OT: Foreign currency - where to buy, here or there?

On Mar 3, 2014, Michael Chare wrote (in article ):

Oh yes that's quite common! I once hired a car in Greece and was asked for the usual Credit Card guarantee before taking the car. When I came to pay the bill their card machine had mysteriously stopped working. They helpfully pointed me towards a nearby ATM though!

Reply to
Mike Lane
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I know a very nice hotel in Vienna where they ask for a credit card to confirm bookings but state very clearly that they only accept cash for payment of the bill

Reply to
djc

On 03 Mar 2014, Mike Lane grunted:

Heh. Just back from 5 (awesome) days in Iceland - by far the furthest west you can get in Europe! - and although I withdrew a wodge of cash at the airport (on a purpose-obtained Saga Visa card; no exchange loading and no interest payable!) I ended up having to use it all up on the last day, as until then I literally had not spent a single Krone in cash - taxis, sightseeing tours, supermarket, bars, the lot - all gladly took credit cards.

The (correct) credit card is unequivocally the optimum way to pay for anything overseas, basically. See

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for the lowdown on that.

David

Reply to
Lobster

Some friends and I are considering a trip to Iceland, either this year or next - any suggestions on what/where to see/do?

Reply to
S Viemeister

On Mar 4, 2014, Lobster wrote (in article ):

I am not disputing that, but if the vendor won't take any form of card one has to resort to a sub-optimum method of payment, i.e cash.

Reply to
Mike Lane

Hire a car and drive the 'Golden Circle' one day (assuming you're in Reykjavik), then out to Vik another day stopping off at Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss waterfalls on the way. There's also a geothermal power station on the route that's open to visitors.

It's also worth having a look at the lava fields and lava tubes just off the airport - Reykjavik road towards the Blue Lagoon.

Reply to
F

Depends on your interests. Some people like expeditions in enormous

4x4s, others prefer solitary hiking. The concert hall in Reykjavik is worth a look, and the seafood restaurants are excellent. We were there last year and the best part for us was Snaefellsness.

Get a copy of the Lonely Planet guide and take it from there. Cicerone Press do a good walking guide.

But don't go for the cheap beer.

Reply to
Mike Barnes

Added to trip folder, thanks. I haven't visited Iceland since the late

60s - I'm sure it's changed greatly.
Reply to
S Viemeister

Added to trip folder, thank you. What's the cheap beer like?

Reply to
S Viemeister

There isn't any. Alcohol is hideously expensive in all the Scandy countries but most especially so in Iceland.

Reply to
Huge

In message , at 07:14:33 on Wed, 5 Mar

2014, S Viemeister remarked:

Non-existent, I presume.

Reply to
Roland Perry

Dunno, couldn't afford it. :-)

Seriously though, things were very expensive. ISTR that the currency was good value just after the banking crisis, but those days are long gone.

Reply to
Mike Barnes

They "did it right" and bankrupted their zombie banks.

Reply to
Huge

Just back from a week in Norway drinking decent cheap beer. My host is into home-brew :-)

Reply to
Clive George

The standard solution, I believe. :o)

Reply to
Huge

True.

Reply to
harryagain

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