Two Australian travellers were left reeling after discovering they had shelled out an eye-watering $100 (Rs 8,340) for a modest meal comprising two burgers, fries, and a solitary soda during at their hotel in Switzerland.
Maria Antoniou, one-half of the stunned duo, recounted the sticker shock to news.com.au, emphasizing the sheer disbelief they experienced. The incident happened at a hotel in the village of Grindelwald, nestled amidst the Bernese Alps.
Antoniou, reflecting on their ordeal, admitted to being prepared for the country's reputation for exorbitance but was unprepared for the magnitude of the financial assault they encountered. "Actually experiencing the prices was next level," she remarked.
Venturing beyond the confines of their hotel, Maria and her partner Anthony stumbled upon a culinary minefield where even street food offerings mirrored the exorbitant prices. Maria lamented, "We found the street food to be a similar price, unless you were buying from the grocer — which many people were."
Their four-month odyssey traversing the globe unveiled Switzerland, particularly Grindelwald, as a zenith of financial extravagance, with Santorini, Greece, trailing closely behind as a distant second.
Despite the financial pummelling, Maria and Anthony remain steadfast in their endorsement of Switzerland as a must-visit destination. "One of the most beautiful countries we’ve ever visited," Maria affirmed.
However, a caveat looms large – a stringent savings regimen is imperative to navigate the monetary maelstrom that awaits. "Just make sure you save, save, save," she advised.
Maria's revelation reverberated across social media platforms, with fellow Australians corroborating her ordeal. Tales of exorbitant prices at fast-food joints and hostels served as reminders of the financial tightrope travellers must tread.
Read: Family charged over Rs 1,800 by restaurant in Italy for slicing a birthday cake
“I paid $15 [Rs 833] for a cup of noodles from my hostel gift shop,” one traveller wrote.
“We got three large meals from Burger King and it was 210 Australian dollars,” said another, recounting her visit to Interlaken, Switzerland.
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