August vacation plans?

[gazikas]

Not able to vacation in August but trying to plan something end of September or October.  I think maybe Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach or somewhere along that area.  I can't figure out where to go.  Would definitely like an OCEAN FRONT.  That is my dream and I plan to have it this time!  Would love to know those that said they aren't able to vacation, where would you go if you could vacation in August?

[gazikas]

I haven't been on vacation in years, don't expect to  this year either.

Ditto. I have no tbeen able to afford it. If I have to put it on a credit card, I choose not to do it and when I have extra cash, i pay bills ahead. It is boring to live this way though.

Just wanted to mention that I am proud of you and what you are doing.  It may be boring now but you can dream of what you are going to do when you get ahead of the debt.  Because of what you are doing now, you will have more time ahead to enjoy vacationing!  I remember when I was little and we didn't have the money to vacation, my mom would create a pretend beach vacation in the living room floor and we would picnic and pretend we could hear the ocean and laugh about all the fun things we were doing.  Now remembering I think we had more fun than on avacation!  LOL

[sgluckadoo]

I haven't been on vacation in years, don't expect to  this year either.

Ditto. I have no tbeen able to afford it. If I have to put it on a credit card, I choose not to do it and when I have extra cash, i pay bills ahead. It is boring to live this way though.

Just wanted to mention that I am proud of you and what you are doing.  It may be boring now but you can dream of what you are going to do when you get ahead of the debt.  Because of what you are doing now, you will have more time ahead to enjoy vacationing!  I remember when I was little and we didn't have the money to vacation, my mom would create a pretend beach vacation in the living room floor and we would picnic and pretend we could hear the ocean and laugh about all the fun things we were doing.  Now remembering I think we had more fun than on avacation!  LOL

[dreamyxo]

Going to Spain in a few days. 

[alaric99x]

Espana?  Great place to visit, you'll love the food, tapas and paella.  There are great differences in restaurant prices, as always, go where the locals go.  If you can make it up to Barcelona, be sure to visit the Sagrada Familia, the magnificent temple designed by Gaudi.

[laine39]

I wish I was going on vacation. This will be the first time I'm not, but I'm having a brand new kitchen put in and some other work done in the house, so that's it for vacation this year.

[dreamyxo]

Espana?  Great place to visit, you'll love the food, tapas and paella.  There are great differences in restaurant prices, as always, go where the locals go.  If you can make it up to Barcelona, be sure to visit the Sagrada Familia, the magnificent temple designed by Gaudi.

Thanks for the info.  How easy is it to get around?  My Spanish is a bit rusty.  I think I will do fine ordering in restaurants but asking directions may be a challenge.

[alaric99x]

How easy to get around?  Well, you'll generally find excellent public transport systems in most of Europe.  Don't worry about language, you'll almost always find someone who speaks English.  The last time I spent almost 12 years there and I got all over Europe.  The only foreign language I speak is German, but I've never had a problem anywhere in Europe, if they don't understand your English they'll find somebody who can translate.  No problem, they're generally very friendly and helpful people.  It's a good idea to learn 10 or 20 expressions (hello, goodbye, thank you, excuse me) in the countries you visit, that compliments them tremendously, and they'll be even more helpful.  It seems like you know a little Spanish already, use it as often as possible and don't be afraid of making mistakes, the Spanish are particularly friendly and gentle people.

[alaric99x]

Oh yeah, and be careful about where you buy your Euro, there are significant differences in the exchange rates at various banks and exchange booths.  Get on the net and do some research, it can make a difference of hundreds of dollars for you.

[dreamyxo]

Thanks Alaric99x

I'm always confused about which is the best way to exchange money.  When I was in France last summer I just used an ATM to withdraw money because I read that was the cheapest.  I took Spanish for three years in school eons ago so I know the basics but I was looking at a book yesterday and Spain Spanish is a little different than what I learned (Latin American Spanish).  They even changed the alphabet a few years ago from what I learned in school 

[egypt31]

Some people may consider it more work than vacation, but I plan on doing a ton of prospecting/ gold panning toward the end of the month and am very excited. I found a gold prospecting club in my area that is free to join, you just have to help them at a club outing and go to a meeting then you get a card to allow you on like nine or more placer claims. There is a meeting tonight and after this I should get my card. Oh am I excited!!

[ben50]

no, we got too much going on as always.

[shepherdchik]

I wish I had plans. Hopefully next year when I have a better job

[alaric99x]

Thanks Alaric99x

I'm always confused about which is the best way to exchange money.  When I was in France last summer I just used an ATM to withdraw money because I read that was the cheapest.  I took Spanish for three years in school eons ago so I know the basics but I was looking at a book yesterday and Spain Spanish is a little different than what I learned (Latin American Spanish).  They even changed the alphabet a few years ago from what I learned in school 

Interesting, where were you in France?  I traveled quite a lot through France, the country was very close to where I lived in Germany.  I used to take regular trips just for shopping for food at the markets in Metz and Nancy.

I can't give you any useful advice about exchanging currency.  I was getting military retirement and rental income going into my account in a US bank, in US dollars, of course, while I was getting paid in Euro in Germany, so I seldom had the need to exchange currency.  On my trips to England I would have my brother get me some GB pounds because he had access to a US bank on Ramstein Air Base where he worked, that bank offered the absolute best exchange rate anywhere in Europe, but that won't do you any good, unless you have a friend or relative stationed in the military over there.  He also got me my zloty there for my trips to Poland because, at that time Poland still hadn't converted to the Euro.  On my trips to Minsk in Belarus, I just take US dollars.  I don't know why they haven't converted to the Euro, but they still use the dollar as their stable currency.  The last time I was there, a year ago, I bought 6000 ruble for a dollar upon arrival, two days later I got 6500 for a dollar, 3 days after that I got 7000.  At those kind of rates you don't really need to run around looking for the best exchange rate.  That was a period of extreme inflation, today you can get well over 8000 ruble for a dollar.  You can well imagine, people try to get rid of their ruble as soon as they're paid.  There's a shortage of foreign currency in that country, so they generally get paid and then buy something (light bulbs, canned goods, anything) before their money loses any more value.  I save up lots of dollar bills, fives and tens, prior to any trip there.  When I'm over there, I convert any ruble cost in a bill to US dollars and then pay with dollars, and people are extremely happy to be paid with US dollars.  However, they only accept nice and clean currency.  If you have a bill that's too wrinkled or old, or has writing or stamps on it they won't take it, so I have to sort out my bills and put the nice and clean ones aside for my next trip to Minsk.  It's the same situation in Russia or Ukraine, you have to bring clean, pristine currency bills, in case any of you are ever planning to go to those places. 

[heatheram]

I wish! sadly my summer is just about over, I have (I think) 10 days before I go back to Uni to finish my last year in undergrad! yikes!