Not sure what people used to do before computers and ATM's and bank machines. It's so simple now when traveling to foreign countries because there are bank machines everywhere. Just pull out your bank card, get some cash, and your bank account back home is debited at a decent exchange rate. Oh, and our bank charges a fee. $3 every time we do it, so we'll try and budget ourselves well enough to only have to remove cash once during each country.
Fortunately, the Canadian Dollar has been doing very well against these currencies and so that will hopefully make our trip costs even cheaper than we expected.
The Canadian dollar versus the Czech Koruna.
vs the Polish Zloty
vs the Hungarian Forint
And vs the Euro.
Yesterday, the Canadian dollar touched an all time high versus the Euro. Strangely enough, the country of Slovakia uses the Euro. Now hopefully, the dollar will maintain these levels over the next couple of months!
And so the planning continues. It looks like we'll be flying Budapest to Manchester in order to return to England in early September...more about that when our flight is confirmed. Here's a look at what our approximate route will be like...
Sort of. Definitely not written in stone yet!
Not much going on here. Sat out the rain yesterday, and so far today it's overcast but no rain yet. Planning on a nice walk this afternoon, but we'll see what the weather's like when it's time to leave!
It's a slightly painful subject for the Czechs, but at the time of their entry into the EU, their economy wasn't strong enough to switch over to the Euro, as was the case with Slovakia. It's a long and convoluted tale, but it goes back to the way the industries were laid out way back when it was Czechoslovakia. (They probably should have stayed together) I'm still used to saying "Die Tschechoslowakei" in German, since it was one country way back in the dark ages when I was first learning German.
ReplyDeleteAnother snippet: The word "Zloty" is a form of another old Slavic root word for "Gold".
(in Czech, gold=zlato Russian,злато etc.)
So even though Poland isn't on any kind of Gold Standard or anything, they still refer to their money as being "Gold". Crazy, huh.
Isn't etymology fun?
I think we got your rain this morning.
Gee thanks.
Most borders have a money exchange but the rate is not always good, however as you are doing a continuous journey you might as well cash in any currency left over from the previous country. As we did all this in a motorhome it was easy as we always had food, transport etc and could wait until we found an ATM of which there are plenty in all the countries you are visiting. Don't forget to check out Lake Balaton west of Budapest whilst you are there. Looks like a great starting plan.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about exchanging currency. But I do know that those charts show your Canadian dollar is doing really good at paying for your expenses.
ReplyDeletelooks like a great plan. I agree be sure to exchange left over monies at the border or it may just end up sitting in you pocket for years to come.
ReplyDeleteHowdy R&K,
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to leave all of this rainy weather.. I'm sorry I ragged so much about the weather y'all brought from Mexico and probably caused the change to 'normal' gloopy English slop!!! I knew we'd get to Hungary, sooner or later!! I'm ready so let's hop to it.. I'm sure glad we have such a great tour operator, like you and Ruth to do ALL of the grueling computer work for us; I get lost after Kevin and Ruth!!! Shux, I wanted Ruth to see the Big Red Rock!!!