Guest StuCotts Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 To judge by the deals being offered by the airlines, travelers must be in short supply right now. But for those who can see their way clear to undertaking a trip out of the country, there are those deals, plus a favorable exchange rate for the dollar against most currencies. As an example, the euro now costs in the area of 1.26. That compares to about 1.68 this time last year. Gather those rosebuds. Quote
Members Lucky Posted March 12, 2009 Members Posted March 12, 2009 I have a free ticket booked to Europe this summer- in business class, to boot- but paying for transportation and hotels when I get there could still make for a very expensive time. But everyday it seems to get cheaper as the dollar goes up (well, not yesterday). The trouble is that I want to be in Edinburgh for the Festival- and that's when everyone else wants to be there. Paris in August isn't so bad, and London, well, is it ever cheap? Quote
Guest StuCotts Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 I have a free ticket booked to Europe this summer- in business class, to boot- but paying for transportation and hotels when I get there could still make for a very expensive time. But everyday it seems to get cheaper as the dollar goes up (well, not yesterday). The trouble is that I want to be in Edinburgh for the Festival- and that's when everyone else wants to be there. Paris in August isn't so bad, and London, well, is it ever cheap? Free business class is enviable. If you don't know Scandinavia, consider it. Depending on how footloose your arrangements allow you to be, get out to the hinterlands of whatever countries you visit. Nothing will be as expensive as in the big cities. Fly to one captal and fly back from another, spending the time in between on the road in a rented car or in a train. Train travel in Europe is downright cheap and highly efficient. Quote
Guest TNTTed Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 As for Edinburgh, you might consider a B&B. While I’m generally not a fan of B&Bs, I opted for one a few years back when hotels were almost impossible to get during the Festival. It turned out to be an elegant, beautifully appointed place that was a downright bargain. And the location was such that the only transportation cost while in the city was shoe leather. If I could remember the name, I’d give it to you, but this was in 2002 and I’ve since purged those files. I’m only posting to remind you that there are options other than the high priced touristy hotels. And if all else fails, pay the high price for the hotel. The Festival is worth it. Quote
