Why your overseas holiday seems more expensive than ever

The slump has left Australian travellers with tales of exorbitant European prices, including Helaina Gardiner, a 32-year-old event manager for the Merivale Hospitality group in Sydney, who returned from four weeks in the United Kingdom, Italy and Greece with partner Dan De Bonis in July. "It was definitely expensive, everywhere," Ms Gardiner said. "The [menu] prices seemed the same as Australia, but cost double. In Greece, it was €20 for a cocktail, so that's like $40. "In London, a small fish and chips was £25, so like $50. Florence was the worst as it was the most touristy. I did…