Need Estimate on Price

[lissurlalunes]

Hi guys, I've been away for the boards for a bit, been busy with graduating. I need help.

My mum is thinking of taking my grandmother on a trip to Hawaii (her never been able to go anywhere, and her getting up in age). I am planning to go on a three month backpacking trip to Europe from April to June of 2008. I think I will have enough to go with my mum and grandma and make it a 'girls thing' but I just want an estimate on how much my backpacking trip will be. My roommate in res said at least 10,000 $, but I just want second opinions.

Below is my itinerary - its temporary, since my friend and I created it 5 to 7 months ago and it may change, but probably not to much.

Ireland - Dublin (5 to 6 days)
Wales - Cardiff (5 to 10 days)
England - London (4 to 5 days)
France - Paris (4 to 5 days)
Belgium - Ypres (2 to 3 days), Brugge (2 to 3 days)
Netherlands - Amsterdam (2 to 3 days)
Germany - Berlin (3 to 4 days), Munich (3 to 4 days)
Poland - Auschwitz (2 to 3 days), Krakow (2 to 3 days)
Czech Republic - Prague (3 to 4 days)
Austria - Vienna (3 to 4 days)
Italy - Florence (3 to 4 days), Venice (2 to 3 days) Rome and The Vatican (4 to 5 days)
Greece - Athens (4 to 5 days), Santorini (2 to 3 days)

If I go by the 100 dollar a day price it would be 9,000 dollars.. plus 1,200 for airfare? So...10,200 dollars total?

Again, I have these estimates, i just would like seasoned backpackers to give me there opinions, before i fully budget to see if I could do the Hawaii trip. Could you tell me your estimate in Canadian prices for me? I'm from Vancouver, Canada. Thank you guys.

[WillTravel]

$100 CAD per day is a bit more than 65 Euros at the moment. That's a reasonable per-day figure, but not at all luxurious. Some places you might exceed that, but you should be able to make it up elsewhere.

You are considering airfare to/from Vancouver, but I don't see you considering your travel costs amongst all those places.

I'd eyeball your in-Europe travel costs as about $1000, but you'd need to work that out.

On the plus side, you might be able to get a cheaper airfare than $1200, with one of the several budget options we are lucky to have in Vancouver:
www.flyglobespan.com
www.canadian-affair.ca
www.flyzoom.com
www.exit.ca

For example, you could take Zoom into London and out of Paris (or whatever).

You could combine budget flights with some sort of rail pass:
www.whichbudget.com for budget flights

The exchange rate could easily change significantly by then, for either better or worse.

So for safety's sake, I'd think $12,000 CAD a better target, but with really good planning and exchange rate luck you could do better.

[lissurlalunes]

Thanks Will - I dont have official plans nor flights, trains how im going to travel etc. I just needed a rough estimate on how much it would cost, just so I could go back and look at things and budget planning etc. and then say yes or no to my mum saying I could join them on the trip.

Thanks for your opinion, very helpful

[Eagle]

lissurlalunes, in reading over your cost estimates, one thing that stands out is that I didn't see any provision for travel within Europe? You'll need to budget for perhaps a Rail Pass, budget flights and local transportation (Metro or whatever). As you'll be travelling for three months, the Rail Pass could be a significant expense.

The "normal benchmark" is to allow US$100 per day to travel reasonably comfortably, not including air fares or rail passes. While it's possible to get by with less, in my experience it's best to allow for "unexpected expenses" as well, so this amount should be fairly accurate. As WT mentioned, the currency exchange rates could change between now and April '08, so that's another point to consider (I suspect they won't change too much though).

There were a few items on your Itinerary that stood out also:

> Wales - 5 to 10 days seems a bit long in Cardiff?
> Auschwitz - 2 to 3 days also seems too long. Auschwitz / Birkenau are normally visited as day trips from Krakow. Is there any interest in spending a day or two in Warsaw?

Congratulations on "graduating"! Hope you're able to find a way to fit the Hawaii trip in as well? If we have another winter like the last one, I might be heading over there also.

Cheers!!!

[lissurlalunes]

As I said in my previous post - the itinerary was just a rough idea, my friend and I who are going havent really sat down and decided for sure if this is our final plan. Cardiff is longer because I have a friends wedding I will need to go to while I am there, she asked if I could spend a longer amount of time there being one of the Bridesmaids. Everything else can change in dates.

The dates were not important, im not concerned with if they are correct or not. I merely put it them up there for people to know what cities are more expensive and for how long. I didnt know if it would help so I put it up there.

As for rail pass etc I know I didnt put them in there..I only wanted a rough estimate people thought of for everything. None of my plans are final at all, (again need to talk with friend) I only needed a rough rough estimate so that deducting that, monthly expenses, and how much Hawaii would possibly cost from my salary for the 11 months before I go to europe, to determine if I would have enough left over for unexpected expenses at all.

Either way, with everything and saying that Europe would cost me 13,000 I would have roughly 9,000 left over for anything. Which I figured that would help in the inflation of exchange rates and other occurances that could happen.

Thanks

As for the winter. I know! It was way to cold, went to Oahu last October..incredibly warm before hand, but as soon was I came back it was freezing. I dont think I recall having so much snow in one winter.

[magnav0x]

One thing that worries me about my trip to Europe next summer is the conversion rates. Now that Iran has switch all their oil purchase from the US Dollar to the Yen (Russia is thinking of the same), I'm worried the US Dollar will be weak next summer. Shouldn't affect the Canadians though ;D

[me]

these little things won't have that much effect. when Saddam changed the Iraq foreign currency reserves from US$ to €, the markets really didn't react.

the US$ is the world reserve currency. the world's economy is measured in US$'s. if America's massive current accounts deficit doesn't drag its value down, i don't think these action by Iran or Russia could have much effect.

although it would make overseas travel a little more expensive, a *limited* correction in US$ value would prolly be a net benefit for the US economy. in spite of political rhetoric about "supporting a strong dollar," a slightly weaker dollar would make American exports more desirable to world consumers, and make American consumers less likely to buy imported products - goodbye current accounts deficit!

because on world markets - oil is priced in US$, it would also mean less money going to oil producing countries, most of whom are not our friends. [Canada & Mexico are two absolute exceptions. Canada is America's closest ally.]

magnav0x said:

Now that Iran has switch all their oil purchase from the US Dollar to the Yen (Russia is thinking of the same), I'm worried the US Dollar will be weak next summer.

[herrbert]

From an European point of view, the Dollar is getting weaker ever since, the introduction of the Euro. (the real money). Around 2001, one euro costed 0,87 cents, and 5 years later is was 1,36. The last few years it seems to have settled between 1,18 and 1,30. But at the moment it is at a recordhigh of 1,37 - 1,38.

Although this is good for American exports (like David explained, American products are cheap), it also harms Americas that have to import materials/goods, as those prices have risen.

[magnav0x]

I'm pretty sure Iraq's oil purchases are now all in US$ again. Iran basically did it, because they didn't want to support their enemies' economy if we went to war. God I can't wait for the 2008 elections

North America itself is looking into a new currency "Amero" (partly Bush's doing). Will be interesting to see how that unfolds. I know the Canadians aren't too happy about it.

me said:

when Saddam changed the Iraq foreign currency reserves from US$ to €, the markets really didn't react.

[me]

herrbert said:

From an European point of view, the Dollar is getting weaker ever since, the introduction of the Euro. (the real money).

funny, i thought the general complaint was that Gulden were the real money. Euros being the monopoly money imposed by Eurocrats. ;D

Regarding the so-called "Amero:" this was a hoax propagated by anti-NAFTA groups in the 90's. [remember the "NAFTA, we don't have'ta!" crowds? and good ol' Ross Perot warning of "a giant sucking sound as jobs head South to Mexico?"]

- d

[mango]

I'd agree 5-10 days is a bit long to spend in Cardiff however if you have friends here then maybe you'll want to stay even longer? But if you can get across to see West or North Wales they are well worth it especially at that time of year.

[herrbert]

me said:

herrbert said:

From an European point of view, the Dollar is getting weaker ever since, the introduction of the Euro. (the real money).

funny, i thought the general complaint was that Gulden were the real money. Euros being the monopoly money imposed by Eurocrats. ;D

There are always people complaining that it used to be better, and it is true that some things did get more expensive after the introduction of the Euro. But living in a place 5 minutes away from Germany and 30 minutes from Belgium. (and 6 hours from Spain ;D). I have to say I love the Euro.

But the design of the Euro banknotes is horrible. But then again the design of the Dollar notes ain't that beautiful (but still beats the really ugly money from Denmark). The Design of some of the Dutch Gulden notes were beautiful:

weren't they beautiful:

[me]

herrbert said:

Although this is good for American exports (like David explained, American products are cheap), it also harms Americas that have to import materials/goods, as those prices have risen.

actually, for the European producers who want to sell to America, it also means cutting profit margins to keep prices from rising too much. a producer who lets his market share fall too far will not be in a position to reap the rewards if/when exchange rates become more favorable.

or, you can do like Daimler and sell your US subsidiary [Chrysler] at a big loss.

Oh, the Gulden notes are much better looking than US Dollar notes or Euro notes!

[herrbert]

We're getting a bit off topic, I think.

If I look at prices for cars, I always raise an eyebrow, cause I can never believe that a car should cost that much.