So Expensive

Caligula · Post by **Caligula** » Fri 23rd May 2008 09:34 am

I am trying with all my might to make it to Amsterdam and London in January, but the weak dollar is making it nearly impossible. Prices of hotels and airfare have been rising steadily for years now. I have visited Amsterdam 6 times and have been to over 10 European countries since my first visit in 2000. I highly doubt that I will ever be able to travel that frequently again...at least not for a while. Anyone have advice on cheap vacations?

Dave J · Post by **Dave J** » Fri 23rd May 2008 10:01 am

Not any advice on cheap vacations as such. But it has been suggested that possably the Euro MAY weaken a little towards the end of the year. And that the current situation with the rate of the Euro MAY be more seasonal with reguards to the tourist industry and overseas trade this year than in the past.

But I'd personally NOT assume this to be the case (the exchange rate improving) when planning my trip for later in the year. As it is now the Euro in all fairness barring a cent or 2 either way has been the same for a number of months with reguards to the UK Pound.

So even if the Euro weakens slightly to give me even 10 cents more to the Pound by the time I go, I'll be happy. Any more than that then not much difference from the €1.38 exchange rate I got from my last trip.

Here in the UK there has been a vast rise, as much as 46% for may in people choosing to stay in the country for there holiday\vacation this year!. This is turn will have some effect on the exchange rate by the end of the summer. As simply put there will be many hundreds of millions (possably billions) of Euros less spent in the Euro Zone countries on the tourist front alone in the next 4-5 months. Bound to effect the exchange rate at some point dont you think?.

NirvanaEJ · Post by **NirvanaEJ** » Fri 23rd May 2008 03:28 pm

I cant say i know much about economies and exchange rates but wouldnt it be in the best interest of the EU to control the spiraling rate of the Euro? Against the dollar the euro has risen and risen, pretty much restricting any american who isnt ridiculously wealthy from coming over and spending. a high value euro is good for a while but then what, wouldnt the tourist economy completely suffer?

Dave J · Post by **Dave J** » Fri 23rd May 2008 04:35 pm

I dont recall what the economics were that set the base rate for the Exchange rate of the Euro when it first came into use?. But what I do know for sure that when the Euro first started the exchange rate was about €1.90 to the £1.00. I think a lot of this was due to the Euro being an unknown power on the currency markets at that time. Thus, the Euro was thought of as a weak currency on a global level. And as the Euro gained strength slowly over a number of years it seemed to settle about the €1.50 to the £1.00 about 5 years ago. Then gained strength again untill it settled to about €1.40 to the £1.00 about 3 years ago. Then the same thing again in the last year where it has slowly gained strengh to a weaker Pound and has settled to it's current rate of €1.21 to the £1.00. Basically a real term difference of about a third in the exchange rate to the Pound in only 8 years.

Cant work out the same with the Dollar of cause, except that is thought of as much weaker than the Pound is at the moment so I can only guess how bad things are for you guys over there when wanting to travel to a Euro zone country.

Sorry if all this sounds borring but it's all down the the Euro gaining strength and the Pound and Dollar weakening in strength at the same time, this has made the difference much more notable in such a short period of time. Thus my and others reasoning in the probable loss of billions and billions of less money being spent in the Euro zone via tourism alone this year, that there will possably be a slight weakness in the Euro towards the end of the year as the knock-on effect is felt in Europe.

This is all of cause minus any futher weakening in our own currencies or industry trade rises with Europe etc lol.

Sorry again if all this sounds borring, just trying to help some understand the situation a little better and suggest things really cant get to much worse on the exchange front unless industry factors start to come into play even more!.

NirvanaEJ · Post by **NirvanaEJ** » Fri 23rd May 2008 04:54 pm

I yearn for the days when the exchange rate was $1.00 to 2 Guilders, it was like that in '01 pre euro and i was able to spend soo much everywhere in the Dam, i hardly even thought about it.

on top of that it only cost me about $400 to fly back then where if i wanted to fly at the same time of year now it would cost around $800.

mindatlarge1389 · Post by **mindatlarge1389** » Fri 23rd May 2008 06:57 pm

BRO YOUR TELLEN ME ITS LIKE $3.25 FOR A COKE IN A COFFEE SHOP and you get so baked you for get 1 euro dousnt equal 1 doller i blew 5 grand in a week like it was nothing but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash and i have almost no idea what happed but i would pay to do it agen in a hart beat if i had the cash

NirvanaEJ · Post by **NirvanaEJ** » Fri 23rd May 2008 09:59 pm

mindatlarge1389 wrote:BRO YOUR TELLEN ME ITS LIKE $3.25 FOR A COKE IN A COFFEE SHOP and you get so baked you for get 1 euro dousnt equal 1 doller i blew 5 grand in a week like it was nothing but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash and i have almost no idea what happed but i would pay to do it agen in a hart beat if i had the cash

wow bro, i mean so would I but how much did the whole trip cost you? man 5 g's thats just nuts, i better start savin now..

travelling high · Post by **travelling high** » Sat 24th May 2008 04:14 am

mindatlarge1389 wrote:BRO YOUR TELLEN ME ITS LIKE $3.25 FOR A COKE IN A COFFEE SHOP and you get so baked you for get 1 euro dousnt equal 1 doller i blew 5 grand in a week like it was nothing but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash and i have almost no idea what happed but i would pay to do it agen in a hart beat if i had the cash

How many hookers did you buy?Damn.I was there for a week and only spent 1000euro including my hotel bill.And trust me I smoked plenty of pot and ate like a king.

chopitup · Post by **chopitup** » Sat 24th May 2008 07:15 am

mindatlarge1389 wrote:i blew 5 grand in a week.... but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash

Almost 10 grammes a day for 7 days

Dave J · Post by **Dave J** » Sat 24th May 2008 09:57 am

chopitup wrote:
mindatlarge1389 wrote:i blew 5 grand in a week.... but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash
Almost 10 grammes a day for 7 days

As a non smoker (cannabis) back home, I can only ever do about 4 grams a day while in Dam. Well about 8-10 joints a day at best but smoke most (stronger) towards the end of the trip.

But like 10 grams a day, bloody hell how many J's do you get out of all that?.

TheGinSoakedGirl · Post by **TheGinSoakedGirl** » Thu 29th May 2008 12:05 am

As an adjunct to the exchange rate debate :-

It's worth considering a hotel in London say a Travelodge, Premier Inn or Holiday Inn just out of the centre in one of the 'burbs served by the Underground - especially in January when the offers are on. They are a damn site cheaper than central town and you are only a 30 minute tube journey away - on a good day

The tube cost will be far less than the hotel price difference if you buy a day pass (Oystercard).

Just a thought

Weemanio · Post by **Weemanio** » Thu 29th May 2008 11:47 am

i got my money changed yesterday. i got 600euro for £500 pounds sterling!!

tis a bit grim!

moby69 · Post by **moby69** » Thu 31st Jul 2008 06:12 pm

NirvanaEJ wrote:
mindatlarge1389 wrote:BRO YOUR TELLEN ME ITS LIKE $3.25 FOR A COKE IN A COFFEE SHOP and you get so baked you for get 1 euro dousnt equal 1 doller i blew 5 grand in a week like it was nothing but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash and i have almost no idea what happed but i would pay to do it agen in a hart beat if i had the cash
wow bro, i mean so would I but how much did the whole trip cost you? man 5 g's thats just nuts, i better start savin now..

Mate , look at the guys posts.lol
He's 19 and blew 5 grand.
Watch this dude's nose doesn't have your eye out.
I don't reckon Mr Mitty has been anywhere near the Dam !

HasAnyoneSeenMyPipe · Thu 31st Jul 2008 06:19 pm

mindatlarge1389 wrote:BRO YOUR TELLEN ME ITS LIKE $3.25 FOR A COKE IN A COFFEE SHOP and you get so baked you for get 1 euro dousnt equal 1 doller i blew 5 grand in a week like it was nothing but i smoked 67 grams of weed and hash and i have almost no idea what happed but i would pay to do it agen in a hart beat if i had the cash

Dont buy Red Bull in Hunters i bought three for myself and 2 mates in may and was charged 13.50E, I near fucking fainted as I had just bought a gram of bubble hash from the dealers counter too so it was an expensive round.

HasAnyoneSeenMyPipe · Thu 31st Jul 2008 06:21 pm

Weemanio wrote:i got my money changed yesterday. i got 600euro for £500 pounds sterling!!

tis a bit grim!

I am busy changing euros too for spain on sunday 10 aug for 2 weeks, not as many euros for my quid than last year, hope it is better for next may for my next dam adventure.