The British pound has been somewhat kinder to the U.S. dollar lately, hovering at about $1.55.

But the reality is that the dollar is still wobbly overseas, especially in the UK. That may leave Anglophiles wondering if the costs of lodging, shopping and pub-hopping, will turn a London jaunt into a modern-day Dickens tale.

We’ve scoped out ways for travelers to have a jolly good time, and experience a taste of London’s luxe side while spending less than you may have anticipated.

Shopping aficionada Sarah Lahey recently jetted off to London on an off-season adventure where she uncovered bargains and deals galore.

Dear Peter,
It’s been spitting rain thru the London fog, but that hasn’t dampened my spirits or slowed me down. I’ve found bargains galore!

Yeah, I know that’s difficult to calculate with an exchange rate of $1=£1.65, but it’s true.

Irvina Lew first visited Barcelona, Spain, during the 1992 Summer Olympics, and returned on another sporting mission: the announcement of an international sailing race between New York and Spain. In between interviewing skippers, she explored the city’s art, culture and hotel scene.

I’m in Barcelona, a chic, cosmopolitan port city that I first visited in 1992, during the Juegos Olimpiados.

I’m reminded of those games the week that the Winter Olympics 2010 are attracting attention to Vancouver and Whistler.

Lufthansa pilots have suspended their strike and agreed to continue negotiations.

The union began their four-day strike Monday, grounding thousands of passengers and canceling an anticipated 800 flights.

Keep reading to find out why the two sides are at odds and what they will have to do to mend the fences.

Dear Peter,

Most people would like to think we lead glamorous lives, you and I and road warriors like us who are Up in the Air, know differently.

And while I’m usually lucky with hotel rooms, I don’t always get to return to favorites because part of my job is testing new hotels in hopes of a winner … especially in these days of low dollars and high prices.

Want to learn how you can travel Paris in a day, or hike the Great Wall of China without breaking your back?

If you’ve got a burning travel question, The Travel Detective is here to help.

If you’d like to “Ask Peter,” just write us at peter @ petergreenberg.com.

This is part three of a four-part series by Karen Elowitt, who recently took a cruise on the Danube River, sailing between Budapest, Hungary, and Passau, Germany with Uniworld Cruises.  

While battling the frigid temperatures of Eastern Europe in winter, she realized that small touches can make a big difference in the cruising experience, and narrowly avoided tourist burnout by discovering some unexpected surprises.

Over breakfast in the ship’s restaurant on Saturday, our tour director sheepishly informed us that it would in fact be the coldest day of the year so far in Austria.

In part one of Cruising the Danube River, Karen Elowitt reflected on the festive Christmas markets and historic sights of Budapest and Bratislava as she sailed along the Danube River on a Uniworld cruise.

In part two, she shares her impressions of Vienna and Krems, both from the vantage point of a ship and on land, and notes some pros and cons of traveling by river. 

If viewed from the river, Vienna doesn’t make much of an impression. Aside from one dramatic 19th-century church and glimpses of a few skyscrapers, it looks like a large, unremarkable European city.