Exchange rate drama!

Sometime this weekend the dollar-pound exchange rate dropped below $1.50. I know this because, when I was unable to sleep at 2:30 a.m. this morning, I hopped onto the computer and looked it up. $1.49 and decimals. I then sang myself to sleep with lullabies of "the pound is falling, the pound is falling."

When I last checked a bit ago, it was back to $1.50. Still, that's a number that hasn't been seen in years!

I've been debating in recent weeks how low the pound would need to go before it would make sense to take some money to a bank and exchange it (or buy English traveler's checks) in anticipation of next spring's trip. Not enough to fund the whole trip, but enough for cash spending money. Obviously I'd lose some on the exchange, so the deal would need to be pretty good.

Of course, that leads to dilemma number 2. What if the exchange rate is better in the spring? On the other hand, what if it is worse? Like it was in 2007 and 2006? Then I'd be kicking myself.

What will probably happen is that inertia will keep me from even making the decision to exchange or not exchange, and I'll end up just taking my chances in the spring. But I'm sure I'll be debating this question all along the way.

I must leave for England immediately!

The exchange rate has dropped below $1.60. It has not been this low for years! I am ready to travel. Well, I guess I can't go right now. I am just praying it stays low for the trip to Bath in March 2009. This is encouraging enough for me to consider adding on a few days in expensive London. Surely this must be good for the English tourism industry, if a low exchange rate encourages Americans to travel to England again and spend our money there?

Bath, here I come!

I just signed up for the Bath Half Marathon on March 15, 2009. That means a trip to England is back on the agenda for next spring!

Anglo-MANIA

Pictures taken in the QFC parking lot... this person really loves England—and pirates!

The blog is back (maybe)

After finally publishing my final trip pictures last summer, I let the One-Track Road slip into hiatus. That is because it's hard to write about traveling in England when you're not actually in England. (How many times can you complain about the exchange rate?) Instead, I found myself writing more about running. So, eventually, I started a running blog.

But I still think a lot about England. In fact, I think about England a lot when I am running! For months after the trip, I could get through several miles just reliving the story of the trip. Sometimes I alternate with thinking about potential future trips.

Recently, thoughts of England have been on my mind and have even infiltrated my running blog. For example, I recently determined that I must go to London for the 2012 Olympics. Further, I announced that if I ever run the London Marathon, I am going to stay at Brown's Hotel! (Both fantasies are too remote to worry about.)

But one fantasy that is not completely remote is my plan to run in the Bath Half-Marathon next spring. The reason there is no link to that is because the 2009 race information is not available yet. I have been checking almost every day to make sure I don't miss open registration! So until I actually get registered, this too is only a fantasy. But one that just may come true.