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Couple Stunned By High Cost Of Travel

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By LAURA CONE The Sun

Published: October 15, 2008

Traveling to Europe is nothing new for Pat and Rolf Sulzberger of Sun City Center. Feeling like poor Americans, however, was a new feeling for the two.

Rolf Sulzberger said their recent trip to France and Spain was an eye opener.

"It's unbelievable. Like we had a third world currency," said Rolf, adding no one would describe him as being a frugal man.

"I was surprised by how much things cost and how badly our bushwhacked dollar has deteriorated," Rolf said. "If we do go again to Europe, it will be on a prepaid tour."

Rolf, who loves to travel and grow orchids, said many Europeans visit America with empty suitcases to buy clothes because it's so inexpensive here compared to Europe.

Pat Sulzberger, who moved to Sun City Center with her husband from Sturbridge, Mass. 14 years ago, said she had heard of people spending as much as $750 a night for a hotel in Paris.

The couple left for their trip at the end of August and came home Sept. 11.

While in Paris, they spent three nights in a hotel costing $300 per night. They took a riverboat cruise down the Rhone in France, and also traveled to Arles, France.

Traveling with some friends from Venezuela, they drove a van to Marseilles, and from there went to Barcelona and Madrid in Spain. The cost to rent the van for two weeks was $1,700. Then, to fill the gas tank, they spent an additional $125.

"The last time, we took an Eastern European tour three years ago, and then we took a cruise to the Baltic countries," she said. "Over the years we have been to Europe several times. If we do go again, it has to be on a tour group. There, everything is paid for ahead of time. They get better rates because of the quantity."

During her travels, Pat often writes a diary and sends them to her friends.

She lets them know about interesting observations, such as a visit to a truffle farm. "Truffles have always been searched for by pigs and now they are training dogs to sniff out truffles," said Pat, adding truffles are a type of mushroom.

Speaking of food, she was very impressed with the food in Spain and France.

She was surprised by people smoking what she assumed was tobacco at outside cafes in Paris, using oriental pipes that in the past were used for opium.

"The other thing we found in France was everything was very shabby," Pat said. "They did not take pride in buildings. The paint was peeling and the buildings needed washing down. When we got to Spain, it was like they freshened everything up."

Pat loved the balconies in Barcelona, where, she said, the people took pride in their surroundings.

In Madrid, the cost of their hotel was about $250 a night. They did most of their sightseeing on their own.

Pat offered a piece of advice for other senior citizens who want to see the world.

"Stay home unless you take a tour because it's impossible unless you are filthy rich," she said. "Have you looked at our dollar lately? For them it's cheap to come over here. It's the dollar that is devalued so much."

Her immediate plans are to take a break from traveling outside the United States.

"We are going to be staying around here in this country doing local trips," she said.

Laura Cone is the editor of The Sun. She may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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