-> The banks and supermarkets accepted my Mastercard quite happily  
-> from St Andrews and Ayr down across England Wales last time ...   
  
Sure. Credit cards are the best international money (except in Cuba, 
where you have to be careful *not* to try to use an American Express 
card, or any card that has been issued by a U.S. bank). 
  
-> It all evaporates from the pocket at astonishing rates in the UK   
-> compared to here.  One son was asked for $NZ15 for a glass of coke  
-> in London a month ago, while we quoff it off at 80 or 90c a litre  
-> in NZ... 
  
I'm not sure how much N.Z. money is worth. The Canadian dollar is about 
90 cents, U.S., or 50 pence sterling. If we buy a can of Coke from a 
machine here, it usually costs about a dollar. On the other hand, big, 
2-litre bottles, only cost two or three dollars. 
  
-> At my age, it all seems to come and go so quietly in the  
-> background,  but I do believe I could happily tolerate some really  
-> grand illusions.... 
  
What would you do with a billion dollars? 
  
David 
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