Aussie $ Dropping fast!

[Sugarglider]

It stinks for Americans travelling to you guys...I am going there in May, and I just checked, and I will be losing $50 USD to convert my spending cash over to AUD

ummmm......gippaloo......after 30 years of the AUD being weak (including $0.48 only a few years ago ) I doubt you'll be getting much sympathy on this thread.

however ALL OF US can empathise with the whole "booked my trip and now the exchange rate is collapsing" experience - not the best feeling.

 

[queenie82]

It stinks for Americans travelling to you guys...I am going there in May, and I just checked, and I will be losing $50 USD to convert my spending cash over to AUD

ummmm......gippaloo......after 30 years of the AUD being weak (including $0.48 only a few years ago ) I doubt you'll be getting much sympathy on this thread.

however ALL OF US can empathise with the whole "booked my trip and now the exchange rate is collapsing" experience - not the best feeling.

I agree...this isn't the place to get sympathy...

We've travelled to the US with it floating around 50. With it about 60 having booked with it about 75.

You've had a good run for a LONG LONG LONG time...
It's our turn to get what we rightly deserve. Our economy is doing much better than yours. Hence our dollar is worth more...

It's not a nice feeling having it drop to a lower point from when it's booked. But we've suffered through it much more than you in the US.

You should also realise that BECAUSE our dollar is so much stronger Australians are FLOCKING to your shores propping up your economy spending much more than ever before in your country rather than our own.
Even those not travelling to the US are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on purchasing online from the US.

Hope you enjoy your time inspite of our strong dollar. I know I've managed to enjoy myself even when it has been VERY painful dollar conversion

 

[WAMUMOF4]

The $ is dropping anyone know why $1.04081 XE ?? I haven't seen any info for why it is dropping?

 

[HappyFingers]

go easy Ladies

Gippaloo lost 50 bucks in the conversion

Gippaloo you could alsways go to india ive been and enjoyed it very much

you get a whole fistfull of rupee for your dollar there

 

[Travel Mum]

I find it quite depressing when I keep seeing this thread at the top of the forum. Whilst I'm honestly very happy for you Aussies, I'm sad our NZ$ is no where near as good

 

[Travel Mum]

I went and bought some cash today. $1000 USD - cost me $995.45, this included a $10 fee at my bank, probably could have done better at the post office but I would have to wait until Tuesday to collect it. -

Its nice to have some greenbacks tucked away!

Wow, that's a lot of cash to carry Battymum! How much cash are you insured to carry on your travel insurance policy? Ours is only NZ$500 worth!

 

[battymum]

mmm..... good point....I havent checked - $200 is my sons, and DH and I will split the rest. If we split it hopefully we wont lose it all.

we are more comfortable using cash, it takes some getting used to, but we find it easier to live within our means that way.

 

[gippaloo]

Yikes you guys are sort of rough, I wasn't looking for sympathy, just stating my opinion. My apologies if I offended anyone. Its just hard for me to lose money because I am on a tight budget so every penny counts.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Yikes you guys are sort of rough, I wasn't looking for sympathy, just stating my opinion. My apologies if I offended anyone. Its just hard for me to lose money because I am on a tight budget so every penny counts.

Don't mind us gippaloo. We weren't meaning to offend.
When you come to Oz, just keep in mind this is Aussie humour and you *might* come across it from time to time when you're dealing with someone face to face.

I hope you have a great trip and enjoy our country. Whilst everything will seem more expensive, just remember - we don't tip over here, and sales tax is inclusive in the price. So, you won't need to add anything else in addition.

Where abouts are you going to in May?

 

[gippaloo]

Don't mind us gippaloo. We weren't meaning to offend.
When you come to Oz, just keep in mind this is Aussie humour and you *might* come across it from time to time when you're dealing with someone face to face.

I hope you have a great trip and enjoy our country. Whilst everything will seem more expensive, just remember - we don't tip over here, and sales tax is inclusive in the price. So, you won't need to add anything else in addition.

Where abouts are you going to in May?

Thanks very much for that. ^_^

I am going to be spending a little over a week in Sydney at the end of May and I am so excited! Can't wait to check out all of the amazing sights there

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I find it quite depressing when I keep seeing this thread at the top of the forum. Whilst I'm honestly very happy for you Aussies, I'm sad our NZ$ is no where near as good

I know what you mean every time i see it at the top my heart flutters and i have to check XE to see what the rate is just to see then i realize it is all ok and we are still above parity Hopefully the NZ$ will keep rising for you as well

 

[HappyFingers]

Don't worry gipp twas just a little bit of sarcasm

$50 is not to bad

For years when we convert we could lose as much as half
Ie: 1000 would become 500
That's hurts more than 50 bucks ever will

For whatever reason it's higher now than it's ever been
We are just enjoying our moment in the sun

Hope it last

 

[Caroline NZ]

I am stoked at the NZ$ exchange rate of NZ$1 = US.77c. When we went 2 years ago it was 0.54!.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thanks very much for that. ^_^

I am going to be spending a little over a week in Sydney at the end of May and I am so excited! Can't wait to check out all of the amazing sights there

Have a great time! Hope you'll come and post a picture of you in Sydney with the HB or the OH when you get back.

 

[Sugarglider]

PrincessInOz - you are so lovely! thank you for hugging gippaloo - yes: gippaloo Welcome to Australia! Lots and lots to see in Sydney so you will have a great time
And remember - aussie's love you when they tease you!

And TravelMum - yep - the NZ$ does it the toughest. Have to agree with that

 

[gippaloo]

Thanks very much everyone! I am really really excited to see the sights...I won't have a ton of money to do things but I think that there is plenty to see in Sydney and the surrounding areas for free...I will be excited just to be there! I am definitely going to check out the harbor bridge and the opera house...Do you guys know if there is any sort of harbor ferry that runs at night? I would love to see Sydney when it is all lit up from the water

 

[Travel Mum]

Gippaloo, you really should come to N.Z. too as your money will go further here!

 

[HappyFingers]

its my understanding that the Ferries run at night

from memory the last one that crashed was at night

but even if they arnt there will be plenty of charter boats that operate at night

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Thanks very much everyone! I am really really excited to see the sights...I won't have a ton of money to do things but I think that there is plenty to see in Sydney and the surrounding areas for free...I will be excited just to be there! I am definitely going to check out the harbor bridge and the opera house...Do you guys know if there is any sort of harbor ferry that runs at night? I would love to see Sydney when it is all lit up from the water

Make sure you buy a day pass that allows you to catch the ferry's trains and buses well most of them. You can also catch a train over the Sydney harbour bridge and then hop of and catch it back again. My kids love to catch the ferry from Darling harbour at night to circular key and we also love catching the ferry to Parramatta which takes an hour each way but is relaxing.
Have a good trip!

http://www.cityrail.info/tickets/which/mymulti_day

 

[battymum]

You can buy a cityrail daytripper ticket - I think its about $20per adult and $10 per child, this will get you unlimited trips on all trains buses and ferries for a day (except trains to the airport) - the Manly ferry runs every half hour from circular quay - go to the beach for the day and return after dark - this is a beautiful to cruise the harbour. Also when you are travelling on city rail with children you only pay for the first, the rest travel free!

If you are in Sydney on a Sunday and travelling with a child under 17- cityrail has "family funday" unlimited trips on trains, buses and ferries $2.50 per person. This is great value! You can go all the way to the Blue Mountains on this fare!

Be sure to check for trackwork if travelling on the weekend though! Although buses will replace trains if this is the case...

http://http://www.cityrail.info/tickets/which/funday