Comments on: Europe Update: 5 months to go

By: imelda

imelda — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:49:52 +0000

Everyone has a different definition of “extravagant.” While Karen probably couldn’t afford dinner at a fancy, upscale restaurant, a $35 per person dinner while on vacation is a treat, at least by my budget. OTOH, I’m not really thinking about the conversion rate…. 35 euros is a nice dinner, $35 might be tight.

Anywho, Karen, I would advise caution about those city passes. I don’t know about London, but I have found both Paris and NYC city passes to not be worth the money. It depends on what kind of tourist you are — if you will be cramming as many paid attractions as possible into one day (not my idea of a good vacation), then you’ll get your money’s worth, but if, say, you’re only going to 2 museums in 1 day (which I think is a lot!), then you won’t.

Finally, have you visited the fodors.com travel forums? The old threads there are a GREAT resource for any vacation, and the people there are particularly biased towards Paris. Lots of wonderful information I used even when I was living in Paris!
.-= imelda´s last blog ..I’m a writer, I’m a writer! =-.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:30:23 +0000

Thanks everyone for the heads up on costs in London, though some of you could have been a little nicer about it. :) I do know that costs are high in London, but I should clarify that our idea of “extravagant” is probably much more frugal than some of you would consider “extravagant.” So I do believe that we could have had a nice dinner, even in London, on $70.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:28:46 +0000

In reply to jonathanwthomas. Thanks so much for the tips! The truth is, my biggest concern about cash is that if we lost it or it was stolen, that would be it. The cash is gone. So we really want to limit the amount of cash on us at one time. If a credit card is stolen, it's easy enough to call the fraud department and have the charges reversed. Also, we have two credit cards on the same account, so we plan to keep one with us and one in a safe place back at the hotel.

By: jonathanwthomas

jonathanwthomas — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:41:18 +0000

Actually, for getting cash, ATM’s are your best option. Every exchange agent is a rip off. You get the best exchange rate via ATM’s – the day’s market rate. Also, in Britain, most banks don’t charge to use the ATM – Brits are offended by the idea of having to pay to access their own money when an ATM SAVES the bank money. So, you’d only have to worry about your own bank charging you. We bank at a credit union so it was only $1 a withdrawal and we made 4-5 withdrawals on our recent trip. If you plan to do a lot of markets – it’s good to keep cash in hand. But you can pretty much use a credit card anywhere. Just have a backup in case you have problems with the card. It’s also a good idea to let your bank know you’ll be out of the country so they don’t suspect fraud when they see a bunch of transactions from Paris.
.-= jonathanwthomas´s last blog ..Buying Brit: Trevor Sorbie =-.

By: Ronnie

Ronnie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:07:37 +0000

You’re going to love London and because there’s so much to do you should take a look at our blog so that you don’t miss out on any good events while you’re here.

Also if you get our EPok London Pack you can get 2 for 1 offers and discounts at various restaurants. Because like others have said, $70 doesn’t go far in a good London restaurant.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:17:12 +0000

The Tube (Underground) in London is fantastic! The maps are so easy to use and the stops are very convenient and virtually everything is clean. It is the perfect way to get around the city. Make sure to take a ride in one of the famous London taxi cabs just to say you’ve done it!

However, I dislike the subway system in Paris. The maps are confusing, the entryways smell of urine, the trains aren’t as nice, etc. But, it is the best and cheapest way to get around the city.

Marla did have a great tip of being weary of pickpocketers on any public transportation option in Europe. When you ride during peak hours you will be standing right next to others. So, guard your wallet and purse.

In Paris you don’t want to miss the Musée d’Orsay – the impressionist museum or Sacré-Coeur (absolutely the most beautiful church in all of Europe! I’ve been to 80% of Europe). Be wary of pickpocketers and beggars at the Eiffel Tower, they can spot an American tourist coming a mile away!

London is such a cool city with so many things to do. Seeing a show is well worth it and you can get cheap tickets with seats in the first four rows if you buy the day of the show. The Tower of London is fascinating. Take a day trip to Cambridge, such an amazing college town. Also, as posted above $70 will not buy you a fancy meal in either city! Wagamama has several locations all over London and is a great place to get lunch and relatively cheap (apparently they now have locations in the U.S. … but still it is a fun place!).

Have fun!!

By: The Non-Student

The Non-Student — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:56:43 +0000

Just had to laugh: $70 would not buy you an extravagant anything in the UK! Thanks for keeping us updated. .-= The Non-Student´s last blog ..December--it's not just for holidays =-.

By: anne

anne — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:17:56 +0000

Sounds like a great trip! I love how you already paid most of it off! One tip for you: My husband just applied for a passport. It could take up to eight weeks to process. Be sure your official photo shows your face well. He had to go back to Walgreens because there were shadows on his face. Luckily they didn't charge the second time. .-= anne´s last blog ..What do they think? =-.

By: Kacie

Kacie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:11:39 +0000

Stink on the Ebates thing! I wish I said something sooner. Also, if you can do your passports sooner, I'd say get 'em right away. I don't know how fast they're processed, but that would be one stinky thing to have to wait on! .-= Kacie´s last blog ..Batch cooking day =-.

By: Marla

Marla — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:38:35 +0000

I’ve been both to London and Paris – you are in for a wonderful trip! My advice – be super careful on the Underground in London – I had my wallet pick pocketed out of my bag and never felt a thing. I did get it back (with everything intact except missing the cash) the next day – the Underground police were lovely and helpful. Luckily I had only a small amount of cash, maybe $40 so it wasn’t a tragedy. All shops in London asked for identification when using cards so I guess stealing cards is no benefit. The Metro in Paris was much less crowded and pick pocketing didn’t seem like it would be an issue. Take advantage of the hundreds of little cafes in Paris that have simple fare – bread, wine, cheese, sausage – so inexpensive! It is one of my favorite memories! I also had the best yogurt of my life in Paris in a little coffee shop. Have fun!!