The university pays in advance for such items as flights, coach transfers, and bed and breakfast for each student participant. As a rough estimate, we are looking in the region of £450 and this will be added to your university bill before the field class. Heather Browning is responsible for processing invoices and compiling the bill, which will not be finalised for some time. Staff costs are not part of the field trip bill calculation.
Clearly Britain’s economic crisis, including the devaluation of the UK pound against the Euro, has contributed to a significant increase in the base field trip cost. Even so it remains good value for money in comparison with other Part 2 field class destinations.
In addition to this bill you will need to take sufficient euros to pay for lunch, evening meals, drinks and any other day to day expenses. Food and drink prices are reasonable – a typical menu at a typical taverna is available here.
You will purchase ferry tickets to travel from Chora Sfakion to Loutro and Chora Sfakion to the Samaria Gorge (Agia Roumeli). A return ticket to the Samaria Gorge is 13 euros and there is an entrance fee to the gorge (last known price was 5 euros). A one way ticket Chora Sfakion-Loutro is 3.20 euros for students (normal cost 4 euros). You will make two (exceptionally three) visits to Loutro and one to the Samaria Gorge. On one visit to Loutro you will plan to return to Chora Sfakion by foot so a return ticket on that day is not expected to be necessary.
There are a couple of bars in the village which provide Internet access for a small charge. You may need to utilise this service in order to complete certain work tasks.
Mobile phones should get good reception (depending on whether your phone works abroad in Europe).
There is a single ATM in Chora Sfakion, however do not count on it being operational all the time. We do not visit any large towns so there are no other banking facilities available and credit cards are NOT accepted in Chora Sfakion or Loutro. Therefore we recommend you take enough Euros with you, rather than counting on changing money in Crete.
The only accepted currency is the Euro.
Clearly the personal expenses you incur in Crete will depend on various factors, including the work programme your group agrees with the field class convenor. Please utilise the information here for planning but also build in some contingency for unexpected costs.
