Dollar Barons!

When I was a student in Moscow in the Soviet era, actually being able to find food was a major task.  Until we discovered how to change our currency on the black market.  Then we would have wads of cash in our pockets (a comforting habit I've found it hard to break!), take taxis everywhere (once we hired a KGB limousine), and eat out at the finest restaurants with kilos of caviar and carafes of vodka.  We called ourselves "Rouble Barons", and had a fantastic time.

There's no currency black market in NZ, but our rate against the US dollar has plunged dramatically in the last 6 months.  Last year a room at very expensive Huka Lodge would have cost around US$3,000.  This year, the same room will cost US$1,800 despite Huka actually increasing their prices.

At the same time there are many more high quality establishments in the NZ$500 to NZ$1,000 bracket, which now costs US$250-US$500.  So New Zealand is becoming a lot less expensive.

Meanwhile we're having our hottest summer ever, the financial crisis means the lodges are only half full, and some have given us some special rates to play with.

So come over here and try your hand at being a "Dollar Baron".  I can recommend some healthy spending in the sun to balance out all the doom, gloom and cold in the north.