Airfares to US to drop?

[SYD]

The food thing is just an excuse. Whilst it’s extremely easy to find cheesy fatty food, it’s not difficult to find good quality delicious food as well. Had plenty of enjoyable food, from Cajun in New Orleans, other good southern fare in Mississippi and Savannah and a diverse range of all sorts of foods in the main cities in the NE, Midwest and on the west coast.

The challenge with the US (and now the UK) is finding places that aren’t franchise food…

Plenty exist, just need to look for local reviews etc.

 

[clifford]

and now the UK

Hardly a challenge. Now the US is a slightly different kettle of fish (or something).

Maybe on Oxford St, but go to somewhere out of London, eg Glasson Dock or Old Warden.

 

[SYD]

Hardly a challenge. Now the US is a slightly different kettle of fish (or something).

Maybe on Oxford St, but go to somewhere out of London, eg Glasson Dock or Old Warden.

Yes, of course but there’s an awful lot of franchise places throughout London. You stumble on something that looks good and the food’s decent, only to realise there’s 20 more just like it…

 

[Melburnian1]

Such a great Q and such an interesting topic right now. I spent a few hours discussing affects of current US Admin on tourism with some Yankee friends and acquaintances in Shanghai past few days.

Surprise surprise views amongst group polar opposites - sounds like USA huh.

I expressed view ZERO chance I would visit USA with current Admin in power - a couple agreed and understood - 2 asked why and just could not understand.

As with most things in life all will be revealed in the fullness - but my $s will not be heading that way.

Many Australians would agree that Donald Trump's social policies are pleasing, such as the creation of DOGE, although some economic policies of his are not.

It's not that putting me off: it's the terrible exchange rate.

When I first travelled to the USA years ago, our dollar was worth $1.15 US. Now it's close to half that.

 

[SYD]

Many Australians would agree that Donald Trump's social policies are pleasing, such as the creation of DOGE, although some economic policies of his are not.

It's not that putting me off: it's the terrible exchange rate.

When I first travelled to the USA years ago, our dollar was worth $1.15 US. Now it's close to half that.

Presumably you didn’t go near the place between 2001 and 2002…?

 

[Forg]

When I first travelled to the USA years ago, our dollar was worth $1.15 US. Now it's close to half that.

That would’ve been when it was pegged artificially high rather than after it was floated in the 80’s to reflect its’ actual relative value … wouldn’t it?

 

[SYD]

That would’ve been when it was pegged artificially high rather than after it was floated in the 80’s to reflect its’ actual relative value … wouldn’t it?

We did get back close to that mid 2011 @$1.10.

Heady days buying stuff in USD!

 

[Forg]

We did get back close to that mid 2011 @$1.10.

Heady days buying stuff in USD!

Ah that’s right, I’d forgotten we’d gone over parity for that brief exchangey period!

But the current exchange rate is way more normal than $1.10 was. My understanding is that things aren’t so much expensive in the US due to just the exchange-rate now, but that prices for stuff in the US has just gone up a really abnormal amount - they’re used to most stuff being cheap, and it not being cheap there is a shock when they’re used to paying low prices for everything … OR if you’re used to going on trips over there & not paying London prices.

… innit?

 

[SYD]

Ah that’s right, I’d forgotten we’d gone over parity for that brief exchangey period!

But the current exchange rate is way more normal than $1.10 was.

Actually, something in the range of $0.70 to $0.80 has been the average range for the last 10 years. Drifting closer to $0.70 the last 2 yrs and of course, mid to low $0.60 range in recent months….

My understanding is that things aren’t so much expensive in the US due to just the exchange-rate now, but that prices for stuff in the US has just gone up a really abnormal amount - they’re used to most stuff being cheap, and it not being cheap there is a shock when they’re used to paying low prices for everything … OR if you’re used to going on trips over there & not paying London prices.

… innit?

Yes, prices in the US were / are out of control during the inflation spike. Hotels are crazy (even outside the cities). The weakened AUD doesn’t help.

 

[COC]

Actually, something in the range of $0.70 to $0.80 has been the average range for the last 10 years. Drifting closer to $0.70 the last 2 yrs and of course, mid to low $0.60 range in recent months….

Yes, prices in the US were / are out of control during the inflation spike. Hotels are crazy (even outside the cities). The weakened AUD doesn’t help.

The weakness of our Aussie Dollar is a unacceptable hit to the already high prices.

 

[antycbr]

Another factor with hotels in Democratic blue cities is that these states are hosting a large number of illegal immigrants in the low end of hotels which have been converted for the purpose. This pushes people who would stay in these places up into midrange properties which is what most of us carrying pacific pesos can afford. Governors such as Abbott in TX bus and fly immigrants to blue states and drop them off - the most famous of these was in Martha’s Vineyard.

I’m in SFO now but started my trip in PDX. I learnt that Oregon has no state sales tax so did all my shopping there.

Homelessness was bad in Portland - but having been through a fair part of SFO yesterday I didn’t see too much in the way of homelessness or urban blight compared to Portland.

I live in inner SYD and to be honest the rate of homelessness and evidence of urban blight of Oxford st and Kings Cross is much worse than SFO.

Post automatically merged: Today at 2:40 AM

The weakness of our Aussie Dollar is a unacceptable hit to the already high prices.

Absolutely, I’m adjusting my cheap meals up to be more like $70-80 AUD a head. Tipping average has moved up north of 20 percent.

 

[Denali]

Co worker got 4 adults return to LAX for $3800 but has since found out how much Disney tickets cost for 4 days plus others like Universal, Legoland etc and the $logistics and accomodation. I think she has a bit of remorse right now as she grabbed them before thinking about a budget but is at least she's now looking forward to the Getty Museum, which she didnt know about until I mentioned it.

We want to return to the US to see some national parks but refuse to go until at least 2029

 

[VPS]

Co worker got 4 adults return to LAX for $3800 but has since found out how much Disney tickets cost for 4 days plus others like Universal, Legoland etc and the $logistics and accomodation. I think she has a bit of remorse right now as she grabbed them before thinking about a budget but is at least she's now looking forward to the Getty Museum, which she didnt know about until I mentioned it.

We want to return to the US to see some national parks but refuse to go until at least 2029

The Getty museum is superb

 

[Forg]

Yes Estelle was always my favourite Golden Girl.

 

[DC3]

The food thing is just an excuse. Whilst it’s extremely easy to find cheesy fatty food, it’s not difficult to find good quality delicious food as well.

Some great steak places as well.