Spending Abroad

We’ve all dreamed of taking a holiday in an exotic foreign country or in a famous and glamorous luxury beach resort. But some of us like to travel abroad to shop.

The abroad shopper is a strange specimen to find in an airport. They won’t be wearing summer or light clothes and their luggage will be extremely light before the first flight. They might even have all their personal objects in the hand luggage and a totally free bag, ready to be filled with foreign clothes and souvenirs. Upon arrival, the abroad shopper won’t beeline for the beach or the hotel swimming pool; instead, they’ll go straight to a shopping street, mall, bazaar or flee market.  They usually know exactly where to go and, just as the normal tourist will know what historical sites or beaches to visit, the shopper will know where to go and where and how to get what they planned to buy.

The abroad shopper has a mortal enemy – foreign exchange rates. Fortunately, pocket and cell phone converters have helped tremendously. It’s hard to keep an eye out for bargains when you can’t be immediately aware of how much something costs in your local currency.