Volcano Roulette

There's good news and bad news about travel to Europe this summer. The good news is that a sharp decline in the value of the euro has made it cheaper than it has been (for North Americans) for a long time. We all know the bad news--you don't know when you'll get back, given the uncertainty surrounding the volcano in Iceland and the trajectory of its ash.

For those who don't mind living with uncertainty about available services and a surly population, this might be a good year to visit Greece. However, disruption of ferry services and possible strikes at hotels, restaurants and banks could make it tough for tourists

I booked a trip to Ukraine just before the air shutdown in Europe last month. If I had not already paid my money, I would probably look for another destination for summer travel. As it is, I plan to travel with more cash than usual in case I have to stay longer than I planned, I will also alert credit card companies that I may need to buy an air ticket to return through Asia, if there is a repeat of the air space closures that affected Europe last month.