it's all "relatively" expensive again

To state the obvious but the good ol' ZAR is once again going to the dogs thereby making long division tricky and overseas travel a bit of luxuriously expensive affair. I don't have an exact theory on why it has suddenly nose dived after momentarily moving in our favour against the major currencies, perhaps it's just easiest way to pick up the 2010 tab and as a consequence it will spark a tourism boom pre-world cup.

The informal discussions that I have had with some of our 'financial experts', who are probably guessing as well, reckon that we should be prepared for the following thresholds - R8.50 to the US dollar and R15.00 to British pound come Christmas.

It looks like 2000-02 again when the ZAR went into freefall mainly due to whispered speculation by some of the finest First World Financial Institutions. But it's all very macro and at ground zero it is what it is, and you simply have to cut your coat according to your clothe.

Anyway nothing about modern travel is easy today, it's expensive, it's often delayed, the travel rules are constantly changing and the currency continues to "oscillate wildly" but if you can afford it, then go to those places where the Visas aren't an issue and you can still get some value for your ZAR. Go to South America and send me a postcard.

I managed to sort out my Forex, this morning, no mess no fuss but as I signed the invoice it was very apparent that this is all very relative depending on who is picking up the bill, in my case it's a UK cost centre - so peanuts.