Banana Index Recap

In search of the perfect banana

1996

Honduras (huge banana exporter); bananas hard to find for sale

Tent nights: 185

1997

Ecuador wins cheapest banana award: 80 for 1 USD

1998

France: 3 bananas for 1 USD. Hold the bananas and bring on the wine!

Switzerland 2 for 1USD

Slovenia: 6 for 1 USD

Tent nights: 185

1999

Italy: 3 bananas for 1 USD and you can even buy Chiquita. Italy is home to the friendliest people in Europe.

Indonesian Banana Index: 10 kilos for 1 USD (a submission from Rocky touring in Indonesia)

South Africa 12 bananas for 1 USD

Kruger Park (South Africa) Banana Index: 8-10 bananas for 1 USD

Madagascar 60 for 1 USD. Best banana flambes in the world

New Zealand Banana Index: 6 for 1 USD (imports from Ecuador)

Tent nights: 146

2000

USA Banana Index (USA):5 for 1USD

Banana Index (CANADA):7 for 1USD

Mexico Banana Index: 10 for 1 USD

Tent nights: 110

2001

France banana index: 5 for 1 USD or 7 banananas for 1 bottle of passable Bordeaux or Muscadet. The Europeans may have lost the banana wars but there is no sign of any Central American bananas.

Luxembourg: Central American bananas are widely available. Banana Index: 4 for 1 USD. 6 in Aldi.

Netherlands banana Index: 4 for 1 USD

Tent nights: 104

2002

South Africa banana index; 25 (currency swing since earlier visit)

Namibia Banana Index: 18

Botswana Banana Index: 12

Zimbabwe Banana Index: 25 (before loss to sneaky monkeys)

Malaysia Banana Index: 14

Thai Banana Index: 30 (there are many banana varieties here, we use the Ord standard size)

Laos Banana Index: a staggering 50-80 delicious bananas for 1USD

Tent nights: 188

2003

California banana index: 5 for 1USD

Tent nights: 126

2005

Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia Canada Banana Index ™*: 4 for 1USD

Thai banana index: 16 for 1 USD

Laos Banana Index: 24-36, so lets say 30 per USD

Vietnam banana index; still under review. More haggling is required!

Vietnam banana index: 42 for 1 USD

Tent nights: 52

2006

Cambodian Banana Index: 40 for 1 USD

Sabah (Malaysia) Banana Index: 20 for 1 USD

Australian Banana Index in shambles, less than a nana per USD

Banana Index: no score

Tent nights: 216

2007

Oz Banana Index: improving, 2-3 per USD

Oz Banana Index: 3 per USD

Reports indicate a continuing deterioration of the Australian index by mid-year

Oz Banana Index at year-end: 5 per USD

Tent Nights: 173

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