Money again

Here's a repeat of the posting from a few weeks ago about money.

You will need spending money for the following things (EF does not build these costs into the trip fee):
1) Lunch and snacks (also water as we walk around hot southern Europe)
2) Souvenirs
3) Added activities - things that EF has not built into the itinerary. For example, when I went to London, EF built the cost of a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral into the tour fee. They did not build in money for tickets to climb the stairs to the top of the dome, though. I had to pay an extra fee for that. EF pays for plenty to make the trip very exciting. These added activities can range in price.
4) Travel during free time - EF pays for buses and mass transit to get to scheduled activities. During free time, mass transit costs are not covered. (This probably won't be a huge expense on this specific tour.)
5) Incidentals - Toothbrush, Internet Cafe, Pool Tables, etc...

So, I think you need to be the judge. You can eat a light meal for 10 Euro, but of course restaurant prices vary greatly. Souvenirs -cost is totally up to you. Daily incidentals, activities, etc. may be nothing, may be 50 Euro (if you wanted to go to a play in Madrid, for example).

To be safe, plan a bit more than you'll think you need, then stick to that budget. My wife and I are planning for about $100 - $150 per day for the two of us, but we like nice lunches and buy way too much stuff for our kids.

Last note - remember the conversion rate and money changing fees. Use the calculator at the bottom of the page to see what your dollar is worth. Try to change money only once, so you avoid re-paying the fees.

Luggage

Thanks to all those who were able to come to the meeting on Monday night. If you haven't turned in any of the forms, please get them to Mr. Van Hof asap.
Brad asked about luggage dimensions. So far I have found this American Airlines information. I will continue to do more research and will contact the airline we will be using once we have that information. In the meantime this site can give you some basic guidelines on size and weight restrictions.

Meeting on Monday

Please remember that our trip meeting is on Monday, April 28 at 6:30 at DeWitt High School. Please bring the following with you: driver's license (if available), passport, and medical insurance card. You can bring a copy of these or we can make copies during the meeting. In addition, please be prepared to give a name and telephone number that can be used 24/7 for emergencies during travel, a list of any medical concerns (including allergies) and medications, and any questions you may have.
If you or a representative cannot attend the meeting, please contact Mr. Van Hof by the end of next week. Finally, if the blog postings are not being received in your email in-box, please check your bulk mail folder. This has been an issue for a couple of parents.
See you Monday!

RSVP Reminder

So far we have 13 travelers who have responded for the trip meeting (April 28). If you haven't yet, please RSVP as soon as you're able to commit one way or the other.
Thanks!

Meeting RSVP

The parent/student meeting will be held on Monday, April 28th at 6:30pm at DeWitt High School. Please RSVP to Mr. Van Hof before April 16. We need some approximate attendance numbers in order to plan for the right number of copies, refreshments, etc.

Thanks.