Thursday, October 24, 2013

Staying under budget in Slovakia.

Dear Slovakia, we're sorry we didn't stay longer in your beautiful country.  We'll be back someday.  XO, J&P

Initial budget: 10 days at $880 ($88/day, $44/person/day)
Actual cost: 5 days at $366 ($73/day, $36.50/person/day)

Here's the breakdown with some details...

pie chart quality slowly but surely declining...
that piece is definitely not 44%
  • Lodging: $162 - one hostel, one dorm room, five nights ($16/person/night).
  • Transportation: $135 - one cheap bus ride from Zakopane to Lysa Polana, one expensive taxi ride from Lysa Polana to Zdiar, a couple dollars to get back from the "7 hour hike", one adventure navigating the bus system from Zdiar to Levoca and back, and one bus/train journey from Zdiar to Poprad/ Budapest.
  • Groceries: $21 - zero jars of peanut butter.
  • Meals: $31 - one lazy Sunday lunch, two soups at the hut during the "7 hour hike", two kebabs in Levoca.
  • Tours: $5 - two admissions to Church of St Jacob's to see the beautiful tarp covering Europe's largest wood carved altar (yes, we're still a little bitter about that).
  • Alcohol: $8 - somewhere around a dozen bottles of beer.
  • Gear: $0.
  • "Misc": $4 - no idea, the woods were our public bathroom this time so it can't be for WC visits.
  • Gifts: $0... yeah yeah yeah.
Other fun Slovakia facts...
  • Cities visited: 3, technically speaking (Zdiar, Levoca, Poprad)
  • National parks visited: 1 (Tatras National Park)
  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited: 0 (we saw Spiš Castle in Levoca from afar, but we won't count that)
Still on track with money overall...  Let's see how we fare in Budapest.

4 comments:

  1. "no cost too much" and "no, cost too much" may APPEAR similar.....

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    Replies
    1. How some long-term travelers fail, exhibit A.

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  2. Sorry about your experience in the Levoča church. Even as a native, I've never had luck at that place - if it isn't one thing, it's another. One time I was a guide for a small group of French visitors and a nun kicked us out of the church for no reason, just flipped out and screamed at us to leave. But the altar is exquisite, I can tell you that.

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  3. PS: And yes, please do return to Slovakia. You're always welcome.

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