desire to visit, and I'm not really a "beachy" person so same goes for the Bahamas. My husband and I are thinking about heading over to Portland, Seattle and Vancouver this fall, so there are many places in the US that I would love to visit...it's just that my crave for international travel and experiencing new cultures that gets the best of me!
WillTravel, you make an excellent point. Everyone talks about how cheap Buenos Aires or Thailand is, but the air fare to those places from where I live (Charlotte) is even more than Europe. Bangkok, for instance, was over $1300 when I priced it last night. Even if it is significantly cheaper when I get there, if I'm paying double the airfare it won't make much different anyhow. For me airfare is the deciding factor, as I can budget properly for Europe despite the exchange rate. It's just that both together equal a very expensive trip!
Tracy
WillTravel, you make an excellent point. Everyone talks about how cheap Buenos Aires or Thailand is, but the air fare to those places from where I live (Charlotte) is even more than Europe. Bangkok, for instance, was over $1300 when I priced it last night. Even if it is significantly cheaper when I get there, if I'm paying double the airfare it won't make much different anyhow. For me airfare is the deciding factor, as I can budget properly for Europe despite the exchange rate. It's just that both together equal a very expensive trip!
Tracy
Jan 16th, 2008, 03:40 PM
#123
julies,
I agree, although I loved our trips, I found Venice and Rome really expensive and probably won't go there again for a while. I had to tell my kids to stop ordering bottled water or soda with meals. At 6 euros for a mini-coke it felt criminal. I did see people in Rome sharing the audio which I think I would do next time.
Paris was not so bad and my kids got free museum entrance there which I really, really loved and appreciated. It did add up in savings after a few days.
Shopping is just not fun in Europe right now as it just usually doesn't make good financial sense to buy anything. Fortunately, I'm not a big shopper, but Christmas shopping in Switzerland this year was rather de-moralizing as we get paid in USD. Ouch! when the dollar fell again against the swiss franc in November.
I told my husband to skip the gifts and send me somewhere on a trip. He's a gem and I'm going to Ravenna in March instead of wearing new clothes or getting a piece of jewelry.
The ex-pat Americans I know here bring a huge empty suitcase home and fill it with things from the US at a fraction of their cost here - especially clothes and electronics...
One thing I really miss as a reader is books. Definite sticker shock in the English bookstore.
We are going to visit Spain in the spring as I hear it's a little less expensive.
I think right now you have to really want to travel in Europe for reasons other than having a "vacation" which to me used to include a nice hotel and dining out. I refuse to pay the crazy cost of breakfast in hotels anywhere - US or Europe. After all, how much can you really fit in your stomach at 8 am anyway?
I'm trying to think of my travel more as an educational experience which means I focus more on absorbing the culture and I avoid the shopping districts and high-end restaurants and hotels. It requires more research to eat and sleep well for less money, but that is why I love coming to the experts here on Fodors.
I agree, although I loved our trips, I found Venice and Rome really expensive and probably won't go there again for a while. I had to tell my kids to stop ordering bottled water or soda with meals. At 6 euros for a mini-coke it felt criminal. I did see people in Rome sharing the audio which I think I would do next time.
Paris was not so bad and my kids got free museum entrance there which I really, really loved and appreciated. It did add up in savings after a few days.
Shopping is just not fun in Europe right now as it just usually doesn't make good financial sense to buy anything. Fortunately, I'm not a big shopper, but Christmas shopping in Switzerland this year was rather de-moralizing as we get paid in USD. Ouch! when the dollar fell again against the swiss franc in November.
I told my husband to skip the gifts and send me somewhere on a trip. He's a gem and I'm going to Ravenna in March instead of wearing new clothes or getting a piece of jewelry.
The ex-pat Americans I know here bring a huge empty suitcase home and fill it with things from the US at a fraction of their cost here - especially clothes and electronics...
One thing I really miss as a reader is books. Definite sticker shock in the English bookstore.
We are going to visit Spain in the spring as I hear it's a little less expensive.
I think right now you have to really want to travel in Europe for reasons other than having a "vacation" which to me used to include a nice hotel and dining out. I refuse to pay the crazy cost of breakfast in hotels anywhere - US or Europe. After all, how much can you really fit in your stomach at 8 am anyway?
I'm trying to think of my travel more as an educational experience which means I focus more on absorbing the culture and I avoid the shopping districts and high-end restaurants and hotels. It requires more research to eat and sleep well for less money, but that is why I love coming to the experts here on Fodors.
Jan 16th, 2008, 05:08 PM
#124
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Hey tcreath --
Greetings from a fellow Charlottean!
Flying out of CLT is cheaper now than it used to be. I've found that flying out of here is only marginally more expensive than a straight shot out of, say, ATL. So the few extra dollars (or euro >
) it costs is worth not having to make the major schlep to ATL or IAD.
Greetings from a fellow Charlottean!
Flying out of CLT is cheaper now than it used to be. I've found that flying out of here is only marginally more expensive than a straight shot out of, say, ATL. So the few extra dollars (or euro >
) it costs is worth not having to make the major schlep to ATL or IAD.
Jan 17th, 2008, 05:25 AM
#125
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tdyls, hello! It's good to see a fellow Charlottean because there doesn't seem to be too many of us!
You are right...I have been pricing flights from Raleigh and Atlanta and even DC and the savings haven't been that significant. Actually in some cases changing the airport to ATL actually made the ticket prices go up. Germany (FRA and MUC) seems to be fairly inexpensive from CLT...or at least inexpensive compared to flying into any other city in Europe!
Tracy
You are right...I have been pricing flights from Raleigh and Atlanta and even DC and the savings haven't been that significant. Actually in some cases changing the airport to ATL actually made the ticket prices go up. Germany (FRA and MUC) seems to be fairly inexpensive from CLT...or at least inexpensive compared to flying into any other city in Europe!
Tracy
Jan 17th, 2008, 10:42 AM
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LOL markrosy! I will admit that since moving to Charlotte last year (from the midwest) I have started warming up to the beach. The NC and SC coastline is beautiful. But I usually head to the coast to visit Charleston or Savannah instead, and may spend a few hours at the beach if I feel up to the crowds and the heat. I'm more of a mountain girl (love to hike) so I appreciate being only a few hours from the mountains more!
Tracy
Tracy
Jan 17th, 2008, 10:50 AM
#129
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Tracy
Once rented kayaks near Fripp and saw dolphins chase bass up the mud flats until they were beached - they then had to wriggle off the flats to get in the water - go back to original theory - you don't see that in Europe!
Once rented kayaks near Fripp and saw dolphins chase bass up the mud flats until they were beached - they then had to wriggle off the flats to get in the water - go back to original theory - you don't see that in Europe!
Jan 17th, 2008, 11:01 AM
#131
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Can't remember nearly 40 and getting senile - was 4 years back and near Beaufort, SC would have to dig the map up to jog my memory. Will go back soon. Drove 4500 in two weeks that time - all became a bit of a blur.
Jan 18th, 2008, 06:20 AM
#133
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"Until the dollar strengthens" is pretty vague. I wouldn't count on paying .80 US for a Euro again for a long time - if ever. That was a surreal market, not to be taken as typical. (It could also be a challenge to compare historical prices pre-2000, given that the Euro wasn't a 'real marketplace' currency until 2000.)
You are also forgetting to allow for inflation. (This is one reason why I wish people would quote prices in Euro, not US$, as to do so would make the effect of inflation clear.)
Prices haven't exactly remained stable in either Europe OR the US since 2001-2, when the US$ was at such stratospheric highs against the Euro.
Given that the CPI (consumer price index) in the US has jumped nastily over the last year in particular, you may find that vacationing in the US isn't as cheap as hoped, either, especially with the effect of high oil prices on both transportation and food costs. Inflation makes people a lot poorer as a rule than currency fluctuations.
Making a true cost comparison is also complicated by people here not necessarily paying 'fair market value' for their purchases. One person might bag a 'special' on a hotel, another might book the same hotel during convention time and not even be aware of it, but just put it down to 'oh, XYZ place is expensive.' All of this variation tends to distort what a true price index of a given place might be, and makes comparisons difficult.
One thing is certain. Howsoever weak is the currency of one's home country, one's own body is not going to get stronger with age.
You are also forgetting to allow for inflation. (This is one reason why I wish people would quote prices in Euro, not US$, as to do so would make the effect of inflation clear.)
Prices haven't exactly remained stable in either Europe OR the US since 2001-2, when the US$ was at such stratospheric highs against the Euro.
Given that the CPI (consumer price index) in the US has jumped nastily over the last year in particular, you may find that vacationing in the US isn't as cheap as hoped, either, especially with the effect of high oil prices on both transportation and food costs. Inflation makes people a lot poorer as a rule than currency fluctuations.
Making a true cost comparison is also complicated by people here not necessarily paying 'fair market value' for their purchases. One person might bag a 'special' on a hotel, another might book the same hotel during convention time and not even be aware of it, but just put it down to 'oh, XYZ place is expensive.' All of this variation tends to distort what a true price index of a given place might be, and makes comparisons difficult.
One thing is certain. Howsoever weak is the currency of one's home country, one's own body is not going to get stronger with age.
Jan 18th, 2008, 06:57 AM
#134
I guess it depends on where you go and when. For Italy I would go to Puglia rather than Milan. Hungary rather than Germany, Switzerland I only visit with my Millionaire Swiss B in Law. France well villages not cities. Greece I would avoid and go to Syria etc etc
Jan 18th, 2008, 01:31 PM
#135
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We have been had - 139 posts to discuss the increasing costs of trips to Europe - sorry dear - just read your trip report - I could have saved about $8000 of your US $ with a little bit of self restraint.
$1000 on water taxis and 2 coffees with a cake E70 - maybe next time if you lived a little less like money was going out of fashion - you wouldn't need to bleat about the the rising costs of Europe.
I think the trip report makes a mockery of your OP above!
$1000 on water taxis and 2 coffees with a cake E70 - maybe next time if you lived a little less like money was going out of fashion - you wouldn't need to bleat about the the rising costs of Europe.
I think the trip report makes a mockery of your OP above!
