Up to Date Information

[muriman]

Hi all. After having been regular visitors in the past, wife Christine and I have not been to Halki for over 2 years and had arranged a holiday including extended family starting 29 July. It's all become a complicated mess thanks to the virus and we are not now going (hoping to be able to do so next year); but our daughter and her husband have decided to go. Because things have probably changed since our last visit I'm seeking some up-to-date information on the following. Do some or most of the tavernas now take credit or debit cards? (I've always taken enough euros to cover day to day spending as I don't like the exchange rate risks using cards, but the younger generation seem to prefer cards.) I've suggested she should take enough euros for basics plus £20 notes as reserve back-up as I know the cash machine is unreliable, but I understand that Zifos Travel (where I've previously changed pounds for euros) is now not operating. Are there other local alternatives for changing pounds to euros?

Any up to date info or advice would be appreciated.

[Deleted]

I understand that most of the places take cards now. I say "most" reservedly as there are a couple I have in mind who still may not!!!! Our extended family jaunt this year also went out the window and although we are attempting to rebuild it next year, I'm not totally convinced that it may work, at least not without a lot of attendant stress which is really not what it is all about. There are some folk, members here, who are out there and possibly may be able to give more detailed answers but could be you would reach a bigger platform if you asked on Facebook.

[Liz]

Hi Muriman .. we too had our June holiday cancelled but going on last years experience - everywhere will take cards now .. you have the post office as an option to change cash or the machine which is alot more reliable than it was - we use a prepaid card and draw from that in a couple of chunks but always take some cash for our first day or so just in case. It wasn't working on our last night so we just used a debit card and it was sorted before we left the following day

[muriman]

Thanks, sth and Liz. Daughter and her husband are now in Halki having taken a mixture of cash and card. From messages they seem to be fine. Anyway, unused euros should not be a waste as it doesn't seem likely that the pound will go up against the euro anytime soon. I hope to know more when they return. It was a difficult decision for me+Christine not to go, but we are in higher risk age-group when considering possible risks eg 4 hours in plane each way. We hope now to go next May, which at the time of juggling re-arrangements was the latest we could re-book Easyjet flights (their schedule for later in 2021 was published shortly afterwards!) though what the virus situation will be by then is anybody's guess.

Graham

[Liz]

It is a worry .. as. you say its anyones guess what will happen - we've rebooked for next June and we've also got flights for this October if all goes well .. fingers crossed