I was thinking recently about the different currencies I'll be dealing with this summer, being in so many different countries. Great Britain has the Pound; the Netherlands, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, and Germany have the Euro; Switzerland has the Swiss Franc; Hungary has the Forint; Poland has the złoty; the Czech Republic has the Koruna; Sweden has the Krona; and Denmark has the Krone! Talk about a long list.

The good news, or perhaps the silver lining on our "global economic downturn," is that all these currencies are down 15-20% against the US dollar from last summer. This is essentially the same as getting a 15-20% discount off everything compared to what one would have paid last year. Obviously, that is contingent on prices in the local currencies remaining the same, and it also only counts for purchases made overseas that involve a currency conversion (lodging, food, entertainment - not plane tickets and rail passes bought in the US).

Because of the simple fact that foreign exchange rates change everyday, and because these are volatile times in the financial world, this could all change over the next several months. Nevertheless, for travelers heading overseas this summer, there is a good chance the dollar will go a little further than last year, which could add up to a fancy Parisian dinner or a few more bottles of Rosé on the beaches of Nice. I'm looking forward to it!