At this time I am paying in US dollars. It is so complicated I dont know how to even explain all this or even if I should try!

We are being billed in RAND. I cant charge the exact amount in RAND at final payment in US dollars because no one knows the exact return.

So deposits, partial payments I can run through Houston in US dollars and they give me the exchange rate I put that on your invoices. You all paid a deposit of $1000 US but everyone has a different deposit in RAND based on when it was charged.

If I want PAY in RAND to match the invoice exactly then I have to send the money directly to South AFrica and yes it comes up with those transaction fees.

US credit cards cannot charge in a foreign currency.

My thinking is that as it gets close that I ask K&D to give us an exchange rate that they will commit to for our payments. We then know the exchange we will get and I can pay off all the invoices accurately and in US dollars.

For individual travellers with itineraries arranged in Houston, K&D quotes in US dollars but of course they hedge that bet. They win some and they lose some. This is always the big complication. They have to protect themselves though so I think there is more "room" in their rates for fluctuations to the downside.

Some individual safaris I arrange directly with South Africa any pay via US credit card in South Africa in Rand.

K&D Houston are not prepared to quote and lock in a US dollar figure for a group so far in the future and so large. Closer to time for final payment my plan was to negotiate a rate with K&D and pay in US dollars. This is on "my plate" for the future.

If the rand gets high of course K&D will give us a better exchange rate offer so we could always do a final payment for individual people at different times.