How much is a "hotel" and food?

This is a really tough question. A trip anywhere can be really expensive but it doesn't necessarily have to be. We are going ultimately to Egypt and there you can get a "hotel room" for as little as 10 Egyptian pounds (less than $2). (You won't find this place listed on the web.) This of course won't be much more than a bed with a share bathroom. It is cheap though. And you can spend easily $300 and more a night in most large cities or resort cities.

Fortunately, we will be staying with friends that live in Egypt so we won't have to look for a hotel or places to eat on this journey but next time that will change. Use travel sites on the web to find potential places to stay. Once again you should check with friends who may have made the journey before you to see if they have any suggestions.

We are also going to the United Kingdom, London. To get a hotel there we simply went to travel "agencies" on the web and looked up hotels in London. The are wide ranges of prices in London but we didn't find any as cheap as $2 a night. We did find many for $60-$75 a night and more. We got a response from some friends though to our Christmas card and they recommended a place that they had stayed. Bonnie went right out and booked a room there for the time we would be in London. So much for shopping around. The final cost was 109 GBP (Great Britain Pounds) a night. The hotel is called The Elizabeth, London. After we stay there we will let give a report on the place.

Meals are also variable in cost. Sometimes a meal comes with the room you rent, usually breakfast. Restaurants vary widely in price from location to location and even from meal to meal. You may be able to purchase food in a grocery or market that you can eat while you are walking, sitting watching something, etc. That will probably be cheaper than eating in cafe. Local food may be very different than what you are used to eating, if you are an adventurer you should by all means try much of it. If not you can find foods you are familiar with. But do try some of the local cuisine just don't ask what it is.

There will be many other expenses. These you may have less control over than food and lodging. There may be admission fees, gratuities, tolls, etc. Even venues that are advertised as free may not be. Transportation is another expense that you will have to deal with. Public transit is usually cheaper than a taxi. You have to figure out public transit and if you don't know the language it may be difficult to get information. Don't be bashful, ask questions. People will generally be very helpful if you are polite and ask for assistance. You might be able to rent a bicycle to ride on during some exploration. It's cheaper than a taxi and doesn't have fixed routes like public transport.

The key to how much it will cost is to be flexible. If you are on a tight budget look for inexpensive things to do. But don't be afraid to spurge once in-a-while. Good luck.