Falling!!! Help!!!

[Travel Guru]

So getting O/T here a lot... I have always wanted some special knifes from Japan but always been worried how do i import them to Australia ? I assume they are often considered weapons and as such cannot be put in checked lugguage ?
E

If they're classed as cooking knives, like Shun etc, you won't have a problem.

I bring knives back from overseas (Italy etc) regularly and have never had a problem, I even brought back a Ghurkha knife from Nepal in 04, it was a gift but i was sure it'd be taken, but sure enough, no probs.

TG

 

[Flashback]

If they're classed as cooking knives, like Shun etc, you won't have a problem.

I bring knives back from overseas (Italy etc) regularly and have never had a problem, I even brought back a Ghurkha knife from Nepal in 04, it was a gift but i was sure it'd be taken, but sure enough, no probs.

TG

Also, giving Customs / Police a call is a good idea too. On my recent trip to Japan, we did exactly that before we left to make sure we were allowed to bring in the Samurai swords we had purchased from Japan Sword (great shop!!) in Tokyo.

 

[JohnK]

The financial analysts say it has something to do with interest rates, commodities, gold and oil prices falling. I think the falling A$ has something to do with me getting ready to go on holidays. There is a definite trend there dating back many many years and similar to me organising a day off work months in advance to play golf and the day ruined due to inclement weather.

I have not booked my return flights from Thailand for early October and already I have seen the price increase by over A$200. It gets worse as I see the airfares increase each day and the A$ falling. Not to mention that I will have less money to spend while I am over there with the unfavourable exchange rate.

 

[Driver]

Sorry guys. Blame me. I am out of the country at the moment, and true to form the dollar tumbles when I do that. I am back next week, so the tumble may stop

Promise you won't leave the country in September!!

I shop at JCPenny online- have done for years and years. My whole family does - would never dream of buying towels or sheets or quilts - any bedding - in Australia. Quality and price (even taking into consideration shipping) - is better from the US. Mr Driver has started buying clothes from them. We'll be having a good look at sizing when we are there so we can continue to order clothes for us and the grandkids. JCPenny is on a par with Sears or close to Macy's. :!::!::!:

 

[straitman]

Sorry guys. Blame me. I am out of the country at the moment, and true to form the dollar tumbles when I do that. I am back next week, so the tumble may stop

Thanks oz_mark :!:
Really quite good of you to take the blame though. :shock:

 

[simongr]

I didn't know you were a knife fan Simongr, my estimation of you just went up, even if you do hate corporate TA's!! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

TG

Well it's not so much the knives as the cooking that is my real passion (I just bought the El Bulli cook book 2003-2004). Mind you these Wusthof knives are truly amazing - so natural in the hands

 

[Therma]

Personally I could not be happier. Living in Singapore and paying a mortgage in AUD has been an absolute drain on the finances. I was very happy when AUD was almost equal to SGD in 2001, and I took this job when the rate was 1.18. It went as high as 1.35 at one stage.

 

[mainly tailfirst]

Personally I could not be happier. Living in Singapore and paying a mortgage in AUD has been an absolute drain on the finances. I was very happy when AUD was almost equal to SGD in 2001, and I took this job when the rate was 1.18. It went as high as 1.35 at one stage.

Yep. Us expats with Australian repayments are much happier this week. I predict if the 'right' guy wins the US election, look for a sharp appreciation in the USD next year... for about 6 months. Then everyone will realise they've still got this 3trillion to pay back at some stage.

mt

 

[JohnK]

Australian dollar continues to tumble and airfares continue to increase.

Not having any luck at all. Latest setback is I gave dates of travel to Thai travel agent and they made a booking and quoted the airfare to me. I asked for them to book today and gave them credit card and they came back to say that the promotional airfares expire on 30 Sep 2008 and I do not return until 9 Oct 2008. Why not tell me the correct airfare when I ask for the booking? It would appear that the revised airfare is 50% higher than originally quoted....

 

[Flashback]

Australian dollar continues to tumble and airfares continue to increase.

Not having any luck at all. Latest setback is I gave dates of travel to Thai travel agent and they made a booking and quoted the airfare to me. I asked for them to book today and gave them credit card and they came back to say that the promotional airfares expire on 30 Sep 2008 and I do not return until 9 Oct 2008. Why not tell me the correct airfare when I ask for the booking? It would appear that the revised airfare is 50% higher than originally quoted....

The joys of procrastination hey? Sometimes it works for you, sometimes it doesn't. This is one case where it doesn't.

 

[JohnK]

There would never have been a problem if that poor excuse for an airline, AA, had issued my tickets 3 weeks ago. Now I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I even went to the point where I quoted return Tiger flights BKK-SIN and the cost came out to ~$400 with luggage, golf clubs and carry on. I did not even bother to try and come back to Australia with a LCC. I can only laugh. No frills, no thank you. The QF flights SIN-SYD are increasing everyday and the dollar continues to tumble. I think I will book now and cut my losses.

I get the feeling that this is not going to be a successful holiday. And to make matters worse the holiday is leave without pay....

 

[drron]

Of course you are all wrong.As I said before when drron goes to the USA or countries who accept the $US the Aussie falls.I have done it again.Fortunately I loaded up on the stuff when I got 96.58 cents for the Aussie.Unfortunately though the CC bills are going to be a lot higher than expected.

 

[oz_mark]

I'm back in the country, so thedollar stops falling....

 

[straitman]

I'm back in the country, so thedollar stops falling....

Could you please stay home for a while and let the $ go back up :?:

 

[JohnK]

You could almost be certain it stopped falling as soon as I made the return booking from SIN last Sunday. Although the airfare was S$1402 Amex has approved and converted airfare to US$992 and is waiting for QF to collect funds. It will be interesting to see how much I end up paying in A$. The transaction date is 18/8/2008 and I think the exchange rate is ~$0.865.

 

[dajop]

Well, maybe time to resurrect this thread. I'm travelling to the US in about a week and half's time ... and well as is usual when I go to the US, things seem to be going south very quickly. Have to laugh at comments in this thread in context of the latest fall to 72c (and Therma - you must be very happy at 1.06 vs SGD)

 

[docjames]

Recent trip:

Started planning in May $ = $0.92

Started bookings June $ = $0.96-0.98

Fares solidified in July - $ = $0.91

Departed Australia September 6 $0.86

Returned to Australia $0.81

Now: $0.77

 

[v8Statesman]

Now: $0.77

Umm Dont you mean 1AUD=$0.72USD?

Lastnight 1.00 AUD = 1.08 SGD
Today 1.00 AUD = 1.05 SGD

 

[simongr]

Not sure that the rate cut of 1% is going to help either

 

[dajop]

Lastnight 1.00 AUD = 1.08 SGD
Today 1.00 AUD = 1.05 SGD

Yesterday afternoon (I typed this into a spreadsheet)
1.00 AUD = 1.107 SGD